User:Jeveret/Choose an Article

Article Selection
Please list articles that you're considering for your Wikipedia assignment below. Begin to critique these articles and find relevant sources.

Option 1

 * Article title:J. Mayo Williams
 * Article Evaluation:The lead sentence is a succinct statement that defines Williams' significance to a casual reader. The following statement explaining his nickname would have been better placed in the body of the article as it refers to Williams' business practices, which are explored in greater depth further in the article..The content is rather thorough, covering Williams' recording career as well as his formative years.  Much detail is given of Williams' athletic career, which would be of interest to pro football aficionados, Most of the sources are over 10 years old, and I know of additional scholarship done on the subject that is not referenced, so a new reevaluation may be in order. The tone of the article is neutral and free of any bias, with no overt agenda to criticize or overpraise the subject, and any negative opinions framed as "some critics have stated..."  However, the identity of these anonymous critics would be helpful.  As previously mentioned, there are untapped sources known to me that have not been researched for this article, with more information readily available relating to William's music career.  Additional information is certainly useful. As Williams was a pioneering African American in the fields of both music production and professional sports, this article achieves the goal of covering marginalized communities.  Overall, the writing is grammatical and clear.  I found few if any grammatical errors.  The article is organized chronologically, following Williams' life and career in a linear fashion.  The reader should get a clear trajectory of a man's life and work.  There are three pictures accompanying the text, one of the subject, one of his gravestone and one an example of his product.  Two of these images are in the public domain and the other is an author's own work.  On the talk page, there is a lengthy addendum that goes into additional detail regarding William's early life and addressing an apparent dispute about where he was actually born. This conflicting information seems to have been acknowledged in the present state of the article. A link to an additional source was added at some point, the source still active.  This article has been rated 'C-class' and is part of 4 WikiProjects, mostly concerned with sports.  Despite the article's 'C' rating, the casual reader could glean a significant amount of information about the subject; however there is more information out there that is still untapped and it's inclusion would greatly enhance the quality of the article.
 * Sources:2 TBA (tiles not at hand right now)

Option 2

 * Article title:Ali (film)
 * Article Evaluation:This article is divided into several areas: the story behind its production, the plot of the movie, its critical reception and financial information, awards, and the cast list.  I was piqued to explore this article further by a comment on the Talk page, stating that the article was "poorly written."  As one poster responded, this was a bit harsh, but there is room for improvement. The plot synopsis could use some fleshing out.  A sentence states that Will Smith "had to gain weight to look the part of Ali" with no further detail on how Smith achieved this or how convincing his transformation was.:Some statements are in need of citation, although there are numerous references.  As Muhammad Ali is an African American historical figure, this article meets the criteria of addressing the equity gap.
 * Sources:TBD

Option 3

 * Article title:Blue Rock Records
 * Article Evaluation:The article is very choppy and is presented as a series of factoids rather than a smooth narrative. While information is presented, it is a bit spotty, with important information still missing.  I am aware of additional sources of information on this topic and the article could greatly benefit from their addition.
 * Sources:Chicago Soul, by Robert Pruter

Option 4

 * Article title:Ann Lowe
 * Article Evaluation:Overall, the article gives a thorough picture of the subject. it is organized chronologically befitting a biography.  It contains  numerous citations and lists 6 references.  As Lowe is an African-American historical figure, it fulfills the equity gap coverage.  On the Talk page, there is a dispute about a fact re: the age of subject at first marriage: the questioned date continues to stand.  A plagiarism fix is also performed and acknowledged.
 * Sources:Something to Prove, by Julia Faye Dockery Smith

Option 5

 * Article title:Freeman Ransom
 * Article Evaluation:This is an incredibly sparse article, presented with the bare minimum of information. It hits the highlights with relatively little 'meat'.  There is hardly any activity on the Talk page.  His achievements are presented as bullet points.  There does not seem to be any sort of bias pro or con, but every section could stand some embellishment.   As Ransom was an African American historical figure, this article would fulfill the equity gap issue. This would be a good candidate for expansion.
 * Sources:On Her Own Ground, by A'Lelia Bundles