User:Soil Microbe/Evaluate an Article

Evaluate an Article

 * Name of article: Purple bacteria
 * Briefly describe why you have chosen this article to evaluate.
 * I chose this article because it is about an important environmental microbe. I would like to look at it to get some ideas about how to write a similar article for this class.

Lead

 * Guiding questions


 * Does the Lead include an introductory sentence that concisely and clearly describes the article's topic?
 * The lead sentence provides taxonomic information but does not necessarily convey the noteworthiness of the topic.
 * Does the Lead include a brief description of the article's major sections?
 * Yes, there is a table of contents included.
 * Does the Lead include information that is not present in the article?
 * The information contained in the lead section does not reference information not present in the article.
 * Is the Lead concise or is it overly detailed?
 * The lead is concise and not overly detailed, yet inclusive.

Lead evaluation
''The lead was effective. The information was not too detailed, yet gave the basic understanding of the organism. The lead sentence should more effectively convey the noteworthiness of this genus.''

Content

 * Guiding questions


 * Is the article's content relevant to the topic?
 * Yes.
 * Is the content up-to-date?
 * The most recent references are from 2015 and one from 2018 so it could likely be updated.
 * Is there content that is missing or content that does not belong?
 * While there is content covering the ecology of this microorganism, it would be beneficial to note its applications in agriculture or other industries to connect it to human activities.
 * Does the article deal with one of Wikipedia's equity gaps? Does it address topics related to historically underrepresented populations or topics?
 * No.

Content evaluation
''The content of this article is good, but likely could be improved with more information about the way in which humans interact with the organism. The literature should also be reviewed for more recent findings to be included.''

Tone and Balance

 * Guiding questions


 * Is the article neutral?
 * Generally, although there are a few word choices indicating opinion.
 * Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
 * There is one sentence that uses opinionated language: "However the most important role is played by consuming hydrogen sulphide" The word "most" should be replaced with "one" or similar.
 * Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
 * No. This article opens up the reader to explore more details about specific species or genera within purple bacteria.
 * Does the article attempt to persuade the reader in favor of one position or away from another?
 * No.

Tone and balance evaluation
''The tone could be improved by removing words indicating opinion, such as "most". While this is a more general article covering a larger and diverse group, perhaps there could be more detail on more of the species and environmental conditions.''

Sources and References

 * Guiding questions


 * Are all facts in the article backed up by a reliable secondary source of information?
 * Yes.
 * Are the sources thorough - i.e. Do they reflect the available literature on the topic?
 * Sources could be more comprehensive, which would likely also expand the coverage of the entire topic.
 * Are the sources current?
 * Latest source is from 2018, so they could be updated.
 * Are the sources written by a diverse spectrum of authors? Do they include historically marginalized individuals where possible?
 * This is not obvious.
 * Check a few links. Do they work?
 * Yes.

Sources and references evaluation
Some sources are completely cited, and facts are backed up.

Organization

 * Guiding questions


 * Is the article well-written - i.e. Is it concise, clear, and easy to read?
 * This article is generally concise.
 * Does the article have any grammatical or spelling errors?
 * There are no obvious errors.
 * Is the article well-organized - i.e. broken down into sections that reflect the major points of the topic?
 * Yes.

Organization evaluation
The article has a solid organizational structure.

Images and Media

 * Guiding questions


 * Does the article include images that enhance understanding of the topic?
 * The are two images, but they are not enhancing to the reader's understanding of the topic.
 * Are images well-captioned?
 * Yes.
 * Do all images adhere to Wikipedia's copyright regulations?
 * Yes.
 * Are the images laid out in a visually appealing way?
 * They are not unappealing, but could be improved.

Images and media evaluation
''There are two images in this article. Adding images diagrams and supportive visual conceptual would be an improvement.''

Checking the talk page

 * Guiding questions


 * What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
 * There is only a brief conversation about vandalism.
 * How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
 * It has a low-importance rating and is part of "Wikiproject: Microbiology" and "Wikiproject: Algae"
 * How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?
 * We have covered some similar concepts in the metabolism section.

Talk page evaluation
There is not much on the talk page, but an anonymous post to include an electron-microscope photo brings up a good point for them to include more images.

Overall impressions

 * Guiding questions


 * What is the article's overall status?
 * This article is a Start-Class. It could use some further details and sources.
 * What are the article's strengths?
 * Some good coverage of ecology.
 * How can the article be improved?
 * More details and images would help.
 * How would you assess the article's completeness - i.e. Is the article well-developed? Is it underdeveloped or poorly developed?
 * This article is incomplete and could be developed further into a more solid resource.

Overall evaluation
This article would be a good one to take on as a project to build upon and improve with more details and helpful images.