User:AudreyKoo/Evaluate an Article

Evaluate an article
Name of article: Great books

Being a student studying English literature at a university that is deeply invested in the ideas of interdisciplinarity and multiculturalism, a course on the foundational books of Western literature is an unfamiliar concept to me. I have only come across the idea in passing, as a concept criticized by my professors, who argue that these lists of "Great Books" often focus solely on the works of white, male authors. Hence, I was interested in reading a comprehensive summary of these "Great Books" courses, looking at the titles of books listed on their syllabi, and furthering my own knowledge.

Lead
The lead provides a short, concise overview of "Great Books," both as a concept and as an undergraduate course at many colleges and universities. It is easy to understand, and usefully offers two examples that are reiterated further down the page. The lead does not delineate the article's major sections, but this does not detract from the article as a whole, as the concept of "Great Books" is quite straightforward. Furthermore, the information that could be explained in greater detail is expanded upon in the next section, which provides the reader with a clear introduction to the topic when read in sequence.

Content
Overall, the article's content is relevant and comprehensive, with sections on the origin of "Great Books" and the history of the university/college program. There is a large that lists the Western institutions which offer a "Great Books" course, and another, larger list of the books commonly found on the syllabi of these courses. In addition, there are sections on the Great Books series (a collection of books) and the Learning Channel's television program, which illustrate the way these lists of texts have evolved over time. The section on "Controversy," however, is noticeably sparse and could be expanded. It points to arguments put forth in The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom, but does not elaborate on or explain these ideas, which could be a good starting point. Of course, some of the controversy surrounding the idea of "Great Books" is touched upon in other areas of the articles, such as in the section on Mortimer Adler and the Great Books Foundation.

Tone and Balance
The article is neutral, but it could more clearly represent the arguments against "Great Books," which are briefly explained as debates on "multiculturalism, traditional education, the 'culture war,' and the role of the intellectual in American life." In comparison, the article gives a detailed summary of the way Mortimer Adler (who was part of the Great Books Foundation) resisted the additions of Hispanic, female, and black authors, quoting him and explaining his specific arguments. A more comprehensive explanation of the former perspective would make the article more balanced.

Sources and References
The article is well-cited and backed by reliable sources that reflect the discourse surrounding the topic. Additionally, most of the sources are recent - many of them are made up of university course websites from the last ten years.

Organization
The article is clear, concise, and easy to understand. The sections are well-organized, and relevant to the topic.

Images and Media
Images are not included in the article, save for the image of a man reading that links to a larger section on literature. Yet the lack of media is not unfitting, as the topic is quite straightforward, and much of the page is composed of lists and links.

Checking the talk page
The Talk page provides some of the conversations on controversy that I felt were missing from the article. One user commented that the article's portrayal of Mortimer Adler should be clarified, and another user noted that there was a distinct lack of criticism for the Great Books as being written by "a bunch of dead white males." Some users also note that the article conflates "Great Books" as a concept, with "Great Books" programs, and there is a bit of contention on merging articles or renaming them. The article is part of three WikiProjects: Books, Libraries, and Education.

Overall impressions
The article is clear and comprehensive, and it is a good summary of "Great Books" in multiple ways. As mentioned previously, the section on Controversy could use expanding, but the article is otherwise well-developed.