WikiWomen Erasmus+/Schools toolkit/Research standards (ethics)

Lesson 6: Research standards (ethics)

Lesson Outcome

Understand the importance of citations in Wikipedia articles.
Recognize plagiarism and close paraphrasing, and apply proper paraphrasing and citing techniques.
Learn to evaluate sources for relevance, credibility, bias, and recency.
Lesson Duration: 40 minutes —
English PDF
Translatable PPTX

Introduction (10 minutes): Welcome students and recap the significance of citations in Wikipedia. What is Plagiarism?

Introduce the concept of plagiarism: copying someone else's work without proper citation, deliberately or accidentally.
Discuss the consequences of plagiarism and close paraphrasing in academic and professional contexts.
Discuss why it is important to cite sources in your work? How does it contribute to the credibility of your research?"
How to add a citation, steps.
Demonstrate how to use the citation tool in Wikipedia.

Class Discussion (5-10 minutes): Discuss criteria for evaluating sources: relevance, credibility, bias, and recency. What is... Some definitions to help students understand. Bias

Bias refers to an unfair inclination or prejudice that might favor one perspective over others. It's like telling a story from only one side without considering different viewpoints, which can affect the accuracy and neutrality of the information presented.

Integrity

Integrity in writing means maintaining honesty and reliability in the information shared. It's like being truthful and making sure the facts are solid so that readers can trust what they find on Wikipedia.

Credibility

Credibility in writing is all about making sure the information is trustworthy and believable. It's like having a strong reputation for providing accurate details, so readers can rely on what they find on Wikipedia.

Recency

Recency refers to how new or up-to-date information is. When using sources and citations, it's like making sure you're using the most current facts, just like checking the latest news for the most recent updates on a topic.

Prompt: "How can bias in sources impact the quality of an article? How can we ensure balanced perspectives?" Introduction to Proper Paraphrasing and Citing (5 minutes):

Go over steps for proper paraphrasing: understanding the source, putting it away, and then rephrasing in your own words.
Highlight the importance of not directly translating content and making an effort to express ideas uniquely, especially when translating.
Example of a paraphrased paragraph from DIB.ie

Activity: Paraphrasing and Citing Practice (5 minutes):

Students practise paraphrasing a short passage from a source.
The example should be relevant to the region and available sources for the students.
They use the citation tool to add the paraphrased content to a Wikipedia article or their sandbox.
Circulate to provide assistance and guidance during the activity.

Conclusion (5 minutes):

Recap the importance of proper paraphrasing, citing, and source evaluation.
Reiterate the consequences of plagiarism and close paraphrasing.

Homework:

Pick one of the sources you have identified for your article and summarise it.
Rephrase the information in Sandbox.
Save the citation information.

Note: Encourage students to actively participate in the discussions and activities. Emphasise the importance of originality and balanced perspectives in their research. This lesson aims to instil ethical research practices and enhance students' ability to critically evaluate sources and integrate information effectively into their Wikipedia articles.

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