Course:PHYS341/2018/example wiki project

Wiki Project

The example project includes all the necessary elements of the PHYS341 wiki project:

Introductory paragraph(s)
Contents list
Text in paragraphs as per the contents list.
References properly cited inline (I am relaxed about style, but demand consistency - i.e. don't change style from one reference to another)
Figures (at least one diagram, at least one photograph), must be own work (preferred) or from Wiki commons, properly cited. Captions must be informative (i.e. not just "Fig.3") and should be at least somewhat comprehensible without having to read the entire article.
Total word count (everything: captions, references, the lot - the easy way to count is to cut and paste into Word and let it count for you) must be greater than 1000 and less than 1500.
Overall style: read this Wikipedia writing guide - note the primacy of fact-based writing rather than persuasive writing.
Things that drive me nuts (it seems only honest to tell you this ahead of time!).
- Graphs without proper labels on both axes. Vague labels (e.g. "The sound", instead of "Sound Pressure Level in dB").
- Writing "db", "DB", "Db", instead of "dB"; "HZ", "hz" instead of "Hz", etc. etc.
- Muddling plurals, e.g. I can just tolerate "sound spectrums" but not "sound spectras". (Strictly it is one spectrum, two spectra).
- Muddling "its" and "it's". (There is a pile of help for this sort of thing on the web).
- Spelling: be consistent! Alternating Canadian spelling with American and/or British spelling looks like bad proofreading. My personal preference is for Canadian spelling but you will only lose style marks if you spell a word one way in one paragraph and another in the next. Also beware of general consistency issues like "sound box" versus "soundbox" or "sound-box", or "string/stringed instrument": consult online for the most accepted version and stick with it.
- Beware of starting sentences with pronouns and demonstratives like "it" and "this", where it is not obvious what "it" and "this" refer to. Consider using a semicolon to link to the previous sentence where "it" is defined, rather than starting a new sentence.
- In a short article like this, don't use phrases like "As previously mentioned".
- Feel free to point out to me where this example article violates my own rules!

Grading scheme (max 30)

Draft (see below) - 4
Editorial comments (peer review) on paired project (see below) - 3
Physics content - 5
Clear explanations - 5
Structure and length - 5
Writing style - 3
Diagram(s) - 3 (full marks only for own work, maximum one mark for diagrams wholly copied from the web - zero if not cited)
Photograph(s) - 2 (full marks only for own work, maximum one half mark for images wholly copied from the web - zero if not cited)

Timing

Help/advice: anytime.
Initial idea, Friday February 02.
Draft due 17:00, Friday March 16. This I will comment on extensively, so the more complete it is, the better. Do not skip this step!
I will group the projects into editorial pairs for peer review. You will make comments on the other project using the Wiki "Talk" facility. Editorial comments due 17:00, Monday March 26.
Final version due 17:00, Thursday April 05.

Some excellent projects from 2017

A note on project partnerships

You will for the most part work in pairs for your project. These partnerships are an opportunity to produce a better outcome that one alone could achieve. They are also an opportunity to get to know someone from another program to whom you may never have spoken otherwise. However, the relationships don't always work out. An occasional complaint I hear is of a non-interacting partner who won't answer messages and does not produce anything. In this case please email me, detailing your attempts to contact your partner, and I will take action.

Getting started

1. Login to the UBC Wiki

Click the CWL button on the top left of the page and login from there.

2. Create your User Page/Profile

Start here and log in to CWL. Edit page however you wish. Your user page provides a space for you to let other UBC Wiki users know who you are and what your affiliation is with UBC. The space can also be used for testing and experimentation with wiki code or mark-up. If you do not wish to use your real name here, see Using an Alias on the UBC Wiki.

Do not add your names and student numbers to your wiki file, as this is open and viewable by all (that is why Wikipedia recommends opaque usernames rather than real names).

5. Get writing

To achieve a particular feature, feel free to plunder the source code of the example project below, and indeed of any wiki page you like the look of. If you get stuck, search for resources on the web, or in the last resort, ask me (who will probably just type your question into Google to get the answer).