WIKI ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
The purpose of this assignment is to:
• Highlight historical figures who provide a different perspective on the history of Western Civilization.
• Introduce students to the use of reliable reference sources.
• Foster critical thinking skills as students review one another’s work.
• Encourage interaction among students as they review and edit one another’s work.
Instructions for Creating a Page (Module/Week 4)
For the first part of this assignment, you will choose a person from the list provided, use reliable reference sources to compile a short biographical sketch for that person, and post your work to the Biographical Wiki.
Step 1: Choose a person from the list below and create a page in the Biographical Wiki. Check to make sure the person you selected has not already been posted to the wiki by another student.
List of historical figures for Step 1: Women in Western Civilization
1. Lou Andreas-Salomé
2. Susan B. Anthony
3. Marie Antoinette
4. Mary Astell
5. Hubertine Auclert
6. Marianne Cope
7. Marie Curie
8. Millicent Fawcett
9. Olympe de Gouges
10. Mata Hari
11. Mary Kingsley
12. Mary Leakey
13. Rosa Luxembourg
14. Maria Theresa
15. Rosalía Mera
16. Maria Montessori
17. Hannah More
18. Mamphela Ramphele
19. Leni Riefenstahl
20. Mary Seacole
21. Mary Slessor
22. Madame de Staël
23. Violette Szabo
24. Mother Teresa
25. Margaret Thatcher
26. Harriet Tubman
27. Queen Victoria
28. Trude Weiss-Rosmarin
29. Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
30. Mary Wollstonecraft
Step 2: Research the person using reliable reference sources. (encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.) and works of historical scholarship (peer-reviewed journal articles, essay collections, historical monographs). Do not use an open web search, popular magazines, or works targeting children. Do not use the course text as a source for this assignment.
Use at least 3 different reference works.
Reference sources for Step 2:
The best reference sources are available in the Liberty’s Library. The following are recommended for this assignment.
Britannica Academic Edition—essentially an encyclopedia, but with links to dictionaries and websites. Be sure to correctly identify and cite the specific source used.
Literati by Credo – a database collection of reference works. Look for titles that include the word encyclopedia or dictionary. You may also find reference works focused on biographies. If you use this database, remember to cite the specific reference work (ebook) used.
Gale Virtual Reference Library—a database collection of reference works. Look for titles that include the word encyclopedia or dictionary. If you use this database, remember to cite the specific reference work (ebook) used.
Oxford Reference Online Premium—an extensive database collection of reference works. Look for titles that include the word encyclopedia or dictionary. If you use this database, remember to cite the specific reference work (ebook) used.
Step 3: Synthesize the information you have gathered into a single, concise biographical sketch. Give a short summary of the person’s life and most significant achievements and situate the person in the historical context as it relates to this course. Write one or two paragraphs using complete sentences. The best biographical sketches will be 200–250 words. Remember that this is a short summary, not a research paper. Write only in your own words. Do not copy and do not quote from other sources.
Type your work into the wiki page which you have created for the course. Include a list of the reference sources used. For books, essays, and journal articles, include a full bibliographic entry properly formatted in current Turabian style. See the Turabian Quick Guide for citing most sources. For reference works, give the full title of the reference work and the publication year. If it is an electronic source, give a working link.
Sample entry for reference source:
Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2012. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked /topic/117198/Church-Father.
Be sure to use clear, concise sentences assembled into coherent, unified paragraphs. Proofread carefully to prevent grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation errors. Use a professional tone free from colloquial expressions and idioms. Consult the Writing Tips to identify and eliminate common mistakes.
Post the initial page (Wiki: Create a Page) no later than 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of Module/Week 4.
Instructions for Wiki Revisions (Module/Week 8)
Open the Biographical Wiki and select at least two pages for revision. You may revise as many as you wish, but you must revise at least two. Do not select your own page. Consult at least one additional source using the same guidelines as for the original definition (see above). Make revisions and changes that will significantly improve the quality of the biographical sketch and ensure that the significance of the person is clearly explained. Include both substantive content revisions as well as writing edits. Add your new reference to the list of references for that item.
You may post Wiki Revisions any time after the end of Module/Week 4. Wiki Revisions must be posted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday of Module/Week 8.
Grading:
The Wiki Page will be graded based on the appropriate use of sources, the extent to which the definition is thorough and accurate, and the quality of writing.
Wiki Revisions will be graded based on the appropriate use of sources, the extent to which revisions and edits improve the accuracy and quality of the existing definition, and the quality of writing in the final, revised version of the page.
