Women in Western Civilization

Wiki Assignment Instructions

The purpose of this assignment is to:

·       Highlight historical figures who provide a different perspective on the history of Western Civilization.

·       Introduce students to the use of reliable reference sources.

·       Foster critical thinking skills as students review one another’s work.

·       Encourage interaction among students as they review and edit one another’s work.

Instructions for Creating a Page (Module/Week 4)

For the first part of this assignment, you will choose a person from the list provided, use reliable reference sources to compile a short biographical sketch for that person, and post your work to the Biographical Wiki.

Step 1: Choose a person from the list below and create a page in the Biographical Wiki.

List of historical figures for Step 1: Women in Western Civilization

1. Gladys Aylward
2. Dorothea Beale
3. Annie Besant
4. Amy Carmichael
5. Gandhi, Indira 
6. Dorothy Hodgkin
7. Emma Lazarus
8. Catherine Mccaulay

Step 2: Research the person using reliable reference sources. (encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.) and works of historical scholarship (peer-reviewed journal articles, essay collections, historical monographs). Do not use an open web search, popular magazines, or works targeting children. Do not use the course text as a source for this assignment.

Use at least 3 different reference works.

Reference sources for Step 2:

The following references sources are recommended for this assignment.

Britannica Academic Edition—essentially an encyclopedia, but with links to dictionaries and websites. Be sure to correctly identify and cite the specific source used.

Literati by Credo – a database collection of reference works. Look for titles that include the word encyclopedia or dictionary. You may also find reference works focused on biographies. If you use this database, remember to cite the specific reference work (ebook) used.

Gale Virtual Reference Library—a database collection of reference works. Look for titles that include the word encyclopedia or dictionary. If you use this database, remember to cite the specific reference work (ebook) used.

Oxford Reference Online Premium—an extensive database collection of reference works. Look for titles that include the word encyclopedia or dictionary. If you use this database, remember to cite the specific reference work (ebook) used.

Step 3: Synthesize the information you have gathered into a single, concise biographical sketch. Give a short summary of the person’s life and most significant achievements and situate the person in the historical context as it relates to this course. Write one or two paragraphs using complete sentences. The best biographical sketches will be 200–250 words. Remember that this is a short summary, not a research paper. Write only in your own words. Do not copy and do not quote from other sources.

Type your work into the wiki page which you have created for the course. Include a list of the reference sources used. For books, essays, and journal articles, include a full bibliographic entry properly formatted in current Turabian style. See the Turabian Quick Guide for citing most sources. For reference works, give the full title of the reference work and the publication year. If it is an electronic source, give a working link.

Sample entry for reference source:

Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2012.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked /topic/117198/Church-Father.

Be sure to use clear, concise sentences assembled into coherent, unified paragraphs. Proofread carefully to prevent grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation errors. Use a professional tone free from colloquial expressions and idioms. Consult the Writing Tips to identify and eliminate common mistakes.