Talk:Kate Baker/GA1

GA Review

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Reviewer: Whiteguru (talk · contribs) 09:32, 6 June 2021 (UTC)

 

Starts Good Article Review Page. Hopefully we will start the review shortly. Thank you       --Whiteguru (talk) 09:32, 6 June 2021 (UTC)

 

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Observations

GA review (see here for what the criteria are, and here for what they are not)

1. It is reasonably well written.

   a (prose, spelling, and grammar): b (MoS for lead, layout, word choice, fiction, and lists):

2. It is factually accurate and verifiable.

   a (reference section): b (citations to reliable sources): c (OR): d (copyvio and plagiarism):

   • Reference tags without correct match </ref>* {{cite news|last=ewers|first=jo The script found references tags that didn't have the correct end or beginning tags.

   • I corrected this some time ago, I don’t know why it is still showing up. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 20:36, 13 June 2021 (UTC)
     • It's gone, now! Y

   • Reference 25 should read Rigby's Romance

   • Fixed, thanks! - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 20:37, 13 June 2021 (UTC) Y

   • Reference 53 tells that the award of OBE was for promotion of Australian literature, and does not reference Furphy.

   • Corrected. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 20:38, 13 June 2021 (UTC) Y

   • Supplement to the London Gazette, 11 May 1937 (Kings Coronation Honours) page 3095 cites the award of in the Civil Division of the Most Excellent order (OBE) to Miss Kate Baker, for "literary services in the Commonwealth of Australia". This award does not mention Joseph Furphy. Kindly do the needful.

   • The ADB says those services were largely Joseph Furphy. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 19:20, 13 June 2021 (UTC)

   • upon further consideration, you are right. I have corrected this. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 20:09, 13 June 2021 (UTC)Y

3. It is broad in its coverage.

   a (major aspects): b (focused):

4. It follows the neutral point of view policy.

   Fair representation without bias:

   • When Furphy died in 1913, she had a nervous breakdown; Furphy passed in 1912. Reference 20 does not give an indication that the nervous breakdown was on account of Furphy's death. How do you connect the two?
   • the article still states Furphy passed in 1913.

   • fixed, also changed the “when” to “after”. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 01:49, 14 June 2021 (UTC)Y

   • This citation is confusing: Roy Duncan has noted seemed "completely unmindful that there may have been other reasons for this than loyalty to a mistress [which revealed] something of [Baker's] own personality .. is this a sexual imputation? An imputation of infatuation? The matter is unclear.

   • I’m not sure what is unclear. His comment is that she seemed to be unaware that there might be other things at foot. He does not elaborate. I will not be imputing what he does not say. He merely says that she seems unaware there may have been reasons for not wanting to leave other than devotion to Cambridge. It could have been pressure to marry. We cannot say, other than a key source says she seems to have not considered there are other reasons for not wanting to get married. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 19:34, 13 June 2021 (UTC)

   • I have reconsidered. I see your point. I think the point by Duncan, one of the chief secondary sources for Baker, is important but his comment never expanded on what the reason might have been. I have noted his comment is oblique. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 19:56, 13 June 2021 (UTC) Y

5. It is stable.

   No edit wars, etc.:

   • Page created 3 October 2020
   • Page has 515 edits by 18 editors, currently at A class.
   • Page has 1,486 page views in the last 90 days, average of 4 views per day.
   • Page history and talk page show no edit warring, simply steady editing
   • Page is considered stable.

6. It is illustrated by images and other media, where possible and appropriate.

   a (images are tagged and non-free content have fair use rationales):

   b (appropriate use with suitable captions):

   • File:Portrait of Kate Baker, O.B.E.png = This image is of Australian origin and is now in the public domain because its term of copyright has expired.
   • File:SLNSW 822160 29a Joseph Furphy Tom Collins 31103.jpg = This image is of Australian origin and is now in the public domain because its term of copyright has expired.
   • File:Cover of Such is Life abridged edition.png = (non-free version) used for visual identification of the object of the article. Qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law.
   • File:Bronze plaque of Kate Baker.png = (non-free version) used to support encyclopedic discussion of this work in this article. Minimal use applies upon request. Non-free fair use applied.
   • File:Miles franklin.jpg = is of Australian origin and is now in the public domain because its term of copyright has expired.

7. Overall:
   • The overall sense is that this article focuses too much on the relationship between Baker and Furphy. The citation from the podcast is gossip and speculation and not worthy of encyclopaedic inclusion.
     • actually, it is from the family and supports the claims by Annie Furphy that they were in love. It comes from a reputable podcast. It is clear that the Furphy family believed there had been an affair. As this came directly from the family, it is appropriate to include this into the article. And the article is not overly focused on Furphy. Whilst I can see why you think that, in fact all sources have noted that was her chief focus in life. In fact, all evidence from contemporary peers confirms it- Aussie Article Writer (talk) 19:29, 13 June 2021 (UTC)Y
       • In terms of the beliefs of the family, it was important but when I look at it, I think it better to just state the belief. It is the quoting that causes undue focus and makes it salacious. I have removed the quote, interested readers are pointed to the time stamp of the discussion with the Great-grand-nephew. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 20:17, 13 June 2021 (UTC)Y
   • Burt writes, Baker might best be remembered as an advocate for Australian literature rather than an interpreter of it. Two paragraphs on, Burt writes, Clearly Baker's mental and physical robustness was largely sustained by her devotion to Australian literature and her family, as exemplified by her voluminous correspondence. In the next paragraph, citing Brian Fitzpatrick, A few days after she died Brian Fitzpatrick wrote a letter of tribute which paid homage to her contribution to “the development of an Australian literary tradition”
     • the Australian literary tradition being Furphy. Could you clarify the issue? - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 19:37, 13 June 2021 (UTC)
   • Coverage of Baker's contributions to “the development of an Australian literary tradition” is not covered sufficiently in this article. There needs to be a balance between her contribution and support for Furphy and his works (after his demise) and Baker's contributions, activity and support for the Australian literary tradition. Consider.
     • I disagree. I think the balance is correct. Her largest contributions were to publishing Furphy’s work. All sources agree that largely without her efforts, Furphy would have gone unnoticed. Her devotion to Furphy allowed her to contribute other, more minor, efforts towards other literary figures. NPOV means appropriate balance. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 19:29, 13 June 2021 (UTC)

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I would like to point out the sources used:

• Delys Baker: “ With her first letter to him Baker sent Ewers a copy of C Hartley Grattan’s Australian Literature ‘with its 2 pages on Furphy’ (Long Enough 116). From then on, Ewers became ‘willingly the slave of Kate Baker in the service of Joseph Furphy’”
• Burns, in the ADB: “ the rest of her long life was devoted to the memory of Furphy, whose death in 1912 affected her deeply.”
• Burt, “ Although her letters discuss other topics, notably family and world events (details of her early life and teaching career are a noticeable omission), most are directed to a definite end — the promotion of Joseph Furphy and Australian literature.”
• Duncan, “There seem to have been two successive sources of her central inspiration. The first and more powerful was that ofJoseph Furphy himself. People such as Miles Franklin and Sam Furphy. who were in a good position to know, thought she had been in love with him away back in the "nineties when Such Is Life was being written.”

All of these sources show her primary focus and notability is largely around Furphy. I have taken pains to ensure her other contributions are detailed, but it would be unbalanced to give them more prominence than her relationship and contributions to championing and promoting Furphy. Indeed, it is my belief any reasonably serious scholar of Furphy or Baker would find it strange to give undue weight to her other contributions. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 20:30, 13 June 2021 (UTC)

noted

Conclusion: Some minor corrections are noted above. Focus and balance in this article needs consideration. --Whiteguru (talk) 05:10, 13 June 2021 (UTC)

Thank you for your review! I appreciate the effort you have undertaken. Whilst I disagree with your conclusion about balance, I thank you for your review. When I have a moment I will correct the issues that need action. - Aussie Article Writer (talk) 19:44, 13 June 2021 (UTC)

 

Your comments are noted and accepted. Please attend to the minor issue of Furphy's passing. --Whiteguru (talk) 23:02, 13 June 2021 (UTC)

 

All matters sorted. Article passes GA review. --Whiteguru (talk) 03:05, 14 June 2021 (UTC)

 

 Passed