User:ProfGray/Exercise Write Paragraphs

Wikipedia Assignment 3: Write paragraphs for articles
Due: see dates below
Return to the course page

Goals and method

Having successfully engaged with WP editors and made acceptable edits, students will edit short article units, such as paragraphs or subsections.

The instructor will give students a specific editing methodology and select appropriate articles:

• Students can again rely on the Coogan or JPS course books. Or, they may utilize specific scholarly sources, such as critical commentaries.
• Teams will assign parts of the Mendenhall and Weinfeld articles on Biblical covenant.
• WP Articles to be edited will include Mosaic covenant and Suzerainty, while Teams are encourage to fill other WP needs, too.
• Teams may propose to create new articles, such as Covenant structure, with the Instructor's permission

Alternative topics: Suitable WP Articles may include specific Pentateuch verses or phrases with weak little or no Wikipedia coverage, or discrete themes drawn from the Coogan readings, such as Abrahamic covenant, the Jacob wrestling with an angel stub, Dinah, Zipporah, Passover, or Jethro. Wikipedia volunteers may be helpful in finding Genesis-related articles that need improvement. Please discuss alternative choices with the instructor, in advance.

Assignment steps: Weeks 6 - 8

We will roughly follow the steps of the Wife-sister Exercise, except now the emphasis will be on paragraphs or subsections.

• Work as a Team

• Question: Can the teams divide up sections of Mendenhall and Weinfeld?  Done

• Prepare your list of reliable sources. Due: Monday of week 6 (draft) and Wednesday (corrections)

• New: Each student should add at least one peer-reviewed academic source to the reference list. Put on your Team page, sign your entry.

• You don't need to read it (except to check that it is not theology drawing on the Bible)
• Easy method: Use Google Scholar or JSTOR to tracking citations to Mendenhall or Weinfeld

• Analyze Mendenhall then Weinfeld and compare to WP articles: Monday then Wednesday of Week 6 (March 2 & 4)
  • Outline Mendenhall's argument for Monday, Weinfeld for Wednesday. ~1-2 page outlines, including main claim and key reasons (or evidence)
  • Post your outline on your personal Sandbox (or another subpage)
  • Identify the Wikipedia Articles(s) and make initial notes about what you can contribute
  • Bring a printout of notes to class for discussion!
• Write your paragraphs with refs, sandboxed, due: Wednesday, Week 7 (March 11)
  • Paragraphs must include proper (not too close) paraphrases.
  • One paragraph about a part of Mendenhall and another paragraph about a part of Weinfeld.
  • Paragraphs should make ONE overarching point, backed by evidence & reasons, in a suitable spot!
    • It's great to write long, substantive paragraphs that explain its point (claim) in depth
    • Recommended: Put some original quotations and your paraphrase, side-by-side, in your sandbox!
• Introduce your ideas and role on an Article Talk page: Due: Week 6-7
• Peer review each other's paraphrases and references: Due: Week 6-7
  • Sign & date your peer review with ~~~~
  • Mark exactly where you see the paragraph's 1 point
  • Check references. Check the paraphrase against the original text.

• Edit the selected Articles with (at least) two vetted paragraphs, due: Week 8

→ Copy your paragraph(s) into your Portfolio for grading

Team splits for Mendenhall and Weinfeld

Mendenhall

• overview and historical origins of covenant -- User:Sunshine619
• covenant forms in Israel -- User:AL2015
• structure of the suzerainty -- User:TWloveandhonor // User:Slfirme
• nature of the covenant -- User:Adrugby
• covenant of Joshua -- User:IMcayat // User:Dkcincy
• comparison of Isr and Hittite treaties -- User:Sctimmons
• rediscovery of the mosaic cont -- User:Kk 1291 // User:Grahamcrackered
• monarchic breakdown -- User:ZarathustraSay20

Weinfeld

• first section to 189 --User:TWloveandhonor // User:Slfirme
• unconditional gift, 189-196 -- User:IMcayat // User:Grahamcrackered
• rest of unconditional to 202 -- User:Adrugby
• Abraham covenant -- User:AL2015 // User:Dkcincy
• core differences betw treaties and grants -- User:Sunshine619
• semantic and etymological evidence connecting them -- User:ZarathustraSay20
• Abrahamic covenants as grants -- User:Sctimmons
• treaties from Assyria and other nations -- User:Kk 1291

Assignment steps: Week 8-10

Before our final major WP assignment, the tentative course discussion plan is to cover

1. Treatment of women (Niditch),
2. Davidic ideology and reality,
3. Raw violence and injustice (Trible),
4. Intertextuality with Tamar and Ruth(Van Wolde), and
5. The divided kingdoms.

Accordingly, individually or in teams, it is reasonable to expect students to write at least one WP Article paragraph for one of these ~5 sessions.

Alternatives for paragraph-level contributions to Wikipedia

You may find your own new opportunities to revise or add paragraphs to an Article:

1. Find ideas in Coogan, JPS course books, or strong academic sources, such as peer-reviewed articles, Anchor Bible Dictionary, or critical commentaries.
2. With approval from Prof. Gray, suitable articles may include specific Pentateuch verses or phrases, Psalms with weak existing articles, or discrete themes drawn from the concomitant Coogan readings. (The instructor has started to discuss assignment options with a veteran WP:Bible editor.)