What is a wiki?

Simply put, a wiki is software that allows multiple users to quickly create, edit and link together web pages. Wikis usually use special characters, such as [[double brackets]] to specify which words or phrases will link to other pages. While typing, a user can create links to pages that do not yet exist by using these special characters. The new page will automatically be created when you or another wiki user clicks the link.

The most widely known wiki is Wikipedia. The articles in this encyclopedia can be edited by anyone and every revision is saved. These articles are often linked together.

NUWiki is a wiki developed by NU Academic Technologies for use within the Course Management System at Northwestern University. Unlike a traditional wiki which is open to all visitors, NUWiki pages are only accessible to members of the course site in which it was created. Students and instructors alike can use NUWiki to create articles, documents, case studies or reports collaboratively. NUWiki keeps a history of all additions, edits and deletions. This allows instructors and students to view each others contributions, as well as revert to previous versions of pages.

How do I add NUWiki to my course site?

To add NUWiki to any course site, please contact the CMS help desk. Please include the course name(s) for the course sites in which you would like to have NUWiki added. You can contact the help desk at course-management@northwestern.edu or 847-491-4044.

How do my students access NUWiki?

Once NUWiki has been added to your course site, students will be able to click the "Click here to access NUWiki" link.

How do I add a new page to NUWiki?

There are two ways you can add new pages to NUWiki:

2. When you are editing an existing page, you can type double brackets [[example link]] around a word or phrase to link to another page. If the page does not yet exist, NUWiki will create it, using the word or phrase you typed inside the double brackets as the title.

For example, if you are writing a page about the Civil War and need to create a page about Abraham Lincoln, but this page does not yet exist, you can type [[Abraham Lincoln]] and then save it. The phrase will appear like this: Abraham Lincoln?. If you click the "?" following the word or phrase, the wiki will automatically create a new page with the title Abraham Lincoln. Titles must be unique, so once a page is created the title cannot be changed.

How do I link to other pages in NUWiki?

To link to another page in NUWiki you can type double brackets [[example link]] around a word or phrase. If a page exists with a title exactly the same as the word or phrase you surrounded with double brackets, it will automatically link to that page.

How do I view a student’s contribution to the NUWiki?

There are two ways you can view a student's contributions:

1. On any NUWiki page, you can click the “history” tab in the top right of the window. This area will allow you to see all the changes that have been made to the page, who made them and when they were made.

2. In the "Tools" section you can click “Instructor Tools" and then click “Search user contributions”. The Wiki report search form allows you to search all contributions by author, date or by the content of the contribution.

How do I restore a previous version of a page?

When you view a page’s history:

• Click “edit this version” above the box that displays the version that you want to restore.
• Make changes if necessary, then click “save”.

How do I add an image to an NUWiki page?

To add an image to a page:

• Click the “Insert image” button on the text box editor.
• Click “Current folder.” 
• Select one of the images already available, or click “Upload…” to upload a new image.

What is an NUWiki category?

An NUWiki category is a tagging or labeling tool. Any user can create categories and associate pages in NUWiki with one or more categories. A list of all NUWiki pages associated with a particular category can be viewed by clicking on that category on the "Categories" page. 

How do I create an NUWiki category?

To create an NUWiki category:

• Click the “Categories” link in the "Tools" section, then click “Edit.”
• Type the new category name in the text box, and click “Add Term.” 

How do I categorize a page in NUWiki?

When editing a page, choose one or more categories in the “Categories” box. To select more than one category, hold the SHIFT key down while clicking category names. 

If you have more questions about NUWiki, please contact the CMS help desk at course-management@northwestern.edu or 847.491.4044
For a PDF version of this document, please click here.