h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Beating The Bounds - A794900
Author: topher@cholesbury - U198188

I am resubmitting this piece for Peer Review having removed the URL that caused a problem before

topher@cholesbury

Great stuff, topher,

What got you into trouble the 1st time round? A link, probly.

Anyways, there is lots of info here, but my main (hopefully constructive) criticism is that the entry lacks structure.

I don't mean headers and such, coz clearly you have got some Gml skills in hand already - no, it's more a question of the info being spread around in a way that didn't seem quite right.

Lots of info - but not presented in a way that (imo, of course) makes it easily approachable for the reader.

well, don't take my word for it, see what others think.

And anyway, I really *do* like it - just think it needs some serious re-jigging.

seeya
spiff

Dastardly, KerrAvon and I were going to do a University entry on folk customs of the UK and this would be a good entry to include or link to. I think KerrAvon is busy on an entry on well dressing at present.

As the link you have put in is not clickable, I'm not sure whether you refer to other places where this custom is still practiced. It might be useful to mention that this custom also takes place in other locations.

Good stuff!

Just a couple of small points for now.
In Scotland, beating the bounds is known as Riding the Marches.
And Beltane is of course May Day.
I think beating the bounds should traditionally be done on Ascension Day (the 40th day after Easter), and you sort of mention that, but it isn't clear.
What about the business of lighting fires and driving the cattle between them prior to sacrifice?
There's also a folk dance called 'Strip the Willow'.

I agree the entry's a bit unfocused at the moment - 'rejigging' does seem to be a good word for what it needs.

But it's on the way to a good entry, and well worth doing a bit more work on.



Bels

I like this entry and think that it will be accepted as an Edited Entry. I'm not a scout, so my word is not official, but it is extremely likely. Well done!

There are a few very minor things you could consider to tidy it up.

It doesn't need the title 'Introduction' at the start. The first bit, between the Title of the Entry and the the first main heading is always an Introduction.

Where is Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards? Remember, this is the Guide to Earth, so some hints for people in Hong Kong or New Zealand would be useful. I assume it is in England, but you should confirm that.

The sentence which starts "A beating of the bounds ceremony" is too long. I suggest you break it into two sentences after the word "parish".

You say 'Easter' derives from the pre-Christian worship of Eostre. Perhaps you could be even more explicit and say "the name 'Easter' derives". At present, it could be interpreted to mean that the festival of Easter derives from the worship of Eostre. Despite the claims of modern-day pagans, this is clearly untrue.

You can convert the website address to a link by putting:

www.commonground.org.uk

You should only do this, however, if the website is a reliable one which is available most of the time. If the website is frequently off line, the link will be rejected and the whole article will disappear until the link has been removed. If this is the case, you would be better not including the website address at all.

There is one spelling mistake that I noticed: visitong.

Thanks one and all for your constutuve replies to this my first attempt at a piece for H2G2. I will have a go this weekend to revise in line with the suggestions on style and will also include some more references to related customs. I am far from an expert on this topic so would welcome any more suggestions but meantiime will do some more research online and include some extra info.


topher@cholesbury

Thanks one and all for your constutuve replies to this my first attempt at a piece for H2G2. I will have a go this weekend to revise in line with the suggestions on style and will also include some more references to related customs. I am far from an expert on this topic so would welcome any more suggestions but meantime will do some more research online and include some extra info.


topher@cholesbury

Thanks for your comments on my article which I have now updated

This looks really good now. Well done!

There is one place where there is a space missing: 'bumped'on

Just what I was about to say, Gnomon! Really well done.

Thanks for the encouraging comments. The advice you all offered last time has been a real help. I have corrected the spelling error. Being a bit new at this what happens next!?

Hi again,

what happens next, if i understand you right, is that your piece gets (we hope) picked by a scout. Scouts are researchers who have volunteered to scour PR for 'finished' entries; entries that look about ready to go through sub-editting and then into the edited guide.

I think your piece should be picked before too long. I think the minimum time in PR is a week, and this has been here some two weeks. Don't Panic, a week may be a long time in politics but in PR it can be the tip of the iceberg!

When picked, entries go to a sub-ed (volunteer researchers once again) and you will probably get an e-mail at some stage (patience is a virtue ) from 'your' sub-ed. That's what happened with me, anyway.

Once subbed, your entry goes into a list of 'pending' entries waiting for a free space on the front page, and then... well... it hits the front page.

In the meantime, i had a look at your changes. I really think it's looking good now. .

Just a couple of points for your consideration:

well, firstly, i didn't recognise the word 'besom'. I looked it up, and i spose that in the context i kind of 'knew' what it must mean anyway. Nonetheless, you might consider a brief word of explanation in a brief word of explanation.



>>
but the manor in which they were performed were anything but standard.
<<

er, i think there's been a mix-up between manners, here.

I think you can look forward to seeing this on the front page some day soon. It's a good one, too. If you're really lucky (<ooh&gt your piece might be pick of the day and get it's own little piccie. Not sure what they'd use to illustrate this though. Perhaps a littl'un being dangled upside-down...

cya
spiff

Thanks Spiff,

Appreciate the explanation of what happens next.

I will update the entry as you suggest. I thought I had sorted the 'manor' late last night but it obviously slipped through the net.

Have also looked up Besom. Discovered it also has another meaning something a bit worse that calling someone a which could cause you trouble if you used it in Yorkshire!

again
topher

yeah, i saw that rather insalubrious second meaning too, .

Under the circumstances, I didn't think that was what you meant.

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Congratulations!

congrats on a great entry! first of many, i hope.

spiff

Great entry. Well deserved!

More !

Thanks to all who commented and for the messages of congrats. Felt very much like a team effort at this end, shame the day job can't be as collaborative as this has been! Inspired to start a new piece.

That's Peer Review working at its best. Most of my entries have been improved by going through the process.

Your experience generally depends on whether you are good at taking on board helpful comments and suggestions and seeing them as positive rather than as personal criticism. Which you have!

I look forward to your next entry!