Featured articles: Quality of reviews, quality of writing in 2012
Continuing our recap of the featured content promoted in 2012, this week the Signpost interviewed three editors, asking them about featured articles which stuck out in their minds. Two, Ian Rose and Graham Colm, are current featured article candidates (FAC) delegates, while Brian Boulton is an active featured article writer and reviewer.
Ian Rose
It was a privilege to serve as a delegate at FAC in 2012, and view articles I might not have otherwise (though we're from the same place, I never knew there were so many varieties of banksia, for example). Restricting myself to nominations with which I was directly involved as a delegate, the article that remains uppermost in my mind is Lynching of Jesse Washington. The subject matter is important and disturbing, but presented in a dispassionate yet compelling manner. As a candidate, it was well prepared through a good article nomination and peer review, in which experienced FA writers participated. That the FAC still generated some detailed commentary was hardly surprising, but the discussion remained cool and collegial, and issues were resolved in a timely manner. For me it was one of many articles and FAC nominations in 2012 that did Wikipedia proud.
Graham Colm
As a delegate I read a broad variety of articles that otherwise would pass me by. So different in subjects, I found it impossible to choose a favourite from the treasures on last year's list. But I do have a favourite FAC: it was a joy to follow the reviews of Betelgeuse. I was deeply impressed by the thoroughness and knowledge of the reviewers and the timely and intelligent responses from the nominators. Focused and ever mindful of our readers, the team went through the article with a fine tooth comb, refining every fact and nuance of meaning as they went along. Of course, I love the article – about a beautiful star with a beautiful name – it is a product of gifted content creators and expert reviews.
Brian Boulton
From the year's many excellent FA promotions, with some difficulty I made a short list of two: Mary, Queen of Scots, nominated by DrKiernan, and Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, nominated by Maria. Mary, Queen of Scots is an engrossing account of a tragic life; the article has particular resonance for me since I live not far from Fotheringhay. The writing is crisp and authoritative, a credit to the encyclopedia. But my final choice of personal favourite, narrowly, goes to Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, a beautifully written description of a work by a writer who would perhaps never have come to my notice but for WP. It exemplifies for me the ability of Wikipedia to extend one's knowledge and sensitivities in unexpected and delightful ways.