User:Rachelzanini/sandbox

Article Evaluation
British Columbia Mainland Coastal Forests (WWF ecoregion)

(I chose this particular article due to the fact it was listed under the Systems Ecology discipline)


 * Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?

Nothing in the article distracted me, everything seemed quite relevant


 * Is any information out of date? Is anything missing that could be added?

There is only one reference in use. More sources would strengthen the article


 * What else could be improved?

Additional sources could be added to improve accuracy of the article


 * Is the article neutral? Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?

The article is neutral in tone, however, it seems as if it is heavily based on the works published by the World Wildlife Foundation. Although the area of focus is a WWF ecoregion, other sources should be used to ensure neutrality


 * Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?

Emphasis on potential threats. Stance is most likely conservation oriented


 * Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?

The links work, but the sources do not seem particularly strong. One source is very difficult to navigate through


 * 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?

The information is based off of the World Wildlife Fund, which is most definitely a biased, non-academic source.


 * What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?

All for the betterment of the article, mostly removing sources or images that seem unfit.


 * How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?

Stub Class, and Low importance

= Article Selection = I felt as if the last article I chose to edit was quite unrelated to the course content. Here, I present a few other options.

Holocene
This article is rated as a start class article. Some claims remain unsupported. The article is a vital article in the scientific community, yet much remains to be said about it.

Piora Oscillation
This article is classified as a stub article. There are a few formatting errors, and although all sources are reputable, some claims remain unsupported

Stadial
Rated as a start class article. There seems to be some debate on the talk section over what content might be relevant to add. Would benefit from a large amount of information added.

= Discussion: What is a Content Gap? =

What do you think a content gap is?

 * Missing information
 * Gaps in time or knowledge

What are some possible ways to identify?

 * Take a look at many sources
 * Compare it to already present information on Wikipedia

What are some reasons a content gap might arise?

 * Broad searching
 * Low notability- very specific content
 * Something that is very recent or new
 * Not many people know too much about the topic

What are some ways to remedy them?

 * Wiki talk pages- rally diverse writers to provide their opinions on the subject
 * Try to attract experts. $$?

Question 3: Does it matter who writes Wikipedia?

 * Not necessarily. What is important is that the writer approaches the subject with neutrality and ensures that they use reputable sources.
 * Surprisingly easy to add to wikipedia
 * Sometimes conflicts of interest appears. Someone with a vested interest- example- pharmaceutical companies, or climate change.
 * Should these people have the authority to edit away real facts and truth based on opinion and ignorance?

What does it mean to be "unbiased" on Wikipedia?

 * Document and explain major points of view in an impartial manner.
 * Use reliable sources

How is that different, or similar, to your own definition of bias?

 * I think that scientific proven knowledge will always be relevant.
 * Sometimes representing a proven issue such as climate change as "opinion based" is wrong.

= Citing a Source = Added source to article: Desert ecology "Desert climates are particularly demanding on endothermic organisms. However, endothermic organisms have adapted mechanisms to aid in water retention in habitats such as desert ecosystems which are commonly affected by drought.

UPDATE: new sources added, and old topic sources deleted

= Copyedit = I have chosen to edit: Desert ecology. Specifically the plant section. I focussed on improving the flow, and grammar of the article. I also took note of a few instances where citations were needed, or missing.

= Exercise: Finalizing your topic and finding sources = The topic I have chosen to finalize for this assignment is "Desert Ecology". Below, I have started a bibliography of potential sources to assist my contributions to this article.

Critiquing Articles
My Wikipedia experience has reshaped the way I perceive the website, and my contributions have taught me a lot about writing for a public information domain. Through this project, I have gained a greater understanding of how to critically review an article. I learned that it is not only the writing style, grammar, and flow of the article that should be looked at critically, but also the references and sources used by the author. I approached my critiques by assessing the quality of the article line by line. I asked myself the following questions: Is this true? Can it be backed up by factual evidence? Is it referenced by credible sources? Is it easy for the average reader to understand? With this approach, I was able to view the article through the lens of a scientist, and also through the lens of the average wikipedia reader. In terms of what I chose to add to the article, the process I used to assess what the article was missing was a more intensive one. It began by extensive research on the topic, which in my case, is Glacier Morphology. During my research, I looked at primary articles and reviews to gather as much information as I could on the topic. From there, my work was more simple. I assessed which pieces of information were best to provide the reader with a broad over-arching knowledge of the topic, without using overly technical terms.

Summarizing your Contributions
My contributions consisted of information additions to existing sections of the article, and also the addition of a couple new subsections. I added more credible sources, educational links, and more descriptive language. Below the reflective essay, you will be able to find a more concise summary of my final contribution to the project. Though the content was sparse, the original article was well written, and there was not much for me to fix in terms of flow and grammar. The only thing I wished to add to the page was a considerably greater amount of detail. Some major ice formations were summarized with only a few sentences, and I thought it best to add a few more key points in order to provide the reader with more context. The pictures used in the article were already quite informative, and the article was nicely organized. The only other contribution I decided to add was some more credible sources. The article focussed on popular science websites like National Geographic, and a few outdated papers. In fact, most of the information on the page was added over ten years ago. The article was due for an update, and I focussed on finding newer, and more credible sources to back up my words.

Peer Review
In terms of the peer review portion of the Wikipedia assignment, I chose two articles to peer review. One being "Freshet" by ATekatch, and the other being "Climate Change in Ecosystems" by Acostad. During the peer review process, I was required to take a critical look at my classmate's articles, and provide a few pieces of constructive criticism based on what I have learned through the Wikipedia modules so far. I remembered to check whether their pieces included credible references and an overall neutral tone. In my reviews, I tried to provide at least one compliment, and at least one suggestion. Oftentimes, it was hard to find a suggestion if the article was already complete or well written.

Feedback
At the moment, I haven't recieved any feedback from other writers. However, if I were to receive any feedback over the course of my wikipedia project, I would be open to any constructive criticism, and I would be sure to incorporate any suggestions into my writing.

Wikipedia Generally
The Wikipedia assignment has been far different from any assignment that I have completed in the past. It challenged me to change my writing style from an academic tone, to a formal yet easy to understand tone. Many assignments I have completed in the past have been relatively easy to navigate and complete; in contrast, the Wikipedia assignment surprised me. I found it difficult at first, but with practice, I learned just how to complete the assignments and tasks. Personally, I think that it was a valuable experience to explore a different writing style and tone, and I enjoy knowing my work might be read by others looking to learn a bit more about the topic of my choosing. Wikipedia can be used to increase the average reader's general knowledge about the sciences. I strongly believe science should be made more accessible to the general public, and Wikipedia is a useful tool for making scientific information more readily available to anyone who wishes to learn more.

= My Contributions to the Article (Final Wiki Assignment) =

Glacier Morphology
Glacier morphology, or the form a glacier takes, is influenced by temperature, precipitation, topography, and other factors. The goal of glacial morphology is to gain a better understanding of glaciated landscapes, and the way they are shaped. Types of glaciers can range from massive ice sheets, such as the Greenland ice sheet, to small cirque glaciers found perched on mountain tops. For the sake of this article, glaciers can be grouped into two main categories:


 * 1) Ice flow is constrained by the underlying bedrock topography
 * 2) Ice flow is unrestricted by surrounding topography

Ice Sheets and Ice Caps
Ice Sheets and Ice Caps cover the largest areas of land in comparison to other glaciers. and their ice is unconstrained by the underlying topography. They are among the largest glacial ice formations, and hold the vast majority of the world's fresh water.

Ice Sheets
Ice sheets are the largest form of glacial formation. They are continent sized ice masses that span areas over 50 000 km2 They are dome shaped, and like ice caps, exhibit radial flow. As ice sheets expand over the ocean, they become ice shelves. Ice sheets contain 99% of all the freshwater found on Earth, and accumulate as layers of snow fall and slowly start to compact into ice. There are only two ice sheets present on Earth today, and they are the Antarctic Ice Sheet, and the Greenland Ice Sheet. Although only a tenth of modern Earth is covered by ice sheets, the Pleistocene epoch was characterized by ice sheets that covered a third of our land. This was also known as the Last Glacial Maximum

Ice Caps
An ice cap can be defined as a dome shaped mass of ice that exhibits a radial flow. They are often easily confused with ice sheets, but these ice structures are smaller in size. They are smaller than 50 000 km2, and obscure the entirety of the topography they span. They mainly form in polar and sub-polar regions that can be characterized by having particularly high elevation, but flat ground. Ice caps come in a variety of shapes, they can be round or circular, to irregular in shape. Oftentimes, ice caps gradually merge into ice sheets; making them quite hard to track and document. Some examples of ice caps include:


 * Jostedalsbreen, Norway
 * Devon Ice Cap, Canada
 * Barnes Ice Cap, Canada
 * Vatnajøkull, Iceland

Ice Domes
An ice dome is a part of an ice cap or ice sheet that is characterized by upstanding ice surface located in the accumulation zone. Ice domes are nearly symmetrical, with a convex or parabolic surface shape. They tend to develop evenly over a land mass that may be either a topographic height or a depression—often reflecting the sub-glacial topography. In ice sheets, domes may reach a thickness that may exceed 3,000 m. However, in ice caps, the thickness of the dome is much smaller. Measuring roughly up to several hundred metres in comparison. In glaciated islands, ice domes are usually the highest point of the ice cap.

An example of an ice dome is Kupol Vostok Pervyy in Alger Island, Franz Josef Land, Russia.

Ice Streams
Ice streams rapidly channel ice flow out to the sea, ocean, or an ice shelf. For this reason, they are commonly referred to as the arteries of an ice sheet Ice from continental sheets is drained into the ocean by a complex network of ice streams, and their activity is greatly affected by oceanic and atmospheric processes. They feature a higher velocity in the centre of the stream, and are bounded by slow moving ice on either side of the stream. Periods of greater ice stream flow result in more ice transfer from ice sheets to the ocean; subsequently impacting sea level. At the margin between ice and water, ice calving takes place as glaciers begin to fracture, and icebergs break off from the large masses of ice. Iceberg calving is a major contributor to sea level rise, but the ocean is not the only place that can experience ice calving. Calving can also take place in lakes, fjords, and ice cliffs.

Icefields
An icefield is an example of an ice structure that covers a relatively large area, and is usually located in areas characterized by mountain terrain. Icefields are quite similar to ice caps; however, their morphology is much more influenced by the underlying mountainous topography.

The rock formations found under the icefields are variable, and rocky mountain peaks, or nunataks tend to jut out from under the surface of icefields. Some examples of icefields include:


 * Columbia Icefield, Canada
 * Juneau Icefield, Canada
 * Southern Patagonian Icefield, Chile & Argentina
 * Harding Icefield, USA

Outlet Glaciers
Outlet glaciers are often found in valleys, and they originate from major ice sheets and ice caps. They move in a singular direction that is determined by the underlying landscape. Outlet glaciers drain inland glaciers through gaps found in the surrounding topography. A higher amount of inland glacial melt ultimately increases the amount of outlet glacier output. Studies predict that outlet glaciers found in Greenland can increase the global sea level considerably following an increase in temperature, and a subsequently higher drainage output. Some examples of outlet glaciers include :


 * Helheim Glacier, Greenland
 * Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier, Greenland
 * Jakobshavn Glacier, Greenland
 * Petermann Glacier, Greenland

Valley Glaciers
Valley glaciers are outlet glaciers that provide drainage for icefields, icecaps or icesheets. The flow of these glaciers is confined by the walls of the valley they are found in; but they may also form up in mountain ranges as gathering snow turns to ice. The formation of valley glaciers is restricted by formations such as terminal moraines, which are collections of unconsolidated rock material, or till deposited by the terminus of the glacier. Ice-free exposed bedrock and slopes often surround valley glaciers, providing a route for snow and ice to accumulate on the glacier via avalanches. Some examples of valley glaciers include:


 * Sermilik Glacier, Canada
 * Fláajökull, Iceland

Valley-head glaciers
Valley head glaciers are types of valley glaciers that are only limited to the valley head. An example of this type of valley glacier is Bægisárjökull, found in Iceland.

Fjords
True fjords are formed when valley glaciers retreat and sea water fills the now empty valley. They can be found in mountainous, glaciation affected terrain. Some examples of fjords include:


 * Hvalfjörður, Iceland
 * Hornsund, Svalbard

Piedmont Glaciers
Piedmont glaciers are a subtype of valley glaciers which have flowed out onto lowland plains, where they spread out into a fan-like shape. Some examples of piedmont glaciers include:


 * Malaspina Glacier, USA
 * Endeavor Piedmont Glacier, Antarctica

Cirque Glaciers
Cirque glaciers are glaciers that appear in bowl shaped valley hollows. Snow easily settles in the topographic structure; it is turned to ice as more snow falls and is subsequently compressed. When the glacier melts, a cirque structure is left in its place. Some examples cirque glaciers include:


 * Lower Curtis Glacier, USA
 * Eel Glacier, USA

Hanging Glacier
A hanging glacier is a form of glacier that appears in a hanging valley, and has the potential to break off from the side of the mountain it is attached to. As bits and pieces of hanging glaciers break off and begin to fall, avalanches can be triggered. Examples of hanging glaciers include:


 * Eiger Glacier, Switzerland
 * Angel Glacier, Canada