User:MandatoryStudentAccount/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: Polish folk dances
 * Briefly describe why you have chosen this article to evaluate.
 * This is a topic of great interest to me and something I am studying in Poland during the summers. I am enrolled in a program learning about the variety of regional dances in Poland (aside from my studies at uOttawa), and have found that this page lacks information and sourcing. Though the information is not incorrect, it is very vague and uninformative. As an instructor of these dances, I see that many improvements can be made. This has caught my attention because I realize how ineffective a wiki article is if not supported with more external sources to expand on the basic concepts. There also seems to be more detail on dances from certain regions than others, and it is not because of popularity or size, but random.

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?

Lead evaluation
It captures an important aspect but fails to introduce the idea that a variety of dances exist, each very unique to the region with few overlapping national dances. Though it introduces the national dances, it fails to specify about the variety of regional dances and simply mentions the culture. It also does not specify that each region has multiple unique dances. Overall, it presents the idea of dances but only shares the afore mentioned points much lower on the page. The lead is also over-detailed in regional influences that are not important to the introduction of the topic.

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?
 * Does the article deal with one of Wikipedia's equity gaps? Does it address topics related to historically underrepresented populations or topics?

Content evaluation
The content is relevant and nothing is out of date as it speaks to traditional dances which have been pre-recorded in documents and any alterations are meant for performances and are not considered the traditional correct ways of dancing. There is a significant amount of content that is missing regarding the variety of dances from the regions and the descriptions are very vague. This content would have to be expanded on to have any value. I believe it is a very specific topic that is important for the Polish community who is still interested in this. It is something very few people who are not culturally invested would want to explore independently, however I have not met one person who has seen a show and not been interested in learning more.

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 is neutral and does not attempt to sway a reader, but rather inform them of the facts regarding this topic. Some regional dances are lacking information, though all topics addressed in this article could use more information. It is well written and does not present a position, but it only scratches the surface about this topic.

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?
 * Are the sources written by a diverse spectrum of authors? Do they include historically marginalized individuals where possible?
 * Check a few links. Do they work?

Sources and references evaluation
There are no citations for the information that is provided, not one. Though there is not much literature on this topic in English, there is an abundance that exists in Polish. It has been worked on intensely in the past decades in an attempt to preserve the history of a country that has been torn apart and taken off the map by war numerous times. The sources are current, however the article is referencing history and even dated sources could be considered valid due to the nature of this topic. They have been written by scholars interested in the topic, as well as specialists who have received information generation from generation, as the nature of this topic allows it to be. The links to other wikipedia pages function properly.

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
It is clear and concise, even too concise. It lacks information. However, it is well written and does not have and grammatical errors that I could find. I also like the way it has been organized, I would not change that. It was very easy to look at and find the necessary information. The dances were also logically grouped.

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
2 out of 3 photos do not have a proper description and the photos chosen (2), are not helpful or informative. I would replace and add descriptions to better support the text. They are not laid out in a visually appealing way, however they are original and follow copyright.

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
There are no conversations at the moment, it links to the project page where there is Talk about requirements and guidelines. It is part of the WikiProject Poland and is rated Start-Class. It does not have a rating on the importance scale at the moment and it is not very complete. It needs work.

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 is a start but requires more information and supporting sources. It sheds light on the existence of the traditional dances of Poland, but can be greatly improved if it is elaborated on and sources. It is poorly developed but introduces the topic in a broad sense if that is all that someone is looking for. It simply tells a reader that this exists but not much more.

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: none.