Talk:Ladies' aid societies

early suggestions

Here are a few suggestions for editing that can be applied while content is added from sources (to do this editing first could shorten the article somewhat precipitously, so I hesitated). Editing by editors who are already familiar with the research tends to produce a better article; I haven't read enough, so I'd be more comfortable if more knowledgeable editors do it.

• Were these societies organized on both sides or only on the Confederate side? That should be in the body and in the lede.
• Effect on women's roles within society:
  • Very interesting points are at the beginning, but, without sourcing, this risks being synthesis, which Wikipedia doesn't allow. I could argue that a women's movement began a lot earlier, as with Mary Wollstonecraft in the 18th century (albeit in England) and Abigail Adams in the U.S., but you might be right about relative impact. This can be resolved only with appropriate sourcing.
  • That women could make an impact on the world is true but synthesis, unless a source made that connection. It's one thing to speak of "their world", another to suggest that most of these particular ladies' aid societies mattered in Spain and Mongolia, which is what "the world" implies.
  • "This impact would ensure the need for independence.": Wow. In other words, if the societies hadn't gone to battlefields and helped soldiers, then the women would not have needed independence? They would have been better off staying home after the war? I think I know what you mean, but I'd rather you reworded for clarity than let us guess what you meant.
  • "Women would realize that each had potential.": Each what? (Each woman or each soldier?) Potential for what?
  • "[T]irelessly" and "endless": Probably, but only in a hyperbolic sense. (They worked hard, doubtless.) If a secondary source said either word, quote it, with at least a little context.
  • "[W]ithout the help of men": Also probably hyperbolic, although women may have led the way. Unless they were independently wealthy, chances are they got some of their resources from husbands, fathers, and brothers, in addition to whatever they got from sisters and aunts. And they likely needed commanders' permission to go to some locations, and commanders were usually, or always, men.
  • "Women, for the first time, were thrust into the world, and they thrived." and "For the first time in history, women started realizing their impact on society.": Not the first time. Jeanne d'Arc (also known as Joan of Arc) and Sappho were earlier. Be more specific to be more accurate.
  • "... were women who worked hard for the things that were most important to them": That's true for almost any woman anytime anywhere, so I deleted it. Avoid hyperbole unless you're quoting it and then only if it serves an editorial purpose.
• Source more statements. No statements other than in the lede are sourced now, and that's a mistake. Some statements read as if they're Wikipedia editors' inventions. You may well have read the information in good sources, in which case add footnotes (via ref elements) to tell us which statements are supported by which sources, including page numbers.
• The words would and could are overused in some contexts. Generally, use unconditional language, such as had instead of would have, where the facts warrant it. (Sometimes, of course, even in an encyclopedia, would and could are the best words.)
• The lede should be a summary of the most important information in the body. Thus, specific facts in the lede probably should be copied or moved into the body.
• Add a category related to women. Perhaps other categories are also suitable.
• Since the societies were also known as soldiers' aid societies, consider that some Wikipedia readers may search for that term instead of the title of this article. In order to help them find this article either way, create a redirect from that other name to the name of this article. If you'd like to increase the reach beyond that, create redirects for misspellings without the apostrophes and for singular forms ("... society").

I didn't know about the societies and I've read a lot of women's history. Thank you for writing the article and introducing me to the subject. The above are simply suggested improvements to a good base.

Nick Levinson (talk) 10:15, 5 December 2011 (UTC) (Edits: 10:36, 5 December 2011 (UTC))

On redirects, I erred. Editor Kaldari had already made some. I've now made more, probably taking care of what's needed in that regard. Nick Levinson (talk) 16:54, 10 December 2011 (UTC)