I'd like feedback on my article: How to Test Your Fertility at Home

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   Butterfly67posted 7 years ago

   Hi Hubbers,
   
   I'd like some help with passing the Quality Assessment Process. Will you please give feedback on my article How to Test Your Fertility at Home. What can I do to improve? Thanks!
   
   I have rewritten this article many times so this is my last resort. If I need to take out one of the amazon links then I will just delete the article as it is pointless giving people information about something and then leaving them hanging as to how they can get hold of the suggested item!
   
   Anyway, let me know if you think there is something else I can do to get it through QAP please!

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   Rupert Taylorposted 7 years ago

   I think the links might be a problem. I would remove them.
   
   The other thing is that HubPages is a bit twitchy about medical advise being dispensed by people who are not medical professionals.

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   Butterfly67posted 7 years ago

   Thanks for your reply Rupert. Like I say, removing the links I think would leave people frustrated so if it is the latter I might as well give up and delete it!

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      Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      The Amazon links should be fine, because in both cases you are linking to a product you have used personally.
      
      I'm thinking that perhaps the QAP moderator is skimming the article and not registering that fact.  I'm thinking a change in formatting would help that.   HubPages has been recommending the use of text links rather than capsules for Amazon, but in this case, I would use a capsule for each of the items. Then, in the "description" section, I would state clearly that this is what you bought (e.g. "We decided to buy this male fertility test as a first step..." and "I took this test when I was 40...."). 
      
      The other thing I'd fix is your references.   If you're citing an online article, there's no need to use the asterisk and quote the full reference - simply turn the relevant phrase into a hyperlink, i.e. for the first citation, you would make "decreased significantly in the last 40 years"into a hyperlink that links directly to the article.  There's no need for any citation details then, because the reader can see all the detail when they follow the link. 
      
      Finally, I would turn your last paragraph into a Callout capsule.  HubPages likes to see that you're providing cautionary information in a prominent position.

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   Rupert Taylorposted 7 years ago

   HubPages wants articles to be complete in themselves. It doesn't want people leaving the page to go look for more information.

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      Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I've heard several people say that, Rupert, but you're wrong.   Go and take a look at almost any article on HealDove, and you'll see that they're a sea of blue links.   On HealDove, HubPages encourages you to  link to articles that substantiate your claims.
      
      A myth has arisen that HubPages doesn't like links. It's more correct to say, "HubPages is strict about links".   If you want to include a link within your text, and it's directly relevant to the title of your Hub, you will not have a problem.

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   Rupert Taylorposted 7 years ago

   Thanks Marisa, I sit corrected. I was passing on advice I had been given along the way.
   
   Personally, I try to write articles that are complete and I always include comprehensive sources at the end of the piece without links. There's enough information in the sources for people to do a successful search.
   
   I don't want readers wandering off elsewhere halfway through an article. They might never come back, perfidious critters that they are.

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   Venkatachari Mposted 7 years ago

   Marisa, I agree with your observations on the improvements suggested and also with those clarifications provided regarding links.
   
   Rupert, I, for one, think that your assumption about people leaving the article in the middle to refer to the linked sites and never return back is not justified. In my case, I go through the entire article first, and then only refer the linked sites and then again try to come back to refresh the entire concept. I hope many people will also be doing like this.

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   Butterfly67posted 7 years ago

   Thanks very much everyone.
   Marisa, I will try what you have suggested and see if that can get this back to being featured at least!

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