[WikiEN-l] Re: Crappy prose isn't the main "quality" problem.

[Daniel P. B. Smith]

The quality problem in our articles isn't "crappy prose." Sure, a  
sentence like

"Implicit order means a system has hidden information which is not  
apparent based solely on direct observation."

makes me wince.

But improving the quality of an article is more than just rewriting  
crappy prose. Or checking facts. Or adding references. Or fixing  
typos. Or removing inaccuracies.

As the -paedia root implies, a good encyclopedia article should  
teach. That means it should go beyond Gradgrind, facts, facts, facts.  
It should convey not data, not information, but knowledge. It should  
integrate and synthesize; it should be comprehensible to a wide range  
of readers, for example by having a progressive structure that gives  
the basics quickly without sacrificing detail later. It should be  
well balanced, giving suitably proportioned weight to all aspects of  
its subject. It should be analytical.

It takes a _lot_ of work to do that.

If you look at the Guardian criticisms, Mike Barnes complains that  
some of the writing in an article is "unhelpful." He thinks  
encyclopedia articles should be helpful.

Alexandra Shulman complains that an article "inaccurate and unclear"  
and that "every value judgment it makes is wrong." She thinks  
encyclopedia articles should be not only accurate but clear, and that  
they _should present value judgements--sound ones._

Mark Kurlansky complains of some factual details. No comment on the  
prose.

Anthony Julius complains that an article is "purely factual and not  
in any way analytical." He thinks encyclopedia articles should be  
analytical.

Claire Tomalin complains of minor accuracies, complains more about  
major _omissions_, and by the failure of the article to comment on  
the literary merit of Pepy's diary. She thinks an encyclopedia should  
provide balanced coverage of a topic. Like Shulman, she thinks  it  
should present sound value judgements.

Derek Barker indeed complains of prose style.

Robert McHenry complains that an article shows "no understanding of  
the cultural and historical contexts involved. In other words, it is  
a school essay, sketchy and poorly balanced."

Most complain of inaccuracies, but characterize them as minor.

Only one complains of bad prose.

The others complain of articles that fail to be helpful; clear;  
present sound value judgements; be analytical; and provide balanced  
coverage of their subject.


--
Daniel P. B. Smith, dpbsmith at verizon.net
"Elinor Goulding Smith's Great Big Messy Book" is now back in print!
Sample chapter at http://world.std.com/~dpbsmith/messy.html
Buy it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1403314063/