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i replaced Image:louisa_may_alcott_stamp.JPG with a new image. If someone would like to place the stamp image somewhere else in the article, please do. Kingturtle 00:01 22 May 2003 (UTC)
Latest comment: 4 months ago5 comments3 people in discussion
Earlier this summer, Heidi and I discussed the length of the "early life" section. We agreed that all of the information in it now is relevant to Alcott's writing, so it shouldn't simply be cut. However, pages like Early life of John Milton exist. We could create a separate sub-page for Alcott's early life if that part seems a bit long. Thoughts? Rachel Helps (BYU) (talk) 16:48, 2 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
That doesn't seem necessary. According to wordcount, using Wikipedia:Prosesize ( a gadget, instructions there on the linked page), this page seems okay, especially when compared to Jane Austen for intance. Ultimately it depends on the sources: if they devote material to the early life, then this page should too. Victoria (tk) 15:53, 3 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
Rachel Helps (BYU), I spent a number of hours today working through the first bit of the article and there are many more issues to address than considering a split. I strongly suggest helping Heidi access the most recent biography, available at BYU, link, so that the 1909 source, the websources (newspapers and such), and blogs i.,e louisamayalcott.net, can all be swapped out (this is what I meant in regard to sourcing). Furthermore, I don't believe Saxton is biased; in my view she simply comes to a wrong conclusion, but the facts can still be used. However, since Matteson is more recent & well regarded, using that seems like an okay compromise. Then the TOC can probably be flattened and maybe the structure tweaked a bit. But doesn't seem to be any reason for a split. Victoria (tk) 20:28, 4 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
I'm going to work on removing the 1909 source; I haven't yet because I've been working on another project. From what I remember, most of the information from Moses can be found in the other biographies I used. I now have a copy of Eden's Outcasts that I'm going to look at, but not until I take care of some of the citations. Heidi Pusey BYU (talk) 17:46, 5 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
There's no hurry at all! Happy to hear to you have a copy of Eden's Outcasts. I was at the library today but haven't yet received the copy I requested, but I live in the boonies & stuff takes a while. There also seems to be huge trove of sources in the "Further reading" if needed. Victoria (tk) 22:52, 5 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
Latest comment: 4 months ago4 comments2 people in discussion
Heidi, don't be dismayed to find the article structure somewhat changed to when you return to it. In the process of copyediting, I flattened the TOC (table of contents) a little but ran out of energy - that was before I tackled what I thought would be the easy job of resolving citation errors - and am now very tired. Will get back to it later. It might be better to explain in a sentence or two why the moved so often - Pennsylvania to Boston to Scituate to Concord to Harvard & environs, back to Concord and then back to Boston. Then, it might make sense simply to all of that in a single section. But it's impossible to tell without good sources, and I'd like to wait until I receive the biography I ordered before fiddling with it more. Also, I had some questions while editing, some are in the edit summaries, some are in hidden commentary in the text. If you're confused, let me know. Victoria (tk) 20:49, 4 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
I found your comments. I answered one of the hidden comments, but I'll also answer here. The school that Anna and Louisa ran was different from the school she ran earlier; I will clarify this. I will also clarify your other questions, if possible. I appreciate your structure changes, especially regarding her early childhood and education. Heidi Pusey BYU (talk) 17:35, 5 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
Okay, thanks for clarifying about the school. It confused me, and if it confuses me it's confusing the readers. There's still more to be done with the structure. I think I left a short stubby paragraph (we try to avoid those) in the section about Fruitlands failing, but it will get integrated eventually. To me Wikipedia is a rough draft, never the final draft, and there's always room for playing around with things to see where they fit, whether on the sentence level, the parapraph level or the article level. I don't know how my time will go this week, but it'll probably be some days before I can dip back in. Victoria (tk) 22:57, 5 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
Sounds good! It's always good to have someone point out if something is confusing. And I agree; there's always room for improvement, and people can work together/experiment to make it happen. Heidi Pusey BYU (talk) 23:05, 5 August 2024 (UTC)Reply
level-5 vital article is rated B-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale.
