Should Online Forums Implement a Member Ranking System?

[Gokul43201]

Consider this scenario : I tell a lazy high school kid that I won't do his homework for him, and that he'd better show some effort before expecting help. And he hates me for it and runs about giving all my posts a negative ranking ?

This could happen with school kids, pottery magicians, religious preachers...and it's the folks that do the right thing (not do others' homework for them; inform the crank that (s)he is potentially putting false ideas into the heads of people that come here to learn; show the preacher the way out) that are going to get poor ratings.

So, how do you decided what rating is valid and what isn't ?

Okay, you get the point.

 

[chroot]

We already have a "member ranking system" in the form of our awards. Rather than being automatic, they are chosen by hand. While the staff has a final say in who gets an award, anyone can nominate a member for an award. It's democratic, it's controlled, and so far, it seems to work quite well. I don't see the need for anything more complicated.

- Warren

 

[Gokul43201]

I nominate shmoe. I just noticed that he's not an Advisor !

 

[Math Is Hard]

I'd like to submit a nomination for chronos as a science advisor. Thanks.

 

[hemmul]

Consider this scenario : I tell a lazy high school kid that I won't do his homework for him, and that he'd better show some effort before expecting help. And he hates me for it and runs about giving all my posts a negative ranking ?

This could happen with school kids, pottery magicians, religious preachers...and it's the folks that do the right thing (not do others' homework for them; inform the crank that (s)he is potentially putting false ideas into the heads of people that come here to learn; show the preacher the way out) that are going to get poor ratings.

So, how do you decided what rating is valid and what isn't ?

Okay, you get the point.

Well, after chroot's "refuse" i don't think its a good idea for me to "struggle" more, but anyway i'll answer your question :)

There are several points. Firstly the rankings should be separate for each forum: if one is strong in physics it doesn't mean that he is as strong in biology (however it is not impossible) - so mixing up member-rankings across forums is not a good idea. The one who is strong in several fields of sciences will proove it!
So if someone rated your post negative in homework forum (actually imho homework foums do not need rankings at all) it will stay in homework forum. but that't not all. This cray guy is all alone. Others - who are grown up - understand that what you meant while not helping him was even more help than he expected. And they will rank your post positive because they agree with you. Now, seeing dozens of '+3' marks who cares about one single '-1'?
The only condition needed for this is that people vote... but according to the poll there are not much such people yet :) go! go! go!

Finally, one can remove the negative marks! So the worst thing one can do to you is not to rank your post at all or reply to your message and start discussion... but this is far away from the point...

 

[Clausius2]

For those who don't know me, I'm not a Ph.D and not a B.Sc. I'm only and student of a five years engineering graduate program. But I'm able to guess who is an expert on some subject and who isn't, in spite of the medals and rankings. I will trust in the answers of some people despites they have /have not any medal or label, simply because I have read enough posts of them to be sure.

And I'm not going to doubt of any answer of a subject which is not my main area of knowledge (which is reduced as you can observe ). The medals of Science Advisor, Homework Helper, or labels like PF Mentor, PF Supermentor, PF SuperSuperMentor, PF Requete-Mentor (spanish), are anulated automatically for me (and for you If I do something similar) if you say something without sense about some subject I know perfectly.

So that, I recommend the forum members to look not only at the medals, but through the medals.

 

[Gokul43201]

Clausius, the point of the medal is to help a newcomer decide between what is likely to be an accurate response and what isn't. If you think there are "Advisors" here that post incorrect information or responses, you should let Greg know. And, on the other hand, if you know of people whose responses you can trust for certain, you should suggest their names for a nomination.

Other's here might not have the advantage of knowing whose posts to believe, and that is the purpose of the medal. It is not meant primarily as a reward ! Or so I think.

 

[Clausius2]

Clausius, the point of the medal is to help a newcomer decide between what is likely to be an accurate response and what isn't. If you think there are "Advisors" here that post incorrect information or responses, you should let Greg know. And, on the other hand, if you know of people whose responses you can trust for certain, you should suggest their names for a nomination.

Other's here might not have the advantage of knowing whose posts to believe, and that is the purpose of the medal. It is not meant primarily as a reward ! Or so I think.

I don't know actually any advisor or Mentor who has given incorrect information, fortunately. It was only a general comment like: in the case of it happened...

I know the purpose of medals are well-intentioned. And I agree with you totally. But we are all human beings, and maybe to say something stupid some time. So that, an intelligent Forum member has to look into each answer before considering it correct merely because it's written by an Advisor or Mentor. But I say once again I agree with you and I'm aware of the good intention of such awards.

The fact that we have the capacity of enjudge any comment in books (also written by expert people) is what enhances our curiosity and proper ideas to learn more. This is a thing that has to be learned first of all by those who search for an answer to their problem in this forum.´

Hmmm. ... I think I'm going to leave engineering and become a philosopher...

 

[arildno]

But we are all human beings, and maybe to say something stupid some time. :

I am deeply shocked!
Have I EVER said anyting stupid??

 

[Clausius2]

I am deeply shocked!
Have I EVER said anyting stupid??

Last times you seem to me like a warrior. Have-you-EVER-read-anywhere-I-said-YOU-have-said-something-stupid?. Tell me where I said that, and If you cannot find it, do not fight against me never again. Unless you are joking, of course.

PD: I'm sure I have said something stupid in this Forum, and the language has to do with it.

 

[arildno]

I might have been joking..(I guess it was a STUPID joke..)

 

[chroot]

College professors are considered authorities, and yet they still make mistakes and say "stupid" things from time to time. Of course, they doesn't mean they should be considered any less an authority. No one should confuse the title of "Science Advisor," or "Professor," with infallibility, as that is an inhuman goal.

- Warren

 

[hemmul]

Look at the blue bar on the top of the first post on the page, just under the page numbers on the far right, it says, "rate this thread."

By the way... actually i can't see it :)
the only things visible are two menus:
1) Thread Tools:
* show printable version
* email this page
* download this thread
* (un)subscribe (from)to this thread

2) Search This Thread
* [edit box]
* advanced options

is it that i have no "rate this thread" option because of limeted profile?

 

[Clausius2]

Confused

I see it. It's a secret vote or somebody is going to know which is my vote?.

Moreover: which are going to be consequences of the rates voted to the author of the thread?

 

[Moonbear]

By the way... actually i can't see it :)
the only things visible are two menus:
1) Thread Tools:
* show printable version
* email this page
* download this thread
* (un)subscribe (from)to this thread

2) Search This Thread
* [edit box]
* advanced options

is it that i have no "rate this thread" option because of limeted profile?

Hmmm...I don't know. "Rate Thread" is just to the right of the two menus you describe in my window. I have no idea why I see it and you don't. Is rating threads a privilege of contributors? I was sure I had seen that bar there all along, even before becoming a contributor or advisor or anything that might have granted me a bonus feature.

 

[arildno]

I see the bar well enough..

 

[Moonbear]

College professors are considered authorities, and yet they still make mistakes and say "stupid" things from time to time. Of course, they doesn't mean they should be considered any less an authority. No one should confuse the title of "Science Advisor," or "Professor," with infallibility, as that is an inhuman goal.

- Warren

Agreed. The important thing, from my point of view, is willingness to admit to mistakes. We all make mistakes, but "fessing up" is much harder to do.

 

[plover]

When the medals were first handed out, I remember a few of my PF privileges changing, but I never knew whether this was because of the medal or was a more general change in PF policy. Given that everyone so far who says they see the "rate this thread" button is either a contributor or a medalist (I see it too), I now suspect that the former is likely, i.e. that folks with medals can do thread rating even when not contributors.