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User:Michael.C.Wright/review-checklist

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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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