User:Christian Barrow/sandbox

Article Evaluation: Downshifting
I'm evaluating the Downshifting article.

I have changed the article I am editing. I will now edit: Downshitfing


 * Question: Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?

For the most part everything in the article is relevant, however I feel the author had a fair amount of bias when explaining why people would want to partake in the down-shifting lifestyle.

I feel I was distracted by some of the bias ideas the author of this article injected as reasons persons would want to partake in this lifestyle especially the paragraph about policies that can help implement more down-shifting lifestyles for the general public.


 * Question: Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?

Yes there are some sentences and ideas that I feel appear heavily biased toward a particular position.


 * Question: Are there viewpoints that are over-represented, or underrepresented?

I feel there are a few viewpoints about the conditions or life events or values that would lead an individual to start into a down-shifting lifestyle.


 * Question:  Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?

Yes the links work and support the claims in the article.


 * Question:  Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?

I feel these facts are not completely referenced in the appropriate format in the article itself. I feel the author could have done a better job citing sources in an easier to find way with clearer links behind and in each sentence the facts were presented.

-Adding this to the 'Details Section':
The term down-shifting in the English language refers to the act of reducing the gear of a motor vehicle while driving a manual transmission. This title or term has now been re purposed and applied to

describe a social behavior or trend in which individuals live simpler lives to escape from what critics call the rat race. The long term effect of down shifting can include an escape from what has been described as economic materialism as well as reduce the "stress and psychological expense that may accompany economic materialism ". This new social trend emphasizes finding an improved balance between leisure and work also focusing life goals on personal fulfillment as well as building personal relationships instead of the all-consuming pursuit of economic success.

Adding new section and information:
I plan to add a paragraph onto the spending habits section. There are many people 50 years old and up that are down-shifting their work lives to work part time hours, but working these part time jobs longer and actually getting health benefits from this practice.

Added section regarding health benefits
Down-shifting may a key to considerable health benefits as well as a healthy retirement. People are retiring later in life than previous generations. We can see by looking at The Health and Retirement Study, done by the Health and Retirement Study Survey Research Center, women can show the long term health benefits of down-shifting their work lives by working part time hours over a long period of years. Men however prove to be more unhealthy if they work part time from middle age till retirement. Men that down-shift their work life to part time hours at the age of 60 to 65 however benefit from continuing to work a part time job through a semi retirement even over the age of 70. This is an example of how flexible working policies can be a key to being healthy while in retirement.