Wikipedia:Peer review/Malta/archive1

Malta

I believe this article is potentially an article which should fall under the category of featured articles. Maltesedog 20:12, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

• Take a look at some already featured counrties like Bhutan and Australia, this article should attempt to conform to a similar structure including the topics covered in the various sections and refernces so that the reader can verify infromation if they want to.--nixie 05:07, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

• • What do you think now Maltesedog 19:13, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

• Seems a little sparse on photos. Karmafist 01:18, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

Here a several key things that need to be worked on:

1. Economic history should be summaried and merged into Economics Done
2. Tourism can probably also be merged into economics done ~~

1. Education should be merged into demographics, demographics should also mention religious participation and languages spoken Done ~~

1. Culture should be expanded into several paragraphs- Maltese art and literature, music, festivals, sports, cuisine, tranditional dress (if there is one) and media should all be described in some detail Help requested

1. The external links section needs to be cleaned up to include link only direct relevant to the topic. Done ~~
2. The lead section is also a bit short.

--nixie 01:32, 2 November 2005 (UTC)

• I am doing the above slowly.. wonder if others could help me out as well. I'm marking what's done on the list.

Maltesedog 08:50, 11 November 2005 (UTC)

• Some idea to improve the article:
  • use the main template.
  • expand the lead to make the article more appealing to read. Why not speaking about the Knights of Malta? Or summarize its rich history? Mv the discussion about the most southern point of Europe to geography.
  • When did that happen: "short period of Byzantine rule, and a probable sack by the Vandals"?
  • Mv "Their influence can be seen most prominently in the modern Maltese language, which is closely related to Arabic, though it has also been heavily influenced by Romance tongues. The Maltese alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, but uses a number of diacritically altered letters not found in other Latin-based alphabets, such as ċ, ġ, and ħ. " to culture
  • Shouldn't the "Maltese nobility" have its own section?
  • Info "As a ruse, Napoleon asked for safe harbor to resupply his ships, and then turned against his hosts once safely inside Valetta. The occupying French forces were unpopular, however, due particularly to their negative attitude towards religion. The Maltese rebelled against them, and the French were forced behind the fortifications." is too detailed here. As well as "under General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois"
  • The section "Politics" could be expanded with a description of the judicial and legal system (What is the power of the president and prime minister?) as well as a summary of the recent political issues (e.g. referendum over entry in the EU).
  • The list of islands is too long and should be transferred to an article of its own.
  • rm "which even many locals have no idea how to locate"; sounds like trivia
  • Could you add mean winter and summer temperature?
  • Historical paragraphs of economy could be merged into a single one.
  • Tourism section should split into culture and politics
  • Demography section could be expanded with literacy, religion, language, urbanisation
  • Education should be merged into demography and re-structured in one paragraph only
  • Culture is just a stub. Discuss the influences let by the different conquerors. What are the major artists in literature, music, cinema, painting? What about cuisine and sport?
  • Restructure the external link and throw out what is not really relevant or commercial

Cheers Vb 15:42, 11 November 2005 (UTC)

• • Moreover: please add some pictures. One pic for each section is a good idea. E.g. landascape, history, economics, politics, culture. Vb 14:23, 14 November 2005 (UTC)

• In reply to your ideas I would be grateful if you can help in the following:

(a) Which template are you referring to do. The current template is more comprehensive, and think sould stay.

I mean the {{main|history of Malta}} template.

(b) I did not understand the part which you instructed me to move the content of the Maltese language.

I don't know exactly where you should move it. But it should not be in history. It is too detailed for that section. I think it could belong to the sections Demographics or Culture depending how you decide to re-structure those both sections which need strong re-edit and expansion.

(c) Maltese Nobility is a hot issue on wikipedia. several deletions etc. It was decided that it should have an article on its own.

I understand but a summary of this article must be here with {{main|Maltese nobility}} below the header.

(d) Will check re byzantine rule

(e) The Napolean info was added recently. will su mmarise it.

I think it was better before the addition. Too detailed information should disappear from history because if you detail one particular event you'll have to detail all other events to a same level if you want the article to stay NPOV.

(f) There is in fact an article on the list of islands. the list in the main page is the list of cities i presume.

You presume well. You should summarize this to the biggest cities and change this list into prose. Then it could be moved into geography or demographics (if you add the population numbers).

(g) I have recently cleaned up some external links.

I have the feeling there are still too many but I think it is a detail which can be polished when demographics, culture, etc... sections will be re-edited and expanded. Vb 10:58, 15 November 2005 (UTC)

212.56.128.186 06:36, 15 November 2005 (UTC)

So far....

- The following changes have been implemented. Your views so far:

These include

• Inclusion of dates of Byzantine rule

Change the exact dates into centuries. Add a date or century to the sack by the vandals. It appears as if the Byzantines were new conquerors. Of course they were not. It was simply an administrative transition.

• • I believe the date is not known. Some expert would have to reply to this.

Am I right?

• Various photos

The photos are not brilliant. The historical map sis not very instructive. A painting of a battle, of a conqueror, of an archelogical site, a castle or city wall would be better. "His Excellency Dr. Edward Fenech Adami, President of Malta" couldn't be change into "Edward Adami, President since XXXX". Isn't it possible to find a better pic of Adami? Make the CIA map smaller. All the pics afterwards could have been done in any developed country.

Couldn't you find something more typical of Malta? I am still missing a landscape or a view of La Valette. A "typical village feast" shows only balloons. I would prefer a pic of traditional dress, a typical local tradition, a food speciality.

• • The problem with photos is COPYRIGHT. Those are the photos supplied by the European Union on Malta, and are "official Photos of Malta". I believe they are important aspects of Malta. The fish market of Marsaxlokk is part of our daily lifes. You would note the baloons in the village feast pic, but there are street decorations, such as the statues etc. However, if in the future better pictures are found these have to be replaced. I am changing the history photo, caption of President amended.

• Role of the President of Malta

Yes that's good. I am still missing information about supreme court, civil or common law system. Participation to the elections, etc...

• • Will be done shortly

• Removal of local councils list (major cities to be included under demographics)

The subtitle should also disappear. Translation in Maltese language are not useful. DONE

I am working on a template for the LC list. please see Mtarfa for an example of it. should this go on the main Malta page?Srl 21:22, 17 November 2005 (UTC).

• • SRL: Your work is great. I have contributed to most of the articles on the various villages in Malta. I would personally include the template, and then remove, if requested so. Roderick Mallia had initiated a project of infoboxes in the Maltese wikipedia. I don't know the progress, I believe a similar idea should be implemented in the English wiki as well. Maltesedog 10:43, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

• Education is merged with demographics

This paragraph should be turned into prose. What is the level of litteracy? Enrollement in post secondary school? DONE

• More links were deleted

Still many to delete. E.g. Malta military belongs to the Military of Malta article, Mystery surounding archeological sites on Malta belongs (maybe) to History of Malta

• Transfer of information from introduction into Geography section
• Requested an expert in Maltese nobility to write a small article for the main page.
• Placed the comment on language under demographics
• Removed tourism section - merged with intro & economy

The tourism comments of the intro makes the article sound like a travel guide. You should put this elsewhere. Museums belong to culture. Beaches and tourist shops should move to economy. Vb 16:04, 15 November 2005 (UTC)

Maltesedog 14:22, 15 November 2005 (UTC)