User:Sienna Pearson/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Social justice art

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I chose to evaluate the article on social justice art because it aligns with my personal interest in exploring the intersection of art and activism. As someone with a background in dance, I am particularly intrigued by how social justice can be integrated into this realm and the potential impact it can have on increasing visibility of both dance and social issue while inciting change. This topic and therefore article matter because social justice art serves as a tool for raising awareness, inspiring activism, and fostering societal change by giving voice to marginalized communities and addressing systemic injustices through creative expression. Additionally, I chose this article because I appreciated that it was created for a class with Wiki Education, similar to ours, which made it a relevant example of the type of content we aim to create.

My preliminary impression of the article was positive, as it appeared to provide a comprehensive overview of social justice art, including various forms of visual and performing arts, historical movements, and educational approaches. However, upon closer examination, I noticed areas where the article could benefit from more in-depth information, particularly in exploring contemporary examples of social justice art initiatives and movements. For instance, further discussion on recent projects or performances that address current social issues could enhance the relevance and timeliness of the article.

Overall, this article caught my eye because of the topic, the number of links that were embedded in the article, its inclusion of photos, and that it covered many facets of the topic.

Lead section:
The lead section effectively introduces the topic of social justice art and defines it. It also briefly outlines the purpose of social justice art and mentions examples of visual and performing arts within this realm. The lead is concise and provides a clear overview without delving into excessive detail. The only slight revision that could be made is shortening the list of art mediums that social justice can take the form of, eliminating unnecessary detail.

Content:
The content of the article is relevant to the topic of social justice art, covering its definition, historical context, educational aspects, and examples of social justice art movements and initiatives. It addresses various aspects of social justice art, including its definition, historical context, educational aspects, and examples of social justice art movements and initiatives. However, some sections, such as the list of universities with social justice arts programs, may be less directly related to the core topic and could potentially distract readers from the main focus. The article appears moderately up-to-date, referencing scholarly sources from the 2010s and 2020s. However, it could benefit from incorporating more recent examples of social justice art projects and movements to ensure its relevance to contemporary audiences. It addresses the equity gap by discussing the role of art in addressing social injustices and engaging historically underrepresented populations in the topic. That said, the sources cited predominantly reflect mainstream perspectives, and there is a lack of voices from marginalized communities within the sources. Editors should prioritize seeking out literature and research authored by individuals from diverse backgrounds to provide a more inclusive representation of social justice art.

Tone and balance:
The article maintains a neutral tone overall and presents information in a balanced manner. It provides an overview of social justice art, discussing its various aspects without advocating for or against a particular perspective. However, there may be instances where the framing of certain concepts or movements could be further scrutinized to ensure neutrality. At times, it could be interpreted as taking on a purely positive tone toward social justice art. Minority viewpoints, such as those of historically marginalized communities, are accurately represented, particularly in discussing movements like the Black Arts Movement and Chicano art movement. That said, more attention could be given to additional viewpoints, such as those of Native Americans.

Sources and references:
The article is well-supported by a good quantity of reliable secondary sources. This includes a variety of neutral sources: academic publications (books and journals), a reputable news outlet, and educational institutions. Many of the sources are current, with recent publication dates from the 2010s and 2020s. However, there could be a broader inclusion of diverse authors, particularly from historically marginalized backgrounds. Additionally, more citations are needed in general for each sentence. This is most apparent in the "Culturally relevant arts education" section.

The citations in the article appear to be mostly functional, and the links lead to the intended sources. However, there are four instances where the linked sites no longer lead to the intended pages. These are the institutional pages for SCU's and USF's social justice art programs, and the two blogs that are cited. In general, all four of these sources are also not as reputable as the others and could be replaced by better sources.

Organization and writing quality:
The article is well-written, concise, and easy to read. It is organized into sections that reflect the major aspects of social justice art, including background, history, education, and examples. There are no apparent grammatical or spelling errors, and the writing maintains a consistently neutral and professional tone.

Images and media:
The article includes three images that enhance understanding of examples of the topic. The images are appropriately captioned, but could use more detail explaining the picture beyond the basic information about the art or linking to another source with more info on it. There are no apparent issues with copyright regulations. There is an opportunity to enhance the visual content further, especially with a topic so rooted in the arts. Editors should consider adding more images that showcase a diverse range of social justice art forms, such as photography, digital art, street art, and community-based projects. Additionally, the layout of images could be more visually appealing since they are simply all along the right side of the page currently.

Talk page discussion:
The talk page displays one ongoing conversation among Wikipedia editors regarding the article. It indicates that this topic and page have undergone peer review. In the conversation, they propose numerous additional examples of social justice art to include in the article. The suggestions also entail clarifying language, adding more historical context, and incorporating additional references to enhance the article's depth and quality. The talk page reflects the beginning of a collaborative effort to refine and expand the article's coverage.

The article is rated as C-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale and is of interest to WikiProjects related to Visual arts and LGBT studies. It was also the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation course assignment.

Overall impressions:
Overall, the article on social justice art is well-developed and provides a comprehensive overview of the topic. Its strengths include its relevance, up-to-date content, neutral tone, and clear organization. To improve, the article could benefit from broader inclusion of diverse authors in its sources and potentially more discussion on the talk page to address any ongoing concerns or suggestions for improvement.

Potential improvements:
Diversification of sources: Editors should seek out literature and research authored by a diverse range of scholars and practitioners, particularly those from historically marginalized communities and those who are involved in the arts.

Inclusion of contemporary examples: The article could benefit from incorporating more recent examples of social justice art projects, performances, and grassroots movements to showcase the ongoing evolution of the field.

Engagement and collaboration on the talk page: Encouraging discussions on the article's talk page can foster feedback and contributions from a diverse range of contributors.

Inclusion of more visual content: Additional photos would allow readers to better understand the article.