Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/New York University Shanghai/Arab-Islamic Influence on the West (Fall 2022)

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Course name
Arab-Islamic Influence on the West
Institution
New York University Shanghai
Instructor
Shuang Wen
Wikipedia Expert
Ian (Wiki Ed)
Subject
History
Course dates
2022-09-05 00:00:00 UTC – 2022-12-14 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
10


Are you looking for a fun and interactive selective course to acquire crucial knowledge outside your major? The Arab-Islamic world is an under-taught region for all students. Rarely any high school outside the Middle East offers a course on it, yet it is strategically important to us all. Since many of you aspire to become professionals in diplomacy, business and finance, computer/data science, media and technology, etc., it is vital to have some basic knowledge and an informed understanding about one of the fastest growing regions in these areas so that in the future you can make wise policy recommendations and business decisions!

Have you ever wondered: Why do we use “Arabic” numerals? Why does the English language have words like algebra, algorithm, coffee, sugar, and sabbatical? Why is there a tendency for western textbooks to jump from the Fall of Rome to the Italian Renaissance? Why are there ongoing differentiations between the “East” and the “West” in our increasingly globalized world? This course provides a new approach to studying “Western Civilization” by highlighting the numerous influences that the Arab-Islamic world has on Europe and other western societies. It also explores why many western scholars have chosen to minimize Arab-Islamic contributions in favor of “Western Exceptionalism” narratives.

The course is arranged thematically. Each session centers around an area of Arab-Islamic influence on the “West” with an example of an English (or other European languages) word that can trace its origin back to Arabic (or other Middle Eastern languages).

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Tuesday, 6 September 2022   |   Thursday, 8 September 2022
In class - Introduction to the Wikipedia assignment

Welcome to your Wikipedia assignment's course timeline. This page guides you through the steps you'll need to complete for your Wikipedia assignment, with links to training modules and your classmates' work spaces.

Your course has been assigned a Wikipedia Expert. You can reach them through the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resources:

Assignment - Get started on Wikipedia

Create an account and join this course page, using the enrollment link your instructor sent you. (Because of Wikipedia's technical restraints, you may receive a message that you cannot create an account. To resolve this, please try again off campus or the next day.)

Milestones

This week, everyone should have a Wikipedia account.

Week 2

Course meetings
Tuesday, 13 September 2022   |   Thursday, 15 September 2022
Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia
In class - Discussion

Week 3

Course meetings
Tuesday, 20 September 2022   |   Thursday, 22 September 2022
Assignment - Choose possible topics

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 6

In class - Discussion

Week 4

Course meetings
Tuesday, 27 September 2022   |   Thursday, 29 September 2022
Assignment - Make a small edit
Assignment - Finalize your topic and find sources

Week 5

Course meetings
Tuesday, 11 October 2022   |   Thursday, 13 October 2022
Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have questions using the Get Help button at the top of this page.

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

History

Political Science

Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 6

Course meetings
Tuesday, 18 October 2022   |   Thursday, 20 October 2022
In class - Presentation of work-in-progress
Assignment - Peer review two articles

Guiding framework

In class - Discussion
Milestones

Every student has finished reviewing their assigned articles, making sure that every article has been reviewed.

Week 7

Course meetings
Tuesday, 25 October 2022   |   Thursday, 27 October 2022
Assignment - Respond to your peer review

You probably have some feedback from other students and possibly other Wikipedians. Consider their suggestions, decide whether it makes your work more accurate and complete, and edit your draft to make those changes.

Resources:

  • Editing Wikipedia, pages 12 and 14
  • Reach out to your Wikipedia Expert if you have any questions.

Week 8

Course meetings
Tuesday, 1 November 2022   |   Thursday, 3 November 2022
Assignment - Begin moving your work to Wikipedia

Now that you've improved your draft based on others' feedback, it's time to move your work live - to the "mainspace."

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, page 13

Week 9

Course meetings
Tuesday, 8 November 2022   |   Thursday, 10 November 2022
Assignment - Continue improving your article

Now's the time to revisit your text and refine your work. You may do more research and find missing information; rewrite the lead section to represent all major points; reorganize the text to communicate the information better; or add images and other media.

Week 10

Course meetings
Tuesday, 15 November 2022   |   Thursday, 17 November 2022   |   Sunday, 13 November 2022
Assignment - Polish your work

Continue to expand and improve your work, and format your article to match Wikipedia's tone and standards. Remember to contact your Wikipedia Expert at any time if you need further help!

Week 11

Course meetings
Tuesday, 22 November 2022
Assignment - Polish your work

It's the final week to develop your article.

  • Read Editing Wikipedia page 15 to review a final check-list before completing your assignment.
  • Don't forget that you can ask for help from your Wikipedia Expert at any time!
Assignment - Reflective essay

Week 12

Course meetings
Tuesday, 29 November 2022   |   Thursday, 1 December 2022
Assignment - submit your article

Everyone should have finished all of the work they'll do on Wikipedia, and be ready for grading.

Week 13

Course meetings
Tuesday, 6 December 2022   |   Thursday, 8 December 2022
Milestones