Wikipedia:Featured article review/Space Race/archive1

Space Race

 * Article is no longer a featured article.

Major review commentary
Even though I'm still not convinced how well this FAR process will work, let's give it a try. As a self-identified space nut, I am appalled at the condition of the Space Race article. Since this competition between the Soviet Union and the USA resulted in the jump starting of manned space exploration, this article should have plenty of fascinating history to present. Instead, the article is broken up into clunky, disjointed little sections that have little relation to one another. In addition, the article glosses over way too much history while also devoting too much space to more speculative matters. For example, the section "Cold War roots of the Space Race" is only two short paragraphs long while the section "More "space races" to come?" (which covers possible space competition between the USA, Russia, and China) is way too long and full of unsourced speculation. Finally, the article is almost totally lacking in references. For an article which features so many technical aspects of space exploration, detailed references are a must. So, in short, the issues to be resolved here are: 1) Improve prose (i.e., doesn't meet the "well written" FA criteria); 2) Expand sections as needed (i.e., doesn't meet the "comprehensive" FA criteria): 3) Insert references (i.e, doesn't meet the "factually accurate" FA criteria). Best, --Alabamaboy 13:37, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * FAC nomination from Feb 2005


 * Comment - I started doing a bit of copyediting, but it felt a bit futile when there are bigger problems with the article that need to be addressed. I suggest we prioritize: First, sections must be expanded and references added; then, copyediting. The Disco King 15:26, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * I've fixed the few references the article had (all three of them :-). I should note, though, that even these three references are incomplete.--Alabamaboy 16:00, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Judging by the talk page, the article's main contributors aren't active there any more...There really haven't been any comments in nearly two months. Does anybody have access to any of the references listed at the bottom? The Disco King 16:33, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Finding sources for those poorly-sourced quotes may be difficult - I tried to Google them, and most of the results were Wikipedia mirrors or noted that they got the quote from WP. The Disco King 19:13, 8 June 2006 (UTC)


 * I linked the FAC nomination. I had some concerns there about the date used for the end of the space race that weren't ever really addressed that I recall. But sfahey had consulted all of the listed references and since there are so many, I'm not sure we can say it fails the referencing requirement just because they weren't done as footnotes. - Taxman Talk 16:43, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * "I'm not sure we can say it fails the referencing requirement just because they weren't done as footnotes"--that was my thought. It's a good example of an old page where ample reading was obviously done and I think we can trust the info. I think the TOC needs rationalizing, so perhaps start with that. Marskell 17:02, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * I've reworked the headings per WP:MOS - some were unnecessarily long and complex. I merged a few tiny sections together, and renamed "More "space races" to come?" as "Recent events" (which I'm not too sure about). The Disco King 17:26, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * An improvement. Perhaps move the timeline to its own page? Marskell 18:34, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Probably a good idea, most of the information is duplicated elsewhere on the page and the rest isn't particularly interesting. The Disco King 18:42, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Done. See it here. The lead is verbatim from the first paragraph of Space Race right now, but I'll try to tweak it. The Disco King 18:47, 8 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Good job. I moved the note to the top and put deaths under legacy. The TOC, anyhow, seems more sensible and browsable now. Marskell 18:52, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

FARC commentary

 * Remove. I left a note with the still active original nominator without reply. Disco made some improvements to structure but there's been little movement on the page since. Ref problem hasn't budged. Marskell 15:42, 21 June 2006 (UTC)
 * Remove. The lack of reference to either Red Star in Orbit (Oberg) or ...the Heavans and the Earth (McDougall) make me worry about the sourcing. These are staple texts. Mackensen (talk) 13:50, 27 June 2006 (UTC)
 *  Remove. No changes, references are all too important. Sandy 13:00, 30 June 2006 (UTC)
 *  Remove. Too many issues to remain a FA. --Alabamaboy 13:03, 30 June 2006 (UTC)