Welcome to the class wiki for Engl 101-MTA-f08. We will use this wiki several times over the course of the semester to post group and individual work and create a collaborative research space.

I've emailed the class invitations to the Wiki giving you write permissions. Please complete the process by logging on and applying to be a writer (click on the link at the upper left) and let me know if you have any difficulties. (Back up procedure if the this doesn't work: The first time you visit the page you should click on Join This Wiki (the yellow box on upper right of this page) and then Create an Account so you can post and edit your group's page for the current assignment. You may not be able to post until I receive your "application" and give you "writers permission" on the wiki.)

See Mike Dupuy's Wiki help topics page

Once you are a "writer" and have signed in, click the easy edit button to add text and other resources to your group's pages. Before editing any page, double check to make sure you are on your own group's page for the current assignment. Non group members can add "comments" but not edit another group's pages. If at any time you need to review the procedures for using this wiki, click on the help section at the bottom of the Page or go to http://www.wetpaintcentral.com/page/Help. Familiarize yourself with the Navigation box to the left of the page and the Sign In link at the top. Each time you come to this page you will need to log on before you can post to the site.

I will divide the class into five or six groups. Each group will add and/or edit pages to share their research and make it available for other students in Engl 101. Click on the appropriate link below to find the current assignment and then go to your own group's page to post or edit work. For a list of who is in which group, see

History of Electricity Page

Group 1 on the history of electricity
Group 2 on the history of electricity
Group 3 on the history of electricity
Group 4 on the history of electricity
Group 5 on the history of electricity

Edison Page

Group 1 on Edison
Group 2 on Edison
Group 3 on Edison
Group 4 on Edison
Group 5 on Edison

Design Project Page

Group 1 Design Project
Group 2 Design Project
Group 3 Design Project
Group 4 Design Project
Group 5 Design Project

Tesla Page

Group 1 on Tesla
Group 2 on Tesla
Group 3 on Tesla
Group 4 on Tesla
Group 5 on Tesla

Intro Paragraphs for Tesla paper

More Intro paragraphs Tesla paper (for 11-10 class)


Westinghouse Page

Group 1 on Westinghouse
Group 2 on Westinghouse
Group 3 on Westinghouse
Group 4 on Westinghouse
Group 5 on Westinghouse

There will also be several unannounced quizzes on the reading over the course of the semester. You should study this list carefully as you do the assigned reading. Here are the questions I will use in the first part of the semester:

1. Why did J.P. Morgan invest in Edison work?
2. How did Faraday's work prepare the ground for modern electronics?
3. Why was Edison's focus on designing an entire electrical power system important? How did Ohm's Law and the price of copper figure in his design fo the system?
4. Was Edison an individual inventor or the head of a research lab?
5. Why were railroads and the telegraph developing together? How did they prepare the ground for new developments in electricity?
6. Why is AC better for long distance transmission than DC?
7. What were Tesla's and Edison's views of each others methods?
8. Why is the transformer crucial for AC transmission? Why do transformers work only with AC?
9. Why are high voltages important for long distance transmission of power?