Wikipedia:Wiki Ed/University of Pennsylvania/Food in the Islamic Middle East (Fall 2020)

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Course name
Food in the Islamic Middle East
Institution
University of Pennsylvania
Instructor
Heather Sharkey
Wikipedia Expert
Ian (Wiki Ed)
Subject
History
Course dates
2020-09-15 00:00:00 UTC – 2020-12-10 23:59:59 UTC
Approximate number of student editors
15


This seminar approaches past and present Middle Eastern and North African societies through the study of food. The Islamic Middle East itself claims a rich internal history of scholarship on food, along with an illustrious tradition of cookbook-writing that began with Arabic works like Kitab al-Tabikh (“The Book of Cooking”) by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq, who lived in Baghdad more than a thousand years ago. The works we read this semester, most of them by historians and anthropologists, will be of much more recent authorship, while some of them will be of a comparative nature (focusing on other parts of the world, in ways that can help us to think about Middle Eastern parallels) or will reflect history on the world stage (for example, by positioning the Middle East within global networks of exchange).

Our studies of food will cover several overlapping topics and themes in the study of Middle Eastern and North African societies and cultures. These themes include labor (the work behind food production and preparation); religion; gender; nationalism; migration; status, hierarchy, and class; business; contestation and conflict (including identity politics); medicine and health; trade and transport; environment and agriculture; value, symbolism, and prestige; place (i.e., where food production and consumption happens, and how it reflects local settings and landscapes); and finally, tradition and authenticity.

Students will write an independent research paper in this class. Students will also learn how to write for Wikipedia by following tutorials and then by working together, on teams, to draft new articles, or expand existing articles, relating to our subject. Specifically, we will conduct research and then write biographical articles featuring significant U.S.- and U.K.-based food writers, chefs, and cookbook authors of Middle Eastern origin. In the process we will discuss what it can mean to produce public-facing scholarship.

Student Assigned Reviewing
Ellapoole Sumac
Testytabata Aleppo pepper
Winter Traveler Muhammara
Jamiedoesmith20 Anissa Helou
Telestudent2020 Ful medames, Dolma
Abs622 Kugel Yerushalmi
TheArchitect1 Torshi
Pondertorium Sabich
Thepassedbytrain Zhug
Arinsenior Bamba (snack)
Rosewoodcabrillo Basbousa
Bshore1999 Manakish Sumac

Timeline

Week 1

Course meetings
Monday, 21 September 2020
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
Monday, 28 September 2020
Assignment - Evaluate Wikipedia
In class - Discussion

Week 3

Course meetings
Monday, 5 October 2020
Assignment - Exercise
In class - Discussion
Guide(s) for writing articles in your topic area

Biographies

History

Week 4

Course meetings
Monday, 12 October 2020
Assignment - Add to an article
Assignment - Exercise

Week 5

Course meetings
Monday, 19 October 2020
Assignment - Start drafting your contributions

Resource: Editing Wikipedia, pages 7–9

Milestones

Everyone has begun writing their article drafts.

Week 6

Course meetings
Monday, 26 October 2020
Assignment - Peer review an article

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
Monday, 2 November 2020
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
Monday, 9 November 2020
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

Assignment - Exercise

Week 9

Course meetings
Monday, 16 November 2020
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
Monday, 23 November 2020
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
Monday, 30 November 2020
Assignment - Final article

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!
In class - In-class presentation

Week 12

Course meetings
Monday, 7 December 2020
Milestones

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