User talk:SheridanFord/subpage

Time to develop my essays here.

Reflection Essay

My initial reaction to using and editing Wikipedia was not a positive one. This was mainly because my teachers, coming from high school and even from my early years of college, would tell me that Wikipedia was not a reliable source and that it was written by random people. The initial view I had about Wikipedia changed after I took Afro-American Music with Professor Gaunt. Our class included assignment where we had to edit Wikipedia articles. At first, I was really scared to edit articles because I thought people would take whatever I added down and I would be blocked from editing if I removed someone else's work. After completing the training on how to effectively edit Wikipedia documents, I felt more comfortable and confident in editing articles. In my first edit, I rephrased a run-on sentence and added periods to the end of sentences. In my second edit, I added a citation, even though it took a while for me to figure out how to do that. In my third edit, I built the courage to find a topic that was very interesting to me. I looked on PubMed, JSTOR, and Google Scholars for documents supporting the topic. I then added multiple citations, I added a paragraph, and I also made small grammar changes. Making those edits took away all the fear I had. I was more and more excited when it came to editing. I would also share with my graduate friends how I enjoyed editing Wikipedia articles, and I would also encourage them to start editing. I really enjoy editing Wikipedia, and I will continue to edit Wikipedia articles after I finish this class. I will also make it my duty to correct anyone who feels that Wikipedia is not a reliable source because Wikipedia articles use reliable sources when writing articles. Overall, editing Wikipedia went well, and I am so glad that I got over my fear of editing articles because if I hadn't, I wouldn't know that I enjoy reading and also editing articles. Isha0323 (talk) 20:47, 22 November 2023 (UTC)

Reflection Essay

Before becoming an editor on Wikipedia I was always told how Wikipedia is an unreliable resource that should never be used in my papers or my projects because anyone has the ability to edit Wikipedia. After becoming an editor I realized that these articles absolutely can be used on future papers and projects but I have to be careful as all the information on the Wikipedia is paraphrased from an original source. In most situations it would be far more helpful to use Wikipedia as a resource to help find other resources. Aside from the validity of Wikipedia I must say that I enjoyed editing my Wikipedia article on The Slave Songs of the United States and likely will continue to edit the article outside of class. I was surprised to find out how easy it is to edit a Wikipedia article, the most difficult part about making an edit is finding a reliable resource. I also enjoyed helping out my fellow classmates edit their self assigned articles and teach them how and what to edit. Overall this assignment has completely changed my opinions on the validity of Wikipedia and the potential uses that it has. Bjackson3 (talk) 19:08, 26 November 2023 (UTC)

Reflection Essay

Before I became a Wikipedian, I found it difficult to persuade someone who had grown up not to use WIKi. After using it, I realized why Professor G wanted everyone to be productive. Acquiring knowledge of this source can prove beneficial if we collaborate to address its issues. Before editing, I overcome my concern of not knowing if I was writing this. It was really concerning since I did not want to be the one to add false information. What I did discover is that we set off on an enlightening journey into the extensive and complex fabric of musical darkness. Black music's melodies, rhythms, and harmonies, rooted in centuries of tenacity, inventiveness, and cross-cultural interaction, reflect not just a people's history but also the beating heart of the whole community. Most importantly, I learned to be more receptive to the opportunities that are in front of me. I will make it a practice to always ask questions in order to complete tasks, even if they are not always correct the first time. simply to arrive. Although I like the challenge of editing, I don't think I would pursue it outside of this session.Milo lenox (talk) 04:30, 5 December 2023 (UTC)