User:Gbashore/Evaluate an Article

Evaluate an article

Complete your article evaluation below. Here are the key aspects to consider:

Lead section

A 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.

Does the lead include an introductory sentence that concisely and clearly describes the article's topic?
Does the lead include a brief description of the article's major sections?
Does the lead include information that is not present in the article? (It shouldn't.)
Is the lead concise or is it overly detailed?

Content

A good Wikipedia article should cover all the important aspects of a topic, without putting too much weight on one part while neglecting another.

Is the article's content relevant to the topic?
Is the content up-to-date?
Is there content that is missing or content that does not belong?
Does the article deal with one of Wikipedia's equity gaps? Does it address topics related to historically underrepresented populations or topics?

Tone and Balance

Wikipedia 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.

Is the article neutral?
Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
Are minority or fringe viewpoints accurately described as such?
Does the article attempt to persuade the reader in favor of one position or away from another?

Sources and References

A 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.

Are all facts in the article backed up by a reliable secondary source of information?
Are the sources thorough - i.e. Do they reflect the available literature on the topic?
Are the sources current?
Are the sources written by a diverse spectrum of authors? Do they include historically marginalized individuals where possible?
Are there better sources available, such as peer-reviewed articles in place of news coverage or random websites? (You may need to do some digging to answer this.)
Check a few links. Do they work?

Organization and writing quality

The writing should be clear and professional, the content should be organized sensibly into sections.

Is the article well-written - i.e. Is it concise, clear, and easy to read?
Does the article have any grammatical or spelling errors?
Is the article well-organized - i.e. broken down into sections that reflect the major points of the topic?

Images and Media

Does the article include images that enhance understanding of the topic?
Are images well-captioned?
Do all images adhere to Wikipedia's copyright regulations?
Are the images laid out in a visually appealing way?

Talk page discussion

The 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.

What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?

Overall impressions

What is the article's overall status?
What are the article's strengths?
How can the article be improved?
How would you assess the article's completeness - i.e. Is the article well-developed? Is it underdeveloped or poorly developed?

Examples of good feedback

A 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.

Peer review of this article about a famous painting

Which article are you evaluating?

(Provide a link to the article here.)

Folsom Lake

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?

(Briefly explain why you chose it, why it matters, and what your preliminary impression of it was.)

I chose this article to evaluate because Folsom Lake is a place by my home that I've frequented. I want to learn more about the nature around me and make sure others have the best possible resources to do so.

Evaluate the article

(Compose a detailed evaluation of the article here, considering each of the key aspects listed above. Consider the guiding questions, and check out the examples of what a useful Wikipedia article evaluation looks like.)

The lead section of the article is strong because it efficiently and accurately describes what the lake is, where it is located and some statistics involving its size. There is a fact regarding an advisory for the levels of mercury found in fish that feels a little out of place with the other information which otherwise seem to just be giving a very basic outline of the characteristics of the lake. The content overall seems to be strong as it goes back and explains the history of the lake while also mentioning much more recent things regarding the lake. It has a large section on the Recreation Area and what they offer which provides good variety. The wildlife section isn't more than a list of what can found be there. While this is good information to have, it would be nice to have a more in depth look at their interactions with other species and roles over time. There is also a small section on flood control. Overall, the information provided is strong but it could use more information, especially regarding the natural history of the lake versus focusing on the human recreation activities that can be enjoyed. The sources seem to generally be strong and come from a variety of sources such as the US Bureau of Reclamation, KCRA Sacramento News, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. As noted before, some of the organization at the beginning was a little shaky but the overall sections were organized well and I appreciated the clear headings that made it easy to locate topics. It also could've used more visual aids as only three were provided, one of which was a map of California with a dot denoting Folsom Lake. The other two photos didn't show much and more vivid and diverse pictures would've helped paint a better picture of the lake. The discussion on the talk page was pretty limited but one person recently also worked on it for a project at a university. Overall, I found the article fairly organized with good content although it could have used more information, specifically regarding the lake's natural history.