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User:Michael.C.Wright/review-checklist

< User:Michael.C.Wright
200 The time it takes to correctly review an article is always longer than the time required to make it publishable. Improving, unlike reviewing, does not require justification. 200

—Amgine

I developed the following checklist from an archived discussion on how to peer-review an article.[1]

Copyediting

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  • Earwig's Copyvio Detector[2]
    • Avoid 3 consecutive words and “scuffing up”[3]
  • Check the article for coherence: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How.
  • Ensure the article tells a story that flows and has a purpose.
  • Ensure correct local wikilinks (e.g., use "United States" instead of "w:United States").
  • Minimize links to redirect and disambiguation pages.

Content review

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  • Assess related news items for relevance and avoid POV-by-association.
  • Sort sources from newest to oldest.
  • Ensure proper citation formats (e.g., "BBC News Online") and correct date formatting.
    • Citations “should be in the form of prose”[4]
  • Check for generic, undated, or wishy-washy content in sources.

Source evaluation

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  • Read through sources to confirm credibility and relevance.
  • Be wary of sources that may simply echo content from major news agencies.
  • Look out for potential copyright violations and fact-check accordingly.
  • Avoid confirmation bias: finding one source supports something and assuming no others dispute it

Visual presentation

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  • Verify that pull-quotes and infoboxes are used correctly.
  • Check image captions to ensure they contribute to the story.
  • Ensure images are credited appropriately, even if not required.

Final adjustments

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  • Revisit the article for necessary revisions based on source accuracy and representation.
  • Confirm categorization is appropriate and comprehensive.

Best practices

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  • Utilize active voice and concise language as recommended by Strunk's guidelines.
  • Continually hone writing and critical analysis skills through regular practice.

Reviewer ‘gotchyas’

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  • Adding a source disqualifies one as a reviewer.[5]
  • A file is content and it is important to have that checked as well. [6]

See also

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