User:Estherjacob/Evaluate an Article

Evaluate an article
This is where you will complete your article evaluation. Please use the template below to evaluate your selected article.


 * Name of article: Female genital mutilation
 * Briefly describe why you have chosen this article to evaluate: I chose to evaluate this article because it is a topic that I've researched in the past and a topic I would like to do more research on. I believe by learning and educating others about the horrors of FGM we can (hopefully) get closer to change and ensure a better future for women around the world.

Lead
Guiding questions:


 * 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?
 * Is the Lead concise or is it overly detailed? it is short and to the point.

Lead evaluation
The lead includes an an opening sentence describing the article's topic. The following sentences and paragraphs continue to briefly describe the article's main points. The lead is to the point and gives a good summary of what the article will discuss. All points in the lead are discussed in depth in the article.

Content
Guiding questions:


 * 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?

Content evaluation
The articles content is relevant to the topic. However, at the end of the article it discusses cosmetic procedures and male circumcision which is not completely connected to FGM. A sentence or two on this topics may be relevant but a whole paragraph may not be necessary. This information would be better placed in an article more focused on those particular topics. When it comes to the article's main subject matter, FGM, it really goes into depth about the topic. The article discusses the types of FGM, the complications, the history, the opposition to it and even the criticism of that opposition. The information is up to date and even has some references from this year.

Tone and Balance
Guiding questions:


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

Tone and balance evaluation
The article definitely focuses on the negative effects FGM has on women, however, it brings a lot of researched evidence from to support its claims. With all the scientific evidence presented, the article shows no signs of bias. The article discussed FGM from all angles - countries that do and do not perform it, religions that allow it and scientific evidence that proves the outcomes of this type of procedure.

Sources and References
Guiding questions:


 * 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?
 * Check a few links. Do they work?

Sources and references evaluation
The article is backed up by reliable sources including many health and medical journals (of many different specialties). Some of the sources are several years old and could be looked at again to ensure that the information is still accurate. The article also has a lot of sources on the topic making it more reliable. I clicked on several links in the references section and all worked and were goos sources of information.

Organization
Guiding questions:


 * 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?

Organization evaluation
The article is well written and does not have grammatical or spelling errors. It is easy to read and split into sections. However, I think the History of FGM should have been put earlier in the article to help the reader understand the practice and the history behind it before jumping in to how it affects women. Once we understand when FGM started and how it came about, we can more clearly understand reasons people do it, the population it targets and which women are at risk.

Images and Media
Guiding questions:


 * 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?

Images and media evaluation
The article has images that help the reader understand what is being discussed. For example, when describing the different types of mutilations, it gives a picture so one can understand what each entails. However, there are a number of pictures of people the article discussed that seemed unnecessary. This space could be used for a better picture that might clarify some part of the article better.

Checking the talk page
Guiding questions:


 * 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?

Talk page evaluation
On the talk page, users discuss how many women organize FGM, not just men. They give examples of grandmothers who perform these horrors on their own grandchildren as a part of their culture and traditions. Another user commented on the use of the word "circumcision" as it literally means to cut around. It is a featured article and is noted on the talk page as "one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community".

Overall impressions
Guiding questions:


 * 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?

Overall evaluation
The article seems to be reliable and a good source of information on the topic. There are many sources with evidence based research to support the articles claims. It is well developed and includes many different aspects of FGM. The article could be organized better and have better use of pictures. However, overall I think it is a strong article that gives good synopsis on FGM and can accurately educate people on the subject.

Optional activity

 * Choose at least 1 question relevant to the article you're evaluating and leave your evaluation on the article's Talk page. Be sure to sign your feedback with four tildes ~


 * Link to feedback: Talk:Female genital mutilation