Fiction tips

Today we will have a few minutes to go over your ideas. We will also be going through some of the items from the list below that may help you with your various fiction projects. 

Remember, while the projects are flexible, they must be works of online fiction, that is to say that a short story online doesn't work, it must be something that incorporates not only internet technologies, but culture and represents the type of fiction afforded by it. 

If you are unsure as to whether or not your project qualifies, please contact me ASAP.

Today, hopefully, we will have enough time for you to go through the first three steps of the snowflake method. For Weds a rough draft of your fiction should be online. We will go over them together in class. 

• The Snowflake method (Go through steps 1-3 in a new post)
  
• Creating believable characters
• Short story structure and tips
• Thirty tools for writers (very useful to go through once you have your initial idea)
  
• More useful fiction writing tools, scan for topics applicable to your projects
  

The older cousin of online fiction

This may be helpful reading for some of you working on your online fiction pieces.

From Kotaku, a gamer blog:

• A History of Interactive Fiction

and the original

• Let's Tell a Story Together

Online Fiction

Today we will discuss online fiction and the directions it can take.

The two types of online fiction we will be looking at are blogging fiction and the alternate reality game (ARG). Defining either is difficult, as they, like most web trends, constantly evolve. However, for this class we will take the fictional blog as one that takes on the appearance of a blog, but is not based in reality. It may however have a strong sense of verisimilitude. The ARG also looks real, but is actually a game that takes you down a path with a constructed narrative that you have to play to find.

Both types of fiction utilize a chronotope that says bloggers are real folks operating under real circumstances. As a result, even when we know they are a hoax, they can still be compelling. Much of the writing is actually pointing, they rely on an external reality that readers already understand for their internal validity.

For Wednesday create a post with links and brief description to two pieces of online fiction. Also, we will be brainstorming/working on your fiction topics, so create a second post with some ideas for your fiction project.


Wikipedia on Alternate Reality Games

ARG Network

I love bees

Wikipedia article on Blog Fiction

How to write a blog-buster

Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog

Panel on ARG




Emokidohio

Monday workshop!

Alright, today is the workshop day for your new Wikipedia article. Remember, there are tech issues involved that will prevent you from being successful at this if you don't start yesterday!

Make sure you are registered and at least start your article by the end of the day. I know you all are well beyond this... but just in case :-)

Before turning you loose (I will be there to help in any way) we will also discuss:

• Good Wikipedia articles
• Featured Wikipedia articles
• anything else you want to ask or share re: this project

New Wikipedia topics

Today we will be working in groups, and I want you to spend time making suggestions for each other. This is your chance to brainstorm your new topic with your peers, and myself, as I will wander amongst the groups.

In order to do this you'll need to have a decent idea about what you want in your topic. Before we get into groups please put up a post with a brief description of your topic.

In groups we will make comments on your blog posts on three specific ares:

1. Which of the ten wiki-mandments should be most closely followed for your topic.
2. What expectations do we have for "research" on this topic. What kinds of evidence does this topic demand? An article on Nintendo will require different kinds of evidence than an article on the French Revolution, or HDTV.
3. What specific information would you expect from this article? For example, if there was an article on the natural history museum at the U, I would expect a timeline, list of exhibits, research interests, etc.
4. (optional) any helpful tips for the author?

So your response in the comments should be a list, 1.,2.,3. addressing the items above.

Happy Monday!

Alrighty, today we will be making sure everyone is on track for their Wiki-work and answering any questions regarding what's due.

Also, time permitting we will talk about professional on-line work and even a few insider secrets.

Possible topics:

• About.com
  
• SEO
• Engadget vs. Gizmodo
  
• Syndication/RSS
  
• Monetization: Advertising, Sprinks/adsense, Affiliates
• Penny-Arcade, Google, DealSea

as well as any questions you may have

Wikipedia cheat sheet

For those of you who are looking for a quick guide to formatting:

• Wikipedia formatting guide
• Wikipedia cheat sheet (more condensed version of the above)
  

More helpful guidelines

Here are some more helpful links to guide you in your Wikipedia editing.

• Wikipedia policies and guidelines
• Wikipedia basic rules to follow
• Wikpedia guidelines, useful things to consider
• Wikipedia featured articles: see what a good Wikipedia article looks like

Last-leg schedule

Just as a heads up, here is how I see the rest of our schedule working out.

• Week 12 March 24, 26 - Minor wiki edit due
• Week 13 March 31, April 2 - Major wiki edit due (major points!), new wiki topic idea due
• Week 14 April 7, 9 - New wiki post due (first draft on the 9th, final draft on the 14th)
  
• Week 15 April 14, 16 - Writing fiction
• Week 16 April 21, 23 - First draft of fiction due
• Week 17 April 28, 30 Finals Week - Final version of fiction due

10 Wiki-mandments

Here are your Wiki-mandements for this section:

1. Correct grammar and spelling, correct problems you see
2. References, where did you get this information from?
1. cite sources within text, i.e. foot/endnotes
2. Sources that are personal opinions/blogs are not 'reliable' sources - information not opinions should be cited, use quality sources
3. Links to other pages of relevance/references/wikipedia articles
   
4. Keep the post and pictures on topic, be careful about copyrights
   
5. Read what other people have posted, do not contradict rather correct, read the history, don't repeat mistakes
6. Keep a neutral point of view
7. Avoid using "jargony" words, or define if necessary
8. NO ORIGINAL RESEARCH!!!
9. Wikipedia is not a place for personal gain, not a soapbox/advertising forum
10. Wikipedia is not a social network, not for personal information
11. Wikipedia is not a dictionary, definitions can happen in the context of an article, but should not be articles

optional commandments:

1. Thou shalt have no other wikis before the Wikipedia
2. Thou shalt not covet other's great articles
   

On your mark(s), get set...

Today we will discuss your commandments in groups, pick our favorites, and see if we can come up with a class list of Wiki-mandments (ugh, so cheesy, I know).Then we are off to the races.

For Wednesday create a post with the entry you are editing (notice the present tense) and try your hand at it. We will share experiences, articles, and tips on how to edit the Wikipedia on Wednesday. So, please not only have your article picked, but start editing it.

As a requirement, see if you can bring "research" to the Wikipedia article, as opposed to just editing the current text. What can you contribute at this point?

In your post briefly blog about the experience, along with the link to both the article, and a history page of your edits. We will use this as a jumping off point for our conversation.

Wednesday will be all about works in progress, so be sure to get a jump on that editing!

Wiki Rules

Today we will be discussing a recent wiki-controversy, as outlined in the previous post, and taking a look at the articles you found and want to talk about.

We also will be moving forward on our own writing from research. In order to do this, we need to set forth some ground rules. The Wikipedia has its own set of guidelines, but many of the most important seem to be unspoken.

For the Monday after break, I want you to create a list of 10 Wikipedia commandments. After reading their guidelines, and a few Wikipedia entries (any topic will due, so long as it has seen several authors hands) you should start to notice what some of them are. Many of them become explicit when you read the discussion sections of an article, and some are more "organic."

Please, as much as possible, find example for your commandments. Perhaps this is best done through links. I also want you to feel free to write commandments that you think ought to be followed, even if you don't see them currently enacted in the community. Thus, a couple of your commandments might be suggestions for improvement, rather than current standards.

Finally, be prepared to talk about how these rules provide "good research." What in the world is good research anyway?

So, for the monday after break (aka Sunday 10pm) have two posts. First, the article you wish to edit, and some thoughts on those edits, second a list of 10 wiki-mandments.

Chris Benoit - Wrestling With the Wikipedia

The video above, and articles below are not only fascinating, but also point to one of the missing pieces of the Wikipedia vs. Encyclopedia vs. Knowledge debates... the real time (or future-time) synopsis of events that otherwise would not be written about (or at least not in this format).

• Chris Benoit Wikipeida Article
• The Wikipedia Controversy

Does this at all challenge what we have spoken about in regards to the Wikipedia? Does this make it more or less a reliable source of knowledge?On a related note, the public mourning and memorializing of the Benoits is something that could only happen in a Web 2.0 world.

• Nancy Benoit Tribute
• Chris Benoit Tribute

Catsup

Today we will cover the content that we missed from the previous class session:

• Research+Community
• Truth in Numbers

Class Canceled 3/5

There will be no class today. I just received a call that there has been a death in my family and I am going to try to fly to California.

I will do what I can to be back for Monday the 10th, but it will depend on funeral arrangements.

In the meantime please finish up your snapshot essays and the evaluation of your peers snapshot essays. Remember to read the three below you, if you wish you can do the five below you, more input is always better.

You can explore the topics listed in the post for today. I will let you know about Monday as soon as I do, but for now, let's plan on having class.

Thank you for your understanding,
Roger

Truth in Numbers: The Wikipedia Story" - Trailer

Wikipedia = Research+Community?

We've picked apart knowledge and research quite a bit. We've discovered that it is contextual, that it is constructed, and that it attempts to be persuasive. We've also hinted that it is communal. That is what we are going to explore next.

Today I want you to take a few minutes to find a Wikipedia article that you a) find interesting and b) know quite a bit about.

We will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of said articles together in class.

For Monday you will need to post a link to that article (or a new one of your choosing) along with a plan to update it. We will go over them together in class... I think you can see where this is headed.

Also you must read (whole page + interesting links): About the Wikipedia

• London Bombing Time Lapse (1:42)
• London Bombing Article Today
• Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica
• Nature on the Wikipedia: Accurate?
• Debates on the Wikipedia
• Hacking the Wikipedia
• Got any others we should look at? Post 'em in the comments

The Research Process / Collecting Sources

Our next project is a research essay. Research is an inherently political activity... wait what exactly do I mean by that?

Let's take a look at some traditional notions of what a research paper should be:

Writing the research paper

• OWL
• Bedford

Now, what is research online? And I'm still confused by what I mean about research being an inherently political act.

The heart of a research paper (we'll get to topics vs. thesis later, I promise) is the research itself. So, what is research and how does it differ from this thing I hear about called sources?

Speaking of sources, let's talk about them for a bit.

Sources:

• Traditional sources
• Online sources
• Non-traditional sources
• Science and the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test

For Thursday I want you to post a "card" from four sources:

• One from a "traditional" sources
• One from an academic journal
• One from an online source
• One from a non-traditional source
  

In this digital era, how shall we do citations? There are some traditions which have developed methods to cite web pages and the like... but that is adaptation, not invention. What is important to you in a citation?

Super Wednesday!!!

Online Snapshot Essay

• Due: March 3 (ok, really the 2nd by 10pm)
  
• 25% of grade 250 pts
• Comment on 3 peer posts (the three below you) by March 5
  
• Email me, and only me, a letter grade and brief rationale for the three peers below you on the list. I will consider your opinions while I grade.

Reqs:

• style elements from the 3 class projects (recall, observation, conversation)
• Links
• Tags
• Go into depth regarding details – be specific, avoid “shortcuts”/judgment statements
• Keep paragraphs smaller, condensed
• Reader friendly formatting (readable colors, fonts, image sizes)
• Open to fact or fiction
• Interesting writing style
  
• Post should be able to stand alone, include necessary background information
• Embedded Multimedia – videos, music, images, etc.
  

Reviewing writing from conversation

Alright, the entire class period today will be dedicated to review of and making suggestions for your writing from conversation pieces.

So, in groups of 4 please:
1. Read your piece aloud to the group, group members should also read along
2. Group members should make 2 concrete suggestions for improvement in the comment field. If you want to gush or groan about the piece, go ahead, but be sure to include 2 specific observations with suggestions for change. The quality of your suggestions is considered in the class work/participation grade, so make them useful.
3. Spend a total (including reading) of 8-10 minutes per person.

Remember to revise for next Wednesday! Remember next Wednesday is Super Wednesday, please make sure to attend!