User:KKnowles2022/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prion

Prion

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I chose this particular article on Prions because I have always been interested in Neuroscience and how the brain works and functions. I also find it very mind-blowing that Prions are able to pose such a deadly threat to animals and humans by acquiring the ability to alter brain structure and function, which can cause brain damage and ultimately result in many neurodegenerative diseases and disorders. The article on Prions is important to me because, even though there has been some advances and research into Prions there are still no definitive treatments and cures for animals and humans who suffer from diseases and disorders caused by Prions. With that being noted, the process in which normal proteins abnormally fold into a Prion and communicate their abnormal shape onto normal proteins still remains unknown which makes this subject matter even more compelling to me. Initially, I was quite shocked with the amount of detail and content the authors have contributed to the topic and that it remains rated as GA-Class by four WikiProjects.

Evaluate the article
The article's lead has a very detailed overview of what Prions are and some of the isoforms and diseases associated with it. Upon first glance the lead section can be quite overwhelming for a reader who would want a quick and concise overview of what Prions are without going too in depth. However, after fully reading the lead section of the article, the definition of Prions is easy to understand and comprehend. The article's content is relevant to the topic as it goes in depth by using various subsections to explain important information involving the role of Prions in humans and animals. In the 'Prion protein structure' section of the article, the content can be updated to include a visual image of the structure of the isoforms mentioned. This image would be able to compare and contrast the differences in the structures between the the PrPC  which is the normal protein and the PrPSc which is the disease-causing form of the prion protein. Furthermore, the subsection on Prions 'Role in neurodegenerative disease' in the article can use more information and facts to further explain the link between Prion protein misfolding and neurodegenerative diseases in humans and animals. The overall tone of the article is neutral and formal as it focuses on being thorough and direct by providing reputable references. The article does not attempt to persuade the reader as it appears to be more informative and educational as little-to-no use of personal emotion is present. The article contains a wide array of 127 references most of which are from scientific papers and journals which demonstrates good sourcing and lessens bias. There are also many sources that are within a five-year span which demonstrates up-to-date information on the subject matter. The article is also well-written and organized into several subsections which makes it easy to read and follow along. However, the article can use more images to help increase the understanding of the structure of Prions to readers. Furthermore, the table presented on 'Diseases caused by prions' can be formatted better for layout and styling purposes. On the talk page, the Prion article has been listed as one of the 'Natural sciences good articles' which is quite impressive. It is also important to note that there were general discussions observed between authors on the talk page regarding grammatical errors and the addition of references. Overall, the article has obtained "good article status" as it does not pose any bias or evident problems and it can provide useful information to readers. The strength of the article is attributed by its well-organized layout, detailed up-to-date content, diverse use of scientific sources, and neutral tone. In my opinion, the article is well-developed but can use minor improvements as more information and scientific research on Prions is made available.