User:Dimahal/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Environmental issues in the Philippines

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I chose this article because, in class, we have discussed how environmental issues are the most common topic associated with the Philippines in environmental discourse. Knowing this, I was surprised to see that the current information in this article does not reflect that breadth of research and conversation. As it stands, the page is rated C with noted areas on the article and talk page that need improvement. I see that there are many opportunities throughout the page to expand, such as rewriting the intro according to Wikipedia's manual of style, updating facts and dates on multiple sections, and adding more examples. Adding to this page can help engage people who aren't familiar with the current environment-related issues the archipelago is facing to get involved.

Evaluate the article
Lead Section:

At this time, the introductory sentence of this section does not provide enough information for a reader to understand how geographic location influences environmental issues in the Philippines without having to read further. In addition, the supplemental data provided to back up this claim aren't cited and aren't associated with an expanded section on the page as it should be. This section is concise, possibly too concise, and lists the major sections on the page.

Content:

A section on the relationship the Philippines' geographic location and climate change have on the number of natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions in the archipelago is missing. The deforestation and air pollution sections are not up to date. There are multiple missed opportunities to talk about underrepresented populations, like in the "Threats to environmentalists" section.

Tone and Balance:

The tone of the article is neutral and balanced in a way that won't swing the readers perception. There aren't many specific examples provided for the sections, the few that are provided like the pollution of the Pasig River and air pollution are centered around Manila. More examples from throughout the archipelago and from more rural areas should be represented. It is notable that Indigenous community viewpoints aren't represented at all.

Sources and References:

Not all of the sections are backed up by sources. As listed above, most are also not current or up to date. However, all of the links I have checked in the reference section work and there are many sources provided. A look-over shows that there the authors selections are diverse but more historically marginalized peoples should be included if there are resources available.

Organization and Writing:

The writing and organizations are easy to comprehend and professional. I did not find any grammar or spelling errors while reading.

Images and Media:

There are only two pictures in the article, both come from Wikipedia contributors as their own work so there is only usernames instead of author name and license. Both captions could be expanded upon. The Pasig River doesn't necessarily show the pollution in question but does offer the readers a glimpse of the area.

Talk Page:

This page is a part of the following WikiProjects: Library of Congress Country Studies, Tambayan Studies, Environment, and Climate Change all of rated it a C page of high importance. There are two comments on the talk page, both talk about the need to expand upon sections and update sources. Notable missing topics are climate change, sea level rise, environmental justice, and the impact environmental issues has on people.

Overall Impressions:

Overall, this page has a solid foundation to build upon but needs a lot of improvement and is underdeveloped. The strength is that many of the issues have been identified on the article itself or on the talk page so there is a guide for where to contribute. The article can be improved by rewriting the lead section, providing missing sections, citations, examples, and possibly including more images to give the reader a better grasp on the environmental issues represented.

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