User:Ylosee/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: Acid-sensing ion channel (link: Acid-sensing ion channel; talk page: Talk:Acid-sensing ion channel)
 * Briefly describe why you have chosen this article to evaluate.
 * ANSWER: I have chosen this article due to the relevance and importance of ion channels to proper neurological function. It is through the passage of ions through ion channels that cells of the nervous system are able to properly propagate information toward different parts of the body. Additionally, part of our lecture material has discussed the existence of a wide range of ion families; thus, I thought it would be interesting to evaluate a specific channel type that falls under one of the families we have discussed.

Lead
Guiding questions:


 * Does the Lead include an introductory sentence that concisely and clearly describes the article's topic?
 * ANSWER: While the lead does concisely lay out the article's topic (acid-sensing ion channels), I think that the introductory sentence would benefit from some grammatical adjustments to make it easier to read. For example, adding one or two commas would make the sentence flow better and make it easier to understand. Additionally, I was slightly confused by the statement "activated by extracellular protons permeable to Na+", as it is not clear to the reader what exactly is permeable to Na+. I would assume they are referring to the channel itself, but this is somewhat redundant due to the earlier portion of the sentence stating "Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are neuronal voltage-insensitive sodium channels".
 * Does the Lead include a brief description of the article's major sections?
 * ANSWER: The lead includes brief descriptions of the Location and the Physiology/Pharmacology sections in one or two sentences, which I belief is sufficient for the article. I do think that the lead section would benefit from briefly mentioning the function of ASICs. While the Lead section does lay out the basic function of what ASICs respond to, it would be useful to include how this role relates to overall nervous system functioning.
 * Does the Lead include information that is not present in the article?
 * ANSWER: To my knowledge, no. Most, if not all, of the information present in the Lead is further elaborated on in corresponding sections of the article.
 * Is the Lead concise or is it overly detailed?
 * ANSWER: The Lead is concise enough that it is easy to understand, yet it also goes into sufficient detail about things like the different isoforms of ASICs and the pathological results of their dysfunction.

Content
Guiding questions:


 * Is the article's content relevant to the topic?
 * ANSWER: Yes. The article explains both the structure and function of ASICs with much detail, and each topic is broken up in a digestible manner. The topics of the article include: Structure, Function, Location, Physiology, and Pharmacology.
 * Is the content up-to-date?
 * ANSWER: Yes. The earliest-published reference in the article dates back to 2007, which is a relatively short time in comparison to other information relating to neuroscience. Additionally, half of the articles referenced have been published within the last 5 years, between 2014 and 2017, and about two-thirds of them were published after the year 2010.
 * Is there content that is missing or content that does not belong?
 * ANSWER: No. All content that is available covers both the microscopic and macroscopic functions of ASICs. Any content that does not directly relate to ASICs (such as the definition of a seizure) is immediately tied back to its relevance to ASIC function, making the information relevant to the article.

Tone and Balance
Guiding questions:


 * Is the article neutral?
 * ANSWER: Yes. Information that is presented on the function and use of ASICs in a pharmacological/physiological setting is backed by evidence in the form of scientific studies. The article also makes sure to clarify that some studies performed only provide a possible use or function of ASICs, and does not make statements to claim causal relationships when none are present.
 * Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
 * ANSWER: No. The article covers all functions and potential uses of ASICs with equal detail and significance. There is no evidence of favoritism towards a particular viewpoint.
 * Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
 * ANSWER: No. All viewpoints are given an equal amount of attention.
 * Does the article attempt to persuade the reader in favor of one position or away from another?
 * ANSWER: No. The article's main job is to educate the reader on the structure, function, and potential application of ASICs in the scientific/clinical fields. No persuasion seems to be present.

Sources and References
Guiding questions:


 * Are all facts in the article backed up by a reliable secondary source of information?
 * ANSWER: Yes. All information presented can be tied back to a reliable source found in the References section.
 * Are the sources thorough - i.e. Do they reflect the available literature on the topic?
 * ANSWER: While the sources referenced on the topic do directly reflect the information that is presented, I believe that the article may benefit from additional resources. The page itself only references 12 articles, and much more research than this has been done on the structure/function/location of ASICs in recent years. Adding additional sources may further strengthen the positions or claims within the article.
 * Are the sources current?
 * ANSWER: The sources are current (see the answer under the question "Is the content up-to-date?"). All sources have been published within the last 12 years, with many of them being published after 2010.
 * Check a few links. Do they work?
 * ANSWER: The links to the sources appear to be in proper working order. Examples of the sources I checked were: "Acidosis, acid-sensing ion channels, and neuronal cell death" (source 5), "Acid-sensing ion channels: trafficking and synaptic function" (source 8), and "Pharmacology of acid-sensing ion channels - Physiological and therapeutical perspectives" (source 11). All sources link to reputable and well-established academic journals.

Organization
Guiding questions:


 * Is the article well-written - i.e. Is it concise, clear, and easy to read?
 * ANSWER: Yes. All information presented was easy to follow, and clearly stated how it relates to the overall topic of ASICs.
 * Does the article have any grammatical or spelling errors?
 * ANSWER: The article does not have spelling errors. I did spot a few grammatical errors scattered throughout; however, this could be due to a personal difference in writing styles, as the information is still easy to follow. I should also note my appreciation for a consistent use of the Oxford comma when listing groups with items of 3 or more.
 * Is the article well-organized - i.e. broken down into sections that reflect the major points of the topic?
 * ANSWER: Yes. Every section in the topic is broken down sufficiently. For example, the Structure portion of the topic is further broken down into the subsections "Pore" and "Extracellular Region" due to the overwhelming amount of information on ASIC structure. This makes the information much more digestible to the reader. A similar, yet slightly different approach was taken for the clinical relevance and applications of ASICs through the use of two sections ("Physiology" and "Pharmacology") as opposed to one section. This choice was well-implemented, as combining these two sections into one may have seemed overwhelming. Additionally, each section is different enough from the other to warrant a distinction between the two.

Images and Media
Guiding questions:


 * Does the article include images that enhance understanding of the topic?
 * ANSWER: The article does not include too many images. The only media sources present on the page are a picture of the general structure of an ASIC, as well as a video showcasing the crystalized structure of the channel; however, is unclear whether or not more media/images would have enhanced the article any further.
 * Are images well-captioned?
 * ANSWER: The images are well captioned, as they succinctly state what is being presented.
 * Do all images adhere to Wikipedia's copyright regulations?
 * ANSWER: The video of an ASIC's crystallized structure does not seem to have an easily accessible reference attached to it. I would likely edit this article to include such a reference, or to make it more noticeable if it is actually present somewhere in the article.
 * Are the images laid out in a visually appealing way?
 * ANSWER: Yes. The images do not interfere with the flow or readability of the article, and are placed in appropriate locations.

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?

Overall impressions
Guiding questions:


 * What is the article's overall status?
 * ANSWER: The article's overall status is C-Class, as I found it by browsing the various C-Class articles available.
 * What are the article's strengths?
 * ANSWER: The article covers any and all information that would be relevant to one's understanding of ASICs. Sections are appropriately separated from one another, and the article is easy to read and understand.
 * How can the article be improved?
 * ANSWER: The article could be improved with adding more reliable sources to back up the information presented, as well as making sure all images/media adhere to Wikipedia's copyright guidelines.
 * How would you assess the article's completeness - i.e. Is the article well-developed? Is it underdeveloped or poorly developed?
 * ANSWER: I would say that the article is slightly underdeveloped. It is a very strong start to a well-developed article, but still requires some fine-tuning and adjustment to be considered more thorough/complete.

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: