Question

uhmm hypothetical suggestion...a lot of users here have high level smartscores for posting their homeworks..well we cant really stop them from doing so but at least could we make it harder to level up via that? because they really shouldnt have high "engagement" scores yet they have higher levels than our dedicated teachers.

Answer 1

I'm just going to be a scumbag (apparently I can call myself that), agree that I'm a dedicated teacher, and that these guys are a serious issue. But, really, we do need to make sure this whole system is fair. I once made a rant about the copy pasters being a higher level than me, but eventually I didn't post it because I didn't want to incite a rage post. @lgbasallote is making a very good point here, guys. @cshalvey

Answer 2

This is sort of what I meant when I mentioned in the open house that I thought that it was too easy to level up. There are too many users who are level 50 or 60 that have done nothing but post literally hundreds of questions only wanting an answer. And then of course we have the people who are only too willing to give them just the answer.

Answer 3

there had already been an open house o.O i dont think i was invited to that :/

Answer 4

I think it was last Thursday, and seemed to be rather spontaneous.

Answer 5

oh wait..i was there :p haha i thought there had been one this week

Answer 6

vry good point @lgbasallote ,if u look at the users list u can see that there is a crowd at smartscores btw 50-60 or a bit more, i noticed that people who are very recent here are mixed up with the experienced once here, i mean the smartscores is not fair in this middlerange,i also think a better idea is to give a bit more importance to days studied here and the answering qns part for level up..that makes the smartscore system fair

Answer 7

Definitely a good point, all. I'm not certain, though, that changing the system is necessarily the best way of going about this.

Maybe the best way to fight "copy-pasters" and "question-spammers" is through moderation and use of the Report abuse button. If the importance of asking questions were lessened through a change to the SmartScore system, I think it possible that legitimate learners on here would be detrimentally affected.

Don't forget, too, that we do have a "subtitle." For example, when you look at the list, you can have a level 60 "Lifesaver" and a level 60 "Learner" - this lets you know which one primarily teaches, and which one primarily asks, but perhaps this can be emphasized better?

An emphasis on teaching would likely result in a linear sort of gradient, from your askers (lower levels) to your teachers (higher levels); in essence, you would be pushing your askers down, and elevating your teachers. And whether or not this is "good" really depends on the original intent for OS, right? I think OS's goal is not to create such a disparity, but rather to foster a cohesive community that rewards askers and teachers alike. Just my two cents :P

Answer 8

Also, @inkyvoyd, clever thumbnail :P Caused me a bit of confusion when I saw only my icon...but two people viewing the question haha.

Answer 9

xD @kma230

Answer 10

You guys care so much about your scores. I just see it as a hook for new users. It's a fun satisfying thing at first to watch your number climbing. Later on, it should really be the learning and community that keep people here.

Answer 11

heh it keeps me entertained..dont spoil it :p

Answer 12

Good point, @SmoothMath. Personally I cared a lot more about medals and levels when I was in the 10s and 20s, old system, than when I got up to the 40s and 50s. And since they rolled out SmartScore I have stopped caring entirely.

Answer 13

All I care about is scores. I am Asian, after all. Problem?

Answer 14

And good points @kma230. I think you're talking about things which are really separate issues - the copy and paste askers and answerers (whom in the last couple weeks the mods have been devoting much attention), and how smart score sorts and presents different types of OS users.

While the copy and pasted answers are troubling on an ethical level, they are rather easy to catch. I am quite aware of who the established offenders are in the group I most often frequent; I google all posts they make and I google a random selection from anyone new who posts a good answer. Including yours when you were new and yours have all been fine.

The copy and pasted homework problems are not so easy because they come from sources like printed homework assignments and secure course sites which do not show up on Google.

I understand that the purpose of SmartScore is to present a single global metric of a user's standing on the site - but I too would like to see it broken down more by learner / teacher. I think the problem is with the way it is presented rather than the way it is used/computed.

- Instead of the single line on the rather uninformative and bland profile graph, we could have three or four charting progress in Problem Solving, Engagement, Teamwork and Overall.

- There could be graphs showing not just relative standing, but absolute progress in terms of the four categories. The way the info is presented now makes it appear that everyone improves at first and then slows dramatically, which is not true.

- Also, I think there should needs to be some quick easy way to distinguish between people who are active in certain subjects. As I now show up as a highly ranked user in the computer science group, people message me to answer their questions when I don't know a tuple from a donkey's rump and they think I'm being stuck up and lazy when I opt not to help them. Which is not the case.