Travel Writing group posting on GLOBOsapiens

Sometimes NOT rating is best!

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davidx Premium account Joined: Dec 04 Points: 34719 Posts: 440 Posted: 2006-03-29 18:04:00    There have been a few reports recently from very new members that show some real promise but need alteration or additions to get a good grade. You can't put a comment on the report without rating so it's a good idea for a couple of people to rate and make constructive comments - as they have. When I have found a report at this stage I have 1. NOT rated it - remember you can't re-rate after it's been edited and 2. sent a message advising the writer to edit the title immediately to 'to be edited -please don't rate yet.' As far as possible, let's encourage new members in this way. David --- Grieve not for that which you cannot do but rejoice in that which you can. Reply    Reply with quote    Contact davidx   mortimer Premium account Joined: Jun 04 Points: 15075 Posts: 528 Posted: 2006-03-29 20:19:00    Thank you David for a good Idea to improve submitted content on the site! What do you suggest, contact or guest book? Have a great day Martin --- Today is the first day of the rest of your life, enjoy it! Reply    Reply with quote    Contact mortimer   jorgesanchez Premium account Joined: May 05 Points: 41625 Posts: 77 Posted: 2006-03-29 23:36:00    I think that, anyway, we should rate the report, independently of its quality, but adding a helping remark to the author to improve it. --- Bonum est faciendum et prosequendum, et malum vitandum. Reply    Reply with quote    Contact jorgesanchez   rangutan Premium account Joined: Aug 04 Points: 34752 Posts: 1044 Posted: 2006-03-30 01:34:00    Agree Jorge and "no" David, members should 'publish' (upload) when they feel ready, not before. I will not note every report and then rate weeks later when I must guess that the author has then thought she/he has now done her/his best? By NOT rating one accepts half-finished work! Half-finished efforts should not tolerated and must be rated very low. Anything else is unfair on the other members, some prepare for months! I wish I could list all the unfinished reports now where it is stated something like "... and I will add this/that later...." There are about 50 of them online! :- ( R'Rudi --- Rudolf "Rangutan" Graspointner Reply    Reply with quote    Contact rangutan   davidx Premium account Joined: Dec 04 Points: 34719 Posts: 440 Posted: 2006-03-30 12:14:00    Martin, I've changed from guestbook to contact, as it seems more tactful. Jorge and Rudi, I'm afraid we shall just have to agree to differ on this but note that I only propose non-rating for reports by very new members. I certainly agree with a couple of ratings to send a message. Rudi, what would be so terrible if you fail to rate some reports in the end? Isn't that better than cluttering up the situation with further bad grades to the point that, unless masses of people rate the report when edited, the member has no chance of a good grade even after doing precisely what has been advised. In welcoming new members I always encourage them to wade right in. When they do and get it a bit wrong by the standards of us oldies, I want to continue to encourage them with helpful suggestions; not to discourage with bad grades. Cheers, David --- Grieve not for that which you cannot do but rejoice in that which you can. Reply    Reply with quote    Contact davidx   eirekay Premium account Joined: Aug 03 Points: 19539 Posts: 214 Posted: 2006-03-31 18:17:00    David coached me quite nicely when I submitted my first report and I really appreciate that he helped me this way. I agree with the idea of withholding rating and offering a few suggestions. It is sometime quite obvious that the Report has a lot to offer with a little more work. I think we can all tell when a serious effort has been made. A 2 or 3 can easily move to a 4 or 5 with a little polish and some photos. I agree with David - give them a shot at pulling it up rather than burying a report with bad ratings that can actually be quite good. My two Rupees. Eire --- Life is not measured by the breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away. Profile Pic: Tikal, Guatemala Reply    Reply with quote    Contact eirekay   mortimer Premium account Joined: Jun 04 Points: 15075 Posts: 528 Posted: 2006-03-31 18:55:00    Hi there It's not about not rating and hoping that sometimes it will be better. But it's about coaching others to better content and vote then. Rudi and Jorge, I did vote lower and made a comment why. The poster was quite annoyed and was not really happy with me. The text was changed afterwards, following my suggestions the report now qualitfies for a star more for me, and I'm not that happy that I can't change my rating. On the other hand the report did get lots of better votes and now is averaging quite well. But in order to avoid hurting somebodys feelings I think it's better to coach them in the first hand. Martin --- Today is the first day of the rest of your life, enjoy it! Reply    Reply with quote    Contact mortimer   rangutan Premium account Joined: Aug 04 Points: 34752 Posts: 1044 Posted: 2006-03-31 20:00:00    I like Martins view: Rate soon and accordingly (correctly) and help by commenting why/how one gets to the result and giving the member a chance to improve/correct quickly. After 10 votes, an initial * or ** is no more relavant, an exellent corrected report can reach a ***** average eventualy! By not rating and not commenting how can that be of any guide or help? A low rating is not the end of the world, shows one needs to put more effort into the report or the next one. Also, what happended to all that "quality FIRST" talk at GLOBO and "lets remove the trash"? Does it only apply to pictures? I am ALL for helping newcommers too, it is just when they use the sh*t or f*ck word then I feel obliged to react immediately, rate the report lower and inform the author, usually and best using "contact". RR [ This Message was edited by: rangutan on 2006-03-31 20:06 ] --- Rudolf "Rangutan" Graspointner Reply    Reply with quote    Contact rangutan   davidx Premium account Joined: Dec 04 Points: 34719 Posts: 440 Posted: 2006-03-31 20:53:00    Hang on a minute, Rudi. This was never about swearing nor about removing rubbish. 1 or 2 star reports are not removed. I didn't read Martin's view in quite that way either but he can - and I expect he will - speak for himself. Let's try again. The choice for a NEW member's report [some of which are excellent by the way] that shows promise but is currently worth [say] 2* is 1. A whole lot of 2* ratings that will need a mass of higher ratings if it is ever to have a good grade after editing - or 2. A couple of 2* ratings with appropriate comments and a collection of advice messages through contact on what needs doing to get good grades. I've no objection to setting a week's time limit if that helps but I don't see how it will because the report only has a 2* rating until its edited to be worth more. Cheers David --- Grieve not for that which you cannot do but rejoice in that which you can. Reply    Reply with quote    Contact davidx   mortimer Premium account Joined: Jun 04 Points: 15075 Posts: 528 Posted: 2006-03-31 21:54:00    Rudi I feel a bit misunderstood. In my last post I explained why I feel that not rating but coaching is better. When you try to make contact with the poster and point out the week points you sure will remember and go and have a second look. And I'm not talking about rude reports or reports that are elementally wrong, but about well enough reports that only lack a bit, to be great. Reports where an effort has been done, but just needs some adjustments. Let's say for instance: "bad" spelling mistakes, geographical mistakes, wrong or misleading formulations or information. Lack of some additional information that could be important for others. The same can be done with pictures... but there the possibility that a member adjusts the proposed corrections and deletes the original and reposts are smaller. The most obvious and easy to correct thing are pictures that are not level or not turned... or under wrong destinations. Have a great day Martin --- Today is the first day of the rest of your life, enjoy it! Reply    Reply with quote    Contact mortimer