Talk:John Collins Covell/GA1

GA Review

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Reviewer: Seabuckthorn (talk · contribs) 21:26, 28 February 2014 (UTC)
Nominator: Caponer (talk)

Hi! My review for this article will be here shortly. --Seabuckthorn ♥ 21:26, 28 February 2014 (UTC)

1: Well-written

• a. Prose is "clear and concise", without copyvios, or spelling and grammar errors:
• b. MoS compliance for lead, layout, words to watch, fiction, and lists:

WP:LEAD:

Check for WP:LEAD: Check for Correct Structure of Lead Section:  Done Check for Citations (WP:LEADCITE):  Done Check for Introductory text:  Done Check for Provide an accessible overview (MOS:INTRO):  Done Major Point 1: Early life and education "" (not a concise summary of the corresponding section in the body) Major Point 2: Educator and school administrator "Covell served as Principal of the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (1862–1872) and of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind (1874–1887), where he is credited for reorganizing and growing the institution under his leadership. Covell briefly served as a Major in the Confederate States Army staff of Brigadier General Henry A. Wise during the American Civil War." (summarised well in the lead) Check for Relative emphasis:  Done Major Point 1: Early life and education "" (the lead does not give due weight as is given in the body) Major Point 2: Educator and school administrator "Covell served as Principal of the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (1862–1872) and of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind (1874–1887), where he is credited for reorganizing and growing the institution under his leadership. Covell briefly served as a Major in the Confederate States Army staff of Brigadier General Henry A. Wise during the American Civil War." (the lead gives due weight as is given in the body) Check for Opening paragraph (MOS:BEGIN):  Done Check for First sentence (WP:LEADSENTENCE):  Done John Collins Covell (December 19, 1823 – June 4, 1887) was a 19th-century American educator and school administrator specializing in deaf education in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia. Check for Format of the first sentence (MOS:BOLDTITLE):  Done Check for Proper names and titles:  Done Check for Abbreviations and synonyms (MOS:BOLDSYN): None Check for Foreign language (MOS:FORLANG): None Check for Pronunciation: None Check for Contextual links (MOS:CONTEXTLINK):  Done Check for Biographies:  Done Check for Organisms: NA Check for Biographies of living persons: NA Check for Alternative names (MOS:LEADALT):  Done Check for Non-English titles: Check for Usage in first sentence: Check for Separate section usage: Check for Length (WP:LEADLENGTH):  Done Check for Clutter (WP:LEADCLUTTER): None

WP:LAYOUT:

Done Check for WP:LAYOUT:  Done Check for Body sections: WP:BODY, MOS:BODY.  Done Check for Headings and sections:  Done Check for Section templates and summary style:  Done Check for Paragraphs (MOS:PARAGRAPHS):  Done Short paragraphs and single sentences generally do not warrant their own subheading. Paragraphs should be short enough to be readable, but long enough to develop an idea. (WP:BETTER) Remove the Publications section. The list is too short. I’d recommend you to convert this list into prose and adjust in any other section. Similarly remove the Other affiliations subsection. The paragraph is too short. In fact I’d request you to convert the list in the Personal life section into prose. I feel it’s a recurring issue in your articles that are biographies (not BLPs, of course ). Also the Personal life section is a bit, I believe, off topic. Fix Covell is interred with his wife Annie at Indian Mound Cemetery in Romney.. The paragraph is too short. Check for Standard appendices and footers (MOS:APPENDIX):  Done Check for Order of sections (WP:ORDER):  Done Check for Works or publications:  Done Check for See also section (MOS:SEEALSO): None Check for Notes and references (WP:FNNR):  Done Check for Further reading (WP:FURTHER): None Check for External links (WP:LAYOUTEL): None Check for Links to sister projects: None Check for Navigation templates:  Done Check for Formatting:  Done Check for Images (WP:LAYIM):  Done Check for Links:  Done Check for Horizontal rule (WP:LINE):  Done

WP:WTW:

Done Check for WP:WTW:  Done Check for Words that may introduce bias:  Done Check for Puffery (WP:PEA):  Done Check for Contentious labels (WP:LABEL):  Done Check for Unsupported attributions (WP:WEASEL):  Done Check for Expressions of doubt (WP:ALLEGED):  Done Check for Editorializing (MOS:OPED):  Done Check for Synonyms for said (WP:SAY):  Done Check for Expressions that lack precision:  Done Check for Euphemisms (WP:EUPHEMISM):  Done Check for Clichés and idioms (WP:IDIOM):  Done Check for Relative time references (WP:REALTIME):  Done Check for Neologisms (WP:PEA): None Check for Offensive material (WP:F***):  Done Check for WP:MOSFICT:  Done Check for Real-world perspective (WP:Real world):  Done Check for Primary and secondary information (WP:PASI):  Done Check for Contextual presentation (MOS:PLOT):  Done

WP:EMBED:
Done Prose is preferred over list (WP:PROSE): Check for Tables (MOS:TABLES): Remove the table and its contents from the Personal life section.

2: Verifiable with no original research

• a. Has an appropriate reference section: Yes
• b. Citation to reliable sources where necessary: excellent (Thorough check on Google. Cross-checked with other GAs)

WP:RS:

Done Check for WP:RS:  Done Cross-checked with other GAs: Virginia Argus and Hampshire Advertiser, Confederate Memorial (Romney, West Virginia), Wirgman Building, Wappocomo (Romney, West Virginia), Christian Streit White, Valley View (Romney, West Virginia), Alexander White (Virginia), Francis White (Virginia) Check for the material (WP:RSVETTING): (not contentious)  Done Is it contentious?: No Does the ref indeed support the material?: Check for the author (WP:RSVETTING):  Done Who is the author?: Atkinson, George Wesley (Wheeling) Bass, Robert Aumon (Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind) Baynton, Douglas C. (University of Chicago Press) (Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut) MacCabe, Virginia Parsons (Charles W. Nickey) Maxwell, Hu (A. Brown Boughner) National Conference of Superintendents and Principals of Institutions for Deaf Mutes (Clarion-Ledger Printing Establishment) Peterkin, George W. (The Tribune Company, Printers) United States Department of Education (United States Government Printing Office) United States Congress (United States Government Printing Office) Virginia General Assembly (Commonwealth of Virginia) Whitehill, A. R. United States Department of Education (United States Government Printing Office) Does the author have a Wikipedia article?: What are the author's academic credentials and professional experience?: What else has the author published?: Is the author, or this work, cited in other reliable sources? In academic works?: Check for the publication (WP:RSVETTING):  Done Wheeling Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind University of Chicago Press Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut Charles W. Nickey A. Brown Boughner Clarion-Ledger Printing Establishment The Tribune Company, Printers United States Government Printing Office Commonwealth of Virginia United States Department of Education Check for Self-published sources (WP:SPS):

WP:MINREF:

Done Check for inline citations WP:MINREF:  Done Check for Direct quotations:  Done "of more value as manager of one of her noblest public institutions than as a soldier in the field."[2] "in a chaotic condition" … [3][12][13] "unprecedented success" … [13] "an instructor of rare ability, being well versed in literature, science, and the arts"[3] and as "a gentleman of fine abilities and ripe experience."[12] "to be finished, so that nothing remained to be done" … .[3] "we greatly deplore [Covell's] loss to the Institution over which he presided with such universal acceptability; and that in his death we recognize the loss of a friend worthy of the fullest confidence, and an official of marked ability and adaptation to his duties, which he always performed with a faithfulness and efficiency unexcelled."[19] "with untiring zeal and fidelity, he has labored in the noble work of elevating and educating the deaf, dumb and the blind. He stood without an equal in methods entirely original."[3] "crowning work of his life."[3] Check for Likely to be challenged:  Done Check for Contentious material about living persons (WP:BLP): NA

• c. No original research:  Done

WP:NOR:
Done Check for primary sources (WP:PRIMARY):  Done Check for synthesis (WP:SYN):  Done Check for original images (WP:OI):  Done

3: Broad in its coverage

a. Major aspects:

Done Cross-checked with other GAs: Virginia Argus and Hampshire Advertiser, Confederate Memorial (Romney, West Virginia), Wirgman Building, Wappocomo (Romney, West Virginia), Christian Streit White, Valley View (Romney, West Virginia), Alexander White (Virginia), Francis White (Virginia) Check for Article scope as defined by reliable sources: Check for The extent of the subject matter in these RS: Check for Out of scope: Check for The range of material that belongs in the article: Check for All material that is notable is covered: Check for All material that is referenced is covered: Check for All material that a reader would be likely to agree matches the specified scope is covered: Check for The most general scope that summarises essentially all knowledge: Check for Stay on topic and no wandering off-topic (WP:OFFTOPIC): Fix the Personal life section. It appears a bit off-topic to me. Remove the list containing the details about the children.

b. Focused:
Done Check for Readability issues (WP:LENGTH): Check for Article size (WP:TOO LONG!):

4: Neutral

WP:NPOV:

Done 4. Fair representation without bias:  Done Check for POV (WP:YESPOV):  Done Check for naming (WP:POVNAMING):  Done Check for structure (WP:STRUCTURE):  Done Check for Due and undue weight (WP:DUE):  Done Check for Balancing aspects (WP:BALASPS):  Done Check for Giving "equal validity" (WP:VALID):  Done Check for Balance (WP:YESPOV):  Done Check for Impartial tone (WP:IMPARTIAL):  Done Check for Describing aesthetic opinions (WP:SUBJECTIVE):  Done Check for Words to watch (WP:YESPOV):  Done Check for Attributing and specifying biased statements (WP:ATTRIBUTEPOV):  Done Check for Fringe theories and pseudoscience (WP:PSCI): None Check for Religion (WP:RNPOV): None

5: Stable: No edit wars, etc: Yes

6: Images  Done (PD)

Images:

Done 6: Images are tagged with their copyright status, and valid fair use rationales are provided for non-free content:  Done Check for copyright tags (WP:TAGS):  Done Check for copyright status:  Done Check for non-free content (WP:NFC):  Done Check for valid fair use rationales (WP:FUR):  Done 6: Images are provided if possible and are relevant to the topic, and have suitable captions:  Done Check for image relevance (WP:IMAGE RELEVANCE):  Done Image 1 (John Collins Covell.png): Relevant. Image 2 (West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind 1880.jpg): Relevant. Image 3 (1884 West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind Faculty and Staff.jpg): Relevant. Check for Images for the lead (WP:LEADIMAGE):  Done Image 1 (John Collins Covell.png): Appropriate & Representative Check for suitable captions (WP:CAPTION):  Done Caption 1: "Principal of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind" succinct and informative Caption 2: "Administration Building of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind in Romney, West Virginia in 1880 during Covell's tenure as its principal." succinct and informative Caption: "Faculty and staff at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind in 1884. Standing left to right: Mr. Shaeffer, Principal John Collins Covell, Abraham D. Hays, and math professor E. L. Chapin; Seated left to right: school founder Howard Hille Johnson, J. B. McGann, Lulie Kern, Martha Clelland, Sarah Caruthers, and deaf school principal H. H. Chidester." succinct and informative

I'm glad to see your work here. The prose quality in particular is meticulous and engrossing. As per the above checklist, I do have some insights that I think will be useful in improving the article:

• I think the lead can be improved in order to provide an accessible overview and to give relative emphasis for the Early life and education.
• I think the layout needs to be fixed.
• I feel the table in the Personal life section is off-topic.

Besides that, I think the article looks excellent. Caponer, please feel free to strike out any recommendation you think will not help in improving the article. All the best, --Seabuckthorn ♥ 20:37, 4 March 2014 (UTC)

Seabuckthorn, as always, thank you for taking the time from your schedule to conduct this good article review! I appreciate your input and guidance. I've addressed the issues you've listed above, so please re-review and let me know if you identify any outstanding issues. As for the table under the personal life section, I feel it is the best way to illustrate the biographical information of his children, in which it also shows Covell's connection to Isaac Parsons (American military officer) and Wappocomo (Romney, West Virginia). I tried to consolidate this information into prose, but it just didn't seem to work well. Please let me know if this is will be an issue. Thanks again for your diligence, patience, and extraordinary attention to detail--I really appreciate your phenomenal efforts! -- Caponer (talk) 02:05, 8 March 2014 (UTC)

The issues have been addressed, and I see no further concerns, so I'll pass this. Wizardman 03:16, 24 March 2014 (UTC)