User:Paigevinch/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.

Liberal arts education
During the college application process, I was really confused about what a liberal arts education actually was. Considering that my studies are rooted in a liberal arts education, I think it would be beneficial for me to understand why/how it came to be.

Does the Lead include an introductory sentence that concisely and clearly describes the article's topic?
- Yes, it does!
Does the Lead include a brief description of the article's major sections?
- No, not necessarily. It alludes to the division exhibited in the "Content" box. However, I think this is appropriate considering the context of the article.
Does the Lead include information that is not present in the article?
- Sort of, because the definition of a liberal arts education encompasses many different fields of study. However, it makes sense not to explain what natural sciences, social sciences, etc. are in this particular article. Rather, it makes more sense to provide hyperlinks to separate Wikipedia pages for those studies.
Is the Lead concise or is it overly detailed?
- Concise and informative.

Is the article's content relevant to the topic?
- Yes. Except for the "The Great Books" section at the end. It seems out of place here. There are literally ZERO citations for that paragraph as well, which draws some suspicion.
Is the content up-to-date?
- Mostly. My previous comment mentions that citations are lacking, and this is also true for the "Secondary school" section.
Is there content that is missing or content that does not belong?
- (Aforementioned)

Is the article neutral?
- No. "The Great Books Section" is clear evidence of this."
Are there any claims that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?
- Yes, the aforementioned section focuses on St. John's College when there is little evidence to support the significance of the college in regards to the topic of the article.
Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?
- I think it could be beneficial to incorporate more modern views on a liberal arts education and possibly careers for those possessing a liberal arts education.
Does the article attempt to persuade the reader in favor of one position or away from another?
- No. It is overall quite neutral and doesn't seem rooted in an attempt to persuade.

Are all facts in the article backed up by a reliable secondary source of information?
- No! As stated previously, citations are lacking in two areas: "Secondary school" and "The Great Books Movement"
Are the sources thorough - i.e. Do they reflect the available literature on the topic?
- Yes, for the given sources.
Are the sources current?
- Yes, a majority are within the past five to ten years.
Check a few links. Do they work?
- Yes.

Is the article well-written - i.e. Is it concise, clear, and easy to read?
- Yes.
Does the article have any grammatical or spelling errors?
- Not that I can see outright, no.
Is the article well-organized - i.e. broken down into sections that reflect the major points of the topic?
- Yes, but it could benefit from different formatting/design. The writing is coherent and reflects someone who is well-educated though.

Does the article include images that enhance understanding of the topic?
- No. There are three pictures and they all have to do with the history of liberal arts education. I think the first photo could be used for readers to develop a better understanding of the origin of a liberal arts education, but the two other photos are a bit unnecessary and don't provide much information nor do they provoke newfound insight.
Are images well-captioned?
- The first and second one are. The third one doesn't display much context so it feels out of place.
Do all images adhere to Wikipedia's copyright regulations?
- Yes.
Are the images laid out in a visually appealing way?
- Yes, they're in the right hand column of the page.

What kinds of conversations, if any, are going on behind the scenes about how to represent this topic?
- People are suggesting to differentiate a liberal arts education and a liberal education.
How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?
- This article is a LEVEL 5! That means it's very vital. It's also currently under construction. And it's C-class. Yikes, we've got some work to do here.
How does the way Wikipedia discusses this topic differ from the way we've talked about it in class?
- Because the people who are reading this particular article come from people who have been professionals (teachers, professors, etc.) in liberal arts education for many years.

What is the article's overall status?
- If it were a paper I would give it a B-.
What are the article's strengths?
- Brief, concise, informative topic sentences and paragraphs.
How can the article be improved?
- Less bias; more worldly view.
How would you assess the article's completeness - i.e. Is the article well-developed? Is it underdeveloped or poorly developed?
- It could use some TLC. Again, like a B- or C+.

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