A poll about changing the rating system!

[bookowlie]

Your proposal is well thought out. Does this mean the 4 point rating stays in place and people would use the Bookshelves to create a best of the best shelf? In theory, this is a good idea, assuming people update their Bookshelves with this new feature. I wonder if newer members even utilize Bookshelves.

[Mike_Lang]

I like the idea of having books officially reviewed by more than one reviewer. That would seem to me to make for a more well-rounded overall review. As a newer member I am aware of the topshelf option, though it took me a few days to realize what it was, mine has already changed in the short time I have been a member so I agree it should be limited to a certain percentage of overall books on a member's bookshelves. And I think it should be a percentage of overall books rather than a specific number, for example if you have a hundred 4- out of 4-star books you would be allowed to bump a maximum of ten books to topshelf, if a member has only ten books then they would not be allowed to bump all ten to topshelf.

EDIT: When I speak of a current "topshelf" option I am, of course, referring to the current top three bump up option.

[PashaRu]

It's nice to see that @Scott and other reviewers have/are putting a lot of thought into this and want to come up with the best system possible. Here are my thoughts:

As I stated before, I don't think I'd like to see Bookshelves incorporated into the official rating. This presupposes that 1) each user keeps his Bookshelves up to date and has taken the time to adjust the position of the books, and 2) the reader of the review will go to the reviewer's Bookshelves to see where the book is positioned. As to point #1, I have 65 books on my 4-star shelf, and I would be hard pressed to choose three, five, or ten that I like the best. So I would simply leave the books in alphabetical order and probably not move books to the "4+" shelf. I think that there must be other users who feel the same. Therefore, I think using Bookshelves would introduce an element of unreliability into the ratings, as it can't be determined that every user carefully manages his/her Bookshelf, or even wants to. As to point #2, I think simpler is better, and incorporating Bookshelves into the rating system seems to overcomplicate things. In my opinion, a simple "x out of x stars" rating is the best, whatever form that takes.

I like the idea of multiple reviewers reviewing a book and then the rating becomes the average of those reviews in theory. I foresee a potential issue with this, though: Currently in the review queue there are scores of books waiting for a review, and some have been there since June or July. Included in this is one high-paying review that has been there since June. Since it seems difficult enough to get one reviewer to choose to read a certain book, what are the chances that three reviewers will choose the same book? Also, if it is a paid review, that either triples the cost paid out to reviewers or cuts it in thirds. Maybe these difficulties could be worked out somehow; this is what just came to mind when I thought about it for a few minutes.

I would like to say that I agree 100% with Scott's comment about the need for reviewers to be a bit tougher with their ratings. I see a lot of 4/4 ratings given to books and, judging from my experience of reviewing books on this site, very few deserve such a high rating. Most books I have read for review are mediocre or slightly better (hint: in a 4-stars-with-half-stars system this would be 3 or 3.5 ), but 4-star books are, in my opinion, quite rare, and we shouldn't be so liberal in giving such a high rating. (Which is why, at times, a 3.5 rating would be nice to have. To me, there is quite a difference between a 3.5 and a 4, and 4 should be reserved for only the best of the best.) But being tougher with the ratings could be saying, in so many words, being fairer with the ratings, which a rating system with more levels would facilitate.

[anonanemone]

I also like the idea of having more than one reviewer for a book. I don't know how they would be linked together though and, out of necessity, the reviews would have to be published at a staggered rate. I also think as site users we could be better about going back and commenting on official reviews after we actually get around to reading the book that was reviewed. The books that are the highest on my 'to read' rankings are definitely the ones that have been recommended by more than one member.

[Gravy]

I have 65 books on my 4-star shelf, and I would be hard pressed to choose three, five, or ten that I like the best. So I would simply leave the books in alphabetical order and probably not move books to the "4+" shelf. I think that there must be other users who feel the same.

Personally...I won't bump books either. If this is what is put in place four stars will remain my high rating.

[Scott]

Your proposal is well thought out. Does this mean the 4 point rating stays in place and people would use the Bookshelves to create a best of the best shelf? In theory, this is a good idea, assuming people update their Bookshelves with this new feature. I wonder if newer members even utilize Bookshelves.

Yes

-- 10 Dec 2015 05:06 pm --

As I stated before, I don't think I'd like to see Bookshelves incorporated into the official rating. This presupposes that 1) each user keeps his Bookshelves up to date and has taken the time to adjust the position of the books, and 2) the reader of the review will go to the reviewer's Bookshelves to see where the book is positioned. As to point #1, I have 65 books on my 4-star shelf, and I would be hard pressed to choose three, five, or ten that I like the best. So I would simply leave the books in alphabetical order and probably not move books to the "4+" shelf. I think that there must be other users who feel the same. Therefore, I think using Bookshelves would introduce an element of unreliability into the ratings, as it can't be determined that every user carefully manages his/her Bookshelf, or even wants to. As to point #2, I think simpler is better, and incorporating Bookshelves into the rating system seems to overcomplicate things. In my opinion, a simple "x out of x stars" rating is the best, whatever form that takes.

I see what you mean. I don't think it has to be much of a problem. If some members don't want to use the extra shelf on Bookshelves, they don't have to. It's basically just an additional feature that allows a member to create a 'favorites' list within their 4 out of 4 star shelf. It's optional.

I don't think we want a book being (or not being) in the top shelf to be considered part of the permanent official rating since that status is subject to change. We also want to preserve the reliability of old ratings which use the 'X out of 4' scale that's been used before Bookshelves existed at all or the review team even.

[Mike_Lang]

Have to admit I didn't think the multiple reviews idea all the way through in terms of possible difficulties involved. Maybe it would work if those who participated in the discussion on an official review thread had their ratings (after reading the book, of course) incorporated into an overall rating for the book in question, creating an overall club rating. Would that be too random? Perhaps we should consider having something like that just for book of the month selections.

Or does that already happen? Like I said, I'm a new member still learning the way things work.

[bookowlie]

Have to admit I didn't think the multiple reviews idea all the way through in terms of possible difficulties involved. Maybe it would work if those who participated in the discussion on an official review thread had their ratings (after reading the book, of course) incorporated into an overall rating for the book in question, creating an overall club rating. Would that be too random? Perhaps we should consider having something like that just for book of the month selections.

Or does that already happen? Like I said, I'm a new member still learning the way things work.

We used to have a poll for each BOTM where the members rated the book after reading it. I don't know why it was stopped since I enjoyed seeing the results.

[Scott]

You can see the average rating from all members on Bookshelves, on the book's page under cover image.

[MaReS]

Hi. I still get two sets of critera. #/4 and #out of 5. When I complete rating I am asked to resoonde to both sets. I am confused. When I checked my history recently I noticed the rating published there is the one for 4/4. Shouldn't there be just one way to rate?