User:DataAndSpot/Evaluate an Article
 | Evaluate an article
Complete your article evaluation below. Here are the key aspects to consider: Lead sectionA good lead section defines the topic and provides a concise overview. A reader who just wants to identify the topic can read the first sentence. A reader who wants a very brief overview of the most important things about it can read the first paragraph. A reader who wants a quick overview can read the whole lead section.
ContentA good Wikipedia article should cover all the important aspects of a topic, without putting too much weight on one part while neglecting another.
Tone and BalanceWikipedia articles should be written from a neutral point of view; if there are substantial differences of interpretation or controversies among published, reliable sources, those views should be described as fairly as possible.
Sources and ReferencesA Wikipedia article should be based on the best sources available for the topic at hand. When possible, this means academic and peer-reviewed publications or scholarly books.
Organization and writing qualityThe writing should be clear and professional, the content should be organized sensibly into sections.
Images and Media
Talk page discussionThe article's talk page — and any discussions among other Wikipedia editors that have been taking place there — can be a useful window into the state of an article, and might help you focus on important aspects that you didn't think of.
Overall impressions
Examples of good feedbackA good article evaluation can take a number of forms. The most essential things are to clearly identify the biggest shortcomings, and provide specific guidance on how the article can be improved. |
Which article are you evaluating?
[edit]Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
[edit]I chose this article as it seems a similar invasive species to the one that I would like to write about, the Northern Ringed Crayfish. I am hoping to learn some details about items that I may try to replicate and steer away from when writing my own Wikipedia article.
Evaluate the article
[edit]Lead Section:
[edit]The lead section begins with a very brief sentence on the signal crayfish, that may benefit from one other additional fact. There is a general description of the passages that follow (Description and ecology, Native range, and Introduction into Europe). The lead section is concise and only touches upon matter that is already present throughout the rest of the article.
Content:
[edit]The content listed for the signal crayfish is up-to-date, and stays on topic with relevant information about this species.
Tone and Balance:
[edit]The article is neutral while describing the disruptive effects of the introduction of this species to Europe, and how it has spread the crayfish plague to native European crayfish species. Much of the article touches upon the damaging effects of the signal crayfish, and the article may benefit from further details on its life in its native habitat.
Sources and References:
[edit]There are a total of 18 sources listed for this article, and 9 are from 2010 to present. Many appear to be scientific peer-reviewed articles. Some are data sheets from the U.S. fish and wildlife service, and personal blogs. A reviewer may want to go through the references for this article to help determine factual basis.
Organization and Writing Quality:
[edit]The article is clear, but sometimes feels like the narrative "jumps". This could be due to only wanting to include data about the signal crayfish, and removing any filler details. Grammar is almost entirely free of errors, but it would benefit from further editing.
Images and Media:
[edit]There are three images in this article that all assist in providing a sense of what the signal crayfish looks like and any distinguishing characteristics.
Talk Page Discussion:
[edit]The talk page has one comment and I agree with what is said:
This page needs some info on the actual natural history of this crayfish - although internationally known for it's introduction elsewhere, it does have behaviour and distribution in it's own right which should be listed here. Kert01 12:10, 10 August 2006 (UTC)
This page is a member of WikiProject Arthropods.
Overall Impressions:
[edit]I feel that this article would benefit from greater details about the species in its native habitat, as well as other distinguishing behaviors (besides having been a progenitor of crayfish plague in Europe). I also feel that some of the language and sentence structure could be improved upon to enhance readability.