Information Literacy Toolkit

Assigning students to create an entry or edit an existing entry for Wikipedia can be a great alternative to the traditional research paper. Wikipedia assignments help students to:

• Learn about the research process, including how to find, evaluate, and cite credible sources
• Create a research product with high impact and visibility
• Address gaps in representation, especially about marginalized and oppressed groups

Writing for Wikipedia can be an empowering and enlightening experience for students! However, transitioning your class to include a Wikipedia assignment requires forethought and planning, as well as a thorough understanding of Wikipedia's editing expectations and culture. We recommend that you design your Wikipedia assignment the semester prior to teaching and consult resources from the Wiki Education organization.

Every semester, Wiki Education offers an online training program to guide instructors on how to create an effective assignment. Wiki Education also offers online training modules you can do at your own pace.

Library Support

If you would like library support for your Wikipedia assignment, Gina Bastone, Humanities Librarian, is our resident Wikipedia expert. Gina offers the following Wikipedia support to instructors:

• Consultation and feedback on Wikipedia assignments
• A one-time "How to Edit Wikipedia" workshop for your class
• Connection with your subject liaison librarian to cover finding sources that meet Wikipedia's requirements for citation

Contact Gina at g.bastone@austin.utexas.edu for more information.

Updated July 2021