User:OricaRyu/sandbox

Questions:
The following is a list of questions typically asked when evaluating articles on Wikipedia taking as reference from the training and posted below for ease of access.

Evaluating Content:

 * Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?
 * Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?
 * What else could be improved?

Evaluating Tone:

 * Is the article neutral? Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
 * Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?

Evaluating Sources:

 * Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?
 * Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?

Evaluating Talk Pages & Content:
--OricaRyu (talk) 05:15, 31 January 2019 (UTC)
 * 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?

Content Gaps:
The following are discussion questions about a term Wikipedians use rather often known as Content Gaps, defined as being information searched for but unfound on the archive. This is often the case with academic topics.

Q. Wikipedians often talk about "content gaps." What do you think a content gap is, and what are some possible ways to identify them? (Question chosen in class to answer).

A. Information searched for but unfound on an archive. On Wikipedia, see any red on the side, article is a stub, information may not be very accurate -> revise the information (in general on an archive). -> wherever citations are required or requested.

Q. What are some reasons a content gap might arise? What are some ways to remedy them?

A. Lack of reliable sources, too broad or too specific a search etc. Peer review, have more people review papers, have more student programs etc.

Q. Does it matter who writes Wikipedia?

A. No, everybody can effectively write for Wikipedia.

Q. What does it mean to be "unbiased" on Wikipedia? How is that different, or similar, to your own definition of "bias"?

A. Document/explain major points of view in a balanced impartial matter (keep voice on neutral -> no particular stance over others. Not always reasonable, however need to provide reliable sources to everything stated, naturally leading to a balanced and more accurate documentation given.

--OricaRyu (talk) 05:50, 31 January 2019 (UTC)

Questions Asked:

 * Is the article's content relevant to the topic?
 * Is it written neutrally?
 * Does each claim have a citation?
 * Are the citations reliable?

Article 1 & Related Sub-Categories:
Ethnobotany - science of the study of plants in relation to their anthropogenic use.


 * 1) The article's content defines what the subject is, touches on the history of the study and appears to be highly relevant to the subject.
 * 2) The article is well written and has a defined neutral tone.
 * 3) There are a couple missing citations that would require further research and where these citations are needed, potential further explanation.
 * 4) The citations appear to be reliable, links send you to the correct articles with the correct information, however it is possible that some of the information may need to be updated.

Ethnomedicine - study of traditional medicine practiced by various ethnic groups.


 * 1) While article content is relevant, there are many sources that need proper citation for the information to be viable.
 * 2) The article's tone is neutral.
 * 3) Missing many citations and would require more indepth research. Potentially more information to be found to expand on the article.
 * 4) For the limited, or lack of citations, they appear to be reliable and provide a fair deal of information.

Ethnobiology - the study of the way environments or biota are used by different anthroscenes.


 * 1) A fair amount of information, all highly relevant to the article topic, with many edits having been made - though some room for improvement and expansion.
 * 2) The article's tone is neutral.
 * 3) A few missing citations which will be needed to add to the credibility of the author/editor of the article.
 * 4) Citations appear to be good.

Other related subjects may include:


 * 1) Herbalism
 * 2) Naturopathic medicine/Naturopathy/Alternative Medicine
 * 3) Plant Health
 * 4) Ethnoecology
 * 5) Botany

Additional Information:
A potential way to continue adding to the ethnobotany Wikipedia page would be to add more information about the practical uses of ethnobotany in modern science. Perhaps by discussing the disciplines behind the science or even perhaps going further into detail about some of the issues presented by modernism. This would include concepts of conservation and community development. The easiest way to explain this is by describing how modern day western ideology affects the science. Ethnobotany (which then leads to concepts of ethnomedicine and ethnobiology) is the study of the relationships between cultures and plants, particularly the methods in which these cultures use certain plants medicinally or recreationally i.e. Ayahuasca With many of these cultures being affected by deforestation, tourism etc. it is important to practice a sort of conservation. (Keep in mind these are just run off thoughts that have no actual purpose but to elicit further thoughts and direct possible ideas as to where to research). This manual, written by Gary, J. Martin describes the essential principles needed to conduct proper ethnobotanical research. A lot of ideas stem from this manual and could elicit an entire article on its own (with other sources).

Article 2 & Related Sub-Categories:
Organic Content in Water


 * 1) Loss on ignition (topic discussed in class).

This article has a lot of scientific information about the concepts of Loss on Ignition, however, there is nothing that describes the history of the term, who coined it, how it was discovered, who discovered it etc. There are very few references meaning that it is a topic that can still be further expanded upon, however this topic is a relatively small topic which could pose particular issues when it comes to further elaborating. This may not be the optimal topic to write a Wikipedia entry about.

Uncompleted Articles:

 * 1) Osmoregulation   This article has some room for improvement. Possible history, how osmoregulation was discovered, elaborate a bit more on the concepts already touched upon in the article. Further expand on the references used as the article makes little use of any. The entire article would need to be reworked, concepts could be further elaborated and citations could finalize this article. This is a good article to work on. The following paper is an overview of the history of the study of the study of marine osmoregulation as well as the role the Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory played in each of these studies. Elaborating the processes studied and examined from the 1920's onward to present day.


 * 1) Clay - While this article is relatively well developed, there are places in which phrasing could be changed for better phrasing. Sections of soil chemistry and types of clays could be further added and expanded, even possible coinciding. Adding images of the differences between each clay type, formation of each clay type etc. The functionality of soil pores in clays can also be discussed. Medical uses can be further expanded. There are many ways this article can be further elaborated. Clay Minerals & Soil Colloids - The addition of soil colloids is a topic that has not been introduced, therefore a content gap, and could be a possible interesting "new" idea to be brought to the table for this Wikipedia assignment.  Stemming from ideas and concepts learned about through the Soils 2B03 course offered at McMaster University and using diagrams from journals and the course textbook, it could be possible to further elaborate on this particular article. Discussing the formation of clay sheets, the chemistry behind the clay sheets, the chemistry behind each of the clay minerals and their composition (Aluminum-octahedral sheets, Silicon-tetrahedral sheets etc.). Discuss the 4 major types of soil colloids, further improving on the actual article and possibly rendering it a little more complete.  Sources to be used referenced here.

Exercise: Add a citation
For this Exercise, I will add a citation about the general properties and types of soil colloids as if I was writing about them, possibly adding to the above article selected and or creating a new article (uncertain still).

Sentence:
Soil Colloids:

The colloidal fraction in soils consists of tiny clay and humus particles that are less than 1$$\mu m$$ in diameter and carry either positive and/or negative electrostatic charges that vary depending on the chemical conditions of the soil sample, i.e. soil pH.

Exercise: Copyedit an Article
I decided to make small grammatical edits to the following article https://en.wikipedia.org/w/undefined

Choosing a Topic & Finalizing Sources:
The article I've chosen to write about is Soil Colloids, and I have begun to make a selection of sources that will help with writing this article. These sources can be found in my talk page, or can be found down below.

Peer Reviews:
I submitted 2 peer reviews, one to Ruobeiyu's talk page and the other to the author of paleoendemism's talk page.

Responding to Peer Reviews:
I have not received any peer reviews or replies to any of my peer review comments, therefore I don't see how I can contribute to this at this current moment in time (3/12/2019).

Reflective Essay:
A content gap when it comes to Wikipedia is defined as missing information or information searched for but not currently present within the database. As a growing online encyclopedia, it is evident that there will be missing chunks information. This means it is the goal of Wikipedia writers alike to attempt to fill in these gaps as efficiently and accurately as possible. Being a first time Wikipedia writer, this assignment shed a lot of insight as to what type of thought goes behind each article present within the online database. From having peer-reviewed sources, keeping a neutral tone, appropriate method to citing sources and appropriate sources to use, the rules for contributing continued to amaze me with the depth, complexity and reasoning behind each one. Compared to other assignments, I feel the Wikipedia assignment is very loose-ended, in the sense that it gives students the freedom to express interest in any topic so long as it relates to the course subject. This opens the doors to so many topics that can either be written or improved about as the environment and earth systems have so many branching elements that is allows for a whole variety of ideas to come to fruition. Breaking down each deadline in the form of a timeline helps keep students focused and on track, even though there may have been some conflicts and misunderstandings at times. The overall concept of being able to contribute to the improved public understanding of scientific knowledge is something I believe is important in this day and age. With information so readily available at our fingertips, it is important to have access to reliable information easily understood.

Digressing, the article I chose intended to fill a content gap, that being the information behind colloids, specifically relating to soil, or soil colloids. With this being a fresh topic, as well as information gained from having taken a course relating to soils in the previous term, it seemed to be the perfect topic. Due to having some knowledge of the topic, it was easy to decide what to include in the chosen article. Everything from the chemistry, molecular properties, composition and general definition. The topic of soil colloids had the making to be a perfect article for an introductory Wiki-author like myself. Using information from textbooks, online academic journals, infographics depicting the chemistry of soil colloids and even linking keywords and elements to other Wikipedia articles for supplementary reading, I was prepared to contribute to the best of my abilities.

Continuing, the conduction of peer reviews was an important step to insuring articles created or evaluated by all classmates were written to a certain degree of quality. Not only would it allow for discourse of opinions, but it would allow one to analyze and understand the way information is shared through the Wikipedia platform. This type of analysis also helps improve one’s own writing style as one can apply the same critical assessment on their work and thus helps to improve the overall quality of the literature. On Wikipedia it is important to keep information neutral toned, which means that there are no conclusions drawn and no biases towards a single piece of evidence. Furthermore, information needs to have a certain flow, almost essay-like in nature where topics need to flow from one another in fluid motion. This makes the information easy to comprehend. Lastly, the information needs to be evaluated for accuracy and validity. In other words, the information used in every article needs to come from reliable sources, typically peer-reviewed papers, textbooks, academic journals etc. Therefore, when conducting peer reviews, it was essential that the focus of each analysis was the aforementioned points. For myself, I had peer reviewed 2 individual classmates articles with these ideas in mind. Running through each article, I would analyze the flow of information, whether information came from reliable sources and if the information remained neutrally toned throughout the entire piece. For the most part, the articles I peer reviewed were well constructed and had a concise flow of information that was easy to understand and had significance to the original topic. When it came to my article, soil colloids, I received a single peer review. However, it is worth noting that nothing critical was mentioned about how I could go about improving my article. Though the reality is I have yet to contribute the larger portion of information to my article which would make it difficult for any peer reviews to be made. Moreover, the article topic I chose and the page I created became linked with another topic, which I was only made aware of recently and thus made it even more difficult to contribute as I am unaware of how to unlink the two articles. This means any contributions I’d made up-to-date on the other article page was lost and as a result, no feedback was received. Theoretically if any feedback would have been received, the talk-page of the article would have been the place to discuss any questions or concerns regarding any feedback or critical assessments. Changes shouldn’t be made without the original author’s notice or approval unless they are very minor edits that do not change the original thought or flow of information i.e. punctuation, replacing a word etc. Even with this, a note would be left with a timestamp so that minor edits can be reviewed.

In closing, Wikipedia is a huge database with vast amounts of information readily accessible at the click of a button. Wikipedia allows for scientific discourse to be brought to the public in an easily understood manner and allows for topics, such as those in the Earth/Environmental sciences, to become public knowledge. This is important as it stems from connecting the academic to the public, taking information from academia and providing it to the public. To create discourse, create conversation amongst one another and to have the information readily understood by anyone listening. Science continues to thrive due to curiosity and wonder. It is when we stop asking questions that discourse fails, and Wikipedia has given me a new understanding and appreciation for this process.

Soil Colloids:
The colloidal fraction in soils consists of tiny clay and humus particles that are less than 1$$\mu m$$ in diameter and carry either positive and/or negative electrostatic charges that vary depending on the chemical conditions of the soil sample, i.e. soil pH.

Soil colloids are typically the most active portion of the soil and play a large role in determining the physical and chemical properties of soils. The two main subsections of soil colloids are defined by their inorganic and organic properties split further into 4 major types (mentioned below).

Structural Components of Clays:
These clay minerals are composed mainly of tightly bonded Silicate, Aluminium (Al) and Oxygen (O) atoms layered like sheets:


 * Si tetrahedral sheets: formed from a single silicon (Si) atom surrounded by 4 oxygen atoms and is tetrahedral in shape.
 * Al octahedral sheets: formed by an Aluminium or Magnesium (Mg) atom surrounded by 6 oxygen atoms and is octahedral in shape.

and have a plate-like appearance.

The two most common arrangements that these layers form are; a 1:1 and 2:1 ratio. A 1:1 colloid layer is comprised of a Si tetrahedral sheet and an Al (or Mg) octahedral sheet. A 2:1 colloid layer is comprised of 2 Si tetrahedral sheets and a single Al (of Mg) octahedral sheet.

Four Major Types of Colloids in Soils:
There are four major types of colloids found in soils:

1. Crystalline silicate clays:
Also known as phyllosilicates and have a basic six ring SiO4-4 tetrahedral structure that extend outward in infinite sheets. There are two typical groups of sheet silicates:


 * 1) Trioctahedral sheet silicate -> forms when 3 divalent cations (cation with 2 valence electrons), i.e. Mg+2 or Fe+2, surround each O or OH ion.
 * 2) Dioctahedral sheet silicates -> forms when 2 trivalent cations (cation with 3 valence electrons), i.e. Al+3, surrounds each O or OH ion.

Of the phyllosilicates, there are 4 main types that are determined based on their composition and chemistry.

Micas:
Are divided into the aforementioned sub-classes of typical group structure, dioctahedral micas and trioctahedral micas and based on their structure vary in chemical composition and colour pigmentation.


 * White micas; Muscovite, Paragonite, Margarite -> dioctahedral group
 * Brown/Black micas; Biotite and Clintonite -> trioctahedral group

The most common micas are Muscovite and Biotite.

Chlorite:
A common mineral in low grade metamorphic rocks and has a structure that consists of phlogopite T-O-T layers with an octahedral group between. In chlorite groups there is a substantial substitution of Mg for Fe, as well as Al substitutions for both Mg and Fe in octahedral binding sites and Si for tetrahedral binding sites.

Talc:
Talc has the chemical formula - Mg3Si4O10(OH)2. It has a micaceous structure causing it to be so easily deformed. Talc is typically found in Mg-rich silicate environments which is perfect for the formation of low grade metamorphic rocks.

Serpentine:
Typically found in Mg-rich silicates, serpentine silicate clay minerals are irregularly structured due to octahedral and tetrahedral layers having an imperfect fit causing bends in the structure.

Serpentine minerals have the chemical formula - Mg3Si2O5 and have two distinct bending patterns. The first is the bending of sheets in a non-continuous manner, occurring in sets. The second is a continuous bend resulting in continuous tubes that allows the mineral to be more fibrous.

2. Non-crystalline silicate clays:
Dominantly amorphous-silicon clays such as Allophane and Imogolite. Both Allophane and Imogolite are examples of non-crystalline silicate clays. They are common early-stage residual products of volcanic glass, which contain varying amounts of Al and Si, and are both very porous and poorly-ordered in structure.

Allophane:
More commonly formed in volcanic soils containing significant amounts of organic matter and possess low bulk densities. Allophane forms inside glass fragments where Si concentration and pH are high. They also have a spherule shape characteristic to the mineral.

Imogolite:
Imogolite forms more commonly on the exterior of volcanic glass fragments under conditions in which the pH and Si concentrations are much lower. It has a thread-like morphology and is structured cylindrically consisting of modified gibbsite sheet that forms a tube-like and causes the appearance of thread.

3. Iron and Aluminum oxide clays:
Also known as sesquioxides, found in many soils and are important in highly weathered soils of warm humid regions. These consist mainly of Fe or Al atoms bonded with oxygen atoms to form oxides. Typically due to nature of the covalently bonded hydroxyl groups, these colloids have a strong capacity to adsorb certain anions. Two common types of Iron and Aluminium oxide clays are gibbsite and goethite.

Gibbsite:
An example of an Aluminium-oxide clay mineral [Al(OH3)]. Gibbsite is ubiquitous in soils, particularly those that are highly weathered and rich with Al, in otherwords, andisol soil-types.

Goethite:
An example of an Iron-oxide clay mineral [FeOOH]. Goethite is the most common hydrous Fe-oxide found in all soils, however is more prominent in soils that are found in cooler, moister climates.

4. Organic:
A layer of organic minerals and molecules with varying chemical compositions of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. These are typically non-crystalline colloids dominated by long carbon-chains. Organic colloids are more reactive chemically and have a greater influence on soil properties in comparison to inorganic colloids. The most known organic form of soil is humus.

Humus:
The fraction of soil organic matter that is amorphous, formed by the decomposition of leaves and other plant material by soil microorganisms.

Soil Colloidal Chemistry:
~ Due to lack of time to delve further into the topic, my article will end here for now, however I do intend to potentially continue to contribute to this topic and leave my work here for others who are interested to also collaborate. The reference at the end would have been used for this section, as well as many of the others previously listed. ~

~ Discuss cation exchange

~ Discuss cation exchange capacity of soil colloids

~ Discuss types of anions and cations being exchanged and why.

~ Discuss isomorphous substitutions in tetrahedral sheets and octahedral sheets.

Shrinking and Swelling:
~Another section that could have information added about it.~

Types of Clay Minerals:
~Section could discuss the clay minerals formed and include images, as well as descriptions and properties.~