Wikipedia as editorial microcosm

To effectively use Wikipedia as a microcosm for advanced editing, instructors can have students find and intervene in stalled articles. This project might stand alone in an advanced editing class (whether general editing or technical editing). Alternatively, instructors who would like to build a composition course entirely around Wikipedia could use the intervention in stalled articles as one assignment situated amongst more traditional writing with Wikipedia projects, such as creating a new article, expanding a stub, finding citations and images for existing articles, or polishing articles nearing good article status.

Instructors should read through Part 1 for a full examination of stalled articles. You might also use Part 1 as a resource to help students understand the issues involved, although we also have separate Google Documents containing material more directed towards students (refer to the Assignment Documents section).

The assignment is built around this single task: for students to identify and intervene in stalled articles, so as to make a strategic intervention in the editing history of articles on Wikipedia.

What does it mean to intervene in a stalled article? Students will substantially assess and intervene in the editing trajectory of an article that has sufficient content but significant issues, including a diplomatic engagement with the community of actual or potential editors, and then leave their article and communication in a state where further writing work can be completed by others.