Process
This exercise entails completing the below steps in order. Although as much freedom as possible has been built into this process, you will find it necessary to complete these steps in order, so that you do not become confused or get stuck.
STEP # 1: Bookmark this website in your favorites, or write down the URL address to this website, or leave this window open and then open a whole new browser window for this exercise.
STEP #2: Print out this page of instructions unless you are going to switch back and forth between two browser windows.
STEP #3: In a new browser window (unless you printed this page) use the userID: guest and the password: wiki in order to log onto the practice Wiki website here.
STEP #4: Once you are there, spend a few minutes examining the "FrontPage" which is the homepage of the wiki. Be careful to notice the types of links that are available there.
STEP #5: Notice the instructions on the Frontpage are telling you to go to the 'GettingStartedPage' to edit it. Simply click on the link in order to go to that page, and type your name on that page. You can add additional information if you like, but at the minimum, add your name to that page.
STEP #6: Click around some of the links on the wiki site, and ensure that you read the page called "TextFormattingRules" which explains some of the ways to format text. Notice that HTML is not only NOT required, it is not even allowed! (I have left it disabled, which is the default setting in this type of wiki).
STEP #7: Now create a whole new page and name it FirstnameLastname where Firstname is your first name, and Lastname is your last name. Notice that the name of the new file should not have any spaces and should not be hyphenated or have any other type of special (or weird) characters. Just plain old letters.
STEP #8: Next, you will need to put some content into your new page you created. If you already have an article or essay you can simply copy and paste the text into the editor box for your page and save it. Alternatively, if you are particularly creative, you can simply create an entirely new piece, impromptu on the spot, possibly including your opinions on some matter of political, moral, or philosophical debate. You might also experiment by including some hyperlinks to additional internet websites or other resources on the web.
STEP #9: Now, you should feel free to review some of the pages created by your peers and if you feel a need to correct any inaccuracies in statements of "fact" then do so. Notice here however, that opinions are not facts and should be allowed to stand "as is" unless they are considered extremely provocative or not 'in keeping' with the general rules of your culture or subgroup. Also notice that where ever opinions are expressed, that a caveat or disclaimer explaining that it is an opinion and not a generally agreed upon fact should be made within the body of the piece (unless it is so obviously an opinion that the average reader expected to be browsing this site will not be unclear as to the status of it as mere opinion or belief).
STEP #10: Lastly, you should have a group discussion of this process and this revolutionary way of publishing and sharing original works of literature and science over the internet. The group discussion should include a comparison with the older more provincial (localized) methods of publishing prior to the internet, and how they expect the publishing industry to evolve over the next few decades. What are the advantages of this method of publishing and what are its disadvantages?
Congratulations, you did it! Now you may want to go to the section (from the menu at the left) called "Evaluation" to see how your performance is going to be rated.