Thoughts from a biased Judge

Britt calculating statistics. Mhmm. Maybe you pretend not to have a math brain, but I see you, girl. I see you.

Bahahaha. I almost sounded like I knew what I was talking about.

Someone else should definitely try this, I'm usually wrong lol

I've managed to screen-shoot 16 Monday morning nomination pages since July last year. Did not get all, obviously, but that's about half.

I just sent them all to Mark, so watch out folks, the geek-mod is going to go to work soon. Bet he has standard deviations of every factor by the weekend.

Hope you weren't planning on doing anything fun the next few days, Mark. LOL.

Based off of nominations/votes/visits from what I could tell

^^^

Interesting and, it's something I'd like to see looked into even although you have limited sources to do so...I did see Janis signed in last week but obviously he's done nothing to fix things.

When you say...number of visits, would that be how many times the poem is looked at? The amount of comments...does the site register when the author responds to a comment and adds it as another comment you know...like a poem looks like it has 20 comments but half of them are from the author just saying thanks to each member who comments? Just that sort of thing I'm asking?

Yeah number of times the poem is looker at, and the site registers the author's replies as a comment.

If I were to code it, I'd assign a number to the tied poems and generate a number between and the generated number is the one that wins, it's a pseudo-random tie breaker.

Optionally, you could account for views, and ratings and stuff and that'd be less random, but would it be more fair since you could manipulate the poem in question.

It probably would account for total comments (including author replying), since its easier.

It'd be easier if we had access to code, it'd be so much easier. But I'll keep an eye on things and try to figure it out.

See Jane, I looked smart for 2 seconds and then Mark. lol

Would in fact the number of views not wage a bias too? I could visit one of my own poems multiple times, it increases the views statistic on it. So not only is the authors replies wagered in so are the authors views, so in fact one could manipulate a WIN if it were computer generated picks by answering and viewing their own poem?

Sorry devils advocate moment.

Btw Britt you sound every bit as smart as Mark, don't belittle your intelligence.

Yep, it would. Unless Janis also stores unique visits, somewhere in the database (hard to tell without seeing code & database).

And Britt you are smart. I took a look at what Larry sent me and it seems to correspond with the votes.

Edit: they could only manipulate it in their favour, if they knew they were tied.

Man, if someone wants to win -that- bad... lol.

Basically we either come up with factors that cannot be manipulated or ask Janis to make it totally random.

EDIT: Or find a way to make currently manipulative factors less prone to abuse. I like Mark's idea of unique-viewer visits. It could be unique member comments as well.

The member votes are already restricted as are the nominations.

We getting over the top now, I agree, if someone needs to win that bad, be my guest....but let me reiterate again, anyone who says they don't have a bias isn't understanding the concept, it doesn't even have to be for an author, it can be for style, content, whatever, and if you don't vote for a poem because of a bias, it's the same thing as voting for one because of a bias......that's like someone saying I don't judge people, what are you a zombie, it's human nature to observe, perceive , draw a conclusion and then make a judgement......

Bob. I agree completely with what you are saying. As long as there is a human element (and realistically, there always will be) there will be a bias of some kind. As soon as we try to consciously avoid bias, we introduce a more destructive bias. Either way, it's great to have a weekly contest of some kind. On the whole, it brings far more good to the site than otherwise in my opinion.

All the best

Well done to all the judges over the years, I hope they know their efforts are appreciated. They give their free time and it is a big help in keeping the site going, it's a thankless job in many ways.

Hear, hear. I am proud of this site: the quantity of people who have volunteered their time and commitment over the years, the quality of poetry produced and being produced, the diversity of our community, and the dedication of members (who sometimes try to leave, but never really do).

I agree about bias. There is only so much we can do before we do more harm than good. The weekly contest is, overall, a success.

^ who sometimes try to leave, but never really do

You can take the poet out of PnQ
but you can't take PnQ out of the poet

^^Love that Sir :)

"You can check out any time you like but you can never leave" (Hotel California - Eagles) :)

Such a perfect quote Hellon... besides the fact I love the Eagles

Both quotes are spot on.

I've been thinking a ton about this topic...I don't care who wrote the poem....but I do and will admit that I have bias or preferences towards nature poems...I don't think that's a shock to anyone on this site.

What I've had to do in the past is say....is it written well...does it shine above the rest?

What I think shines,another judge might think is dull...

That's the beauty of this site and it's members, mixing it all together in one pot....makes a cool soup if you ask me...

......................

Andrea likes nature poems?

Shut the front door. ;)

I have to say, Britt, it left me positively speechless when she revealed that....

I've never experienced such like, a mind blowing revelation.

I feel like I should store this completely new information somewhere.

bwahahah. Ohh, Andrea, I heart you.

Lol Britt...

Hahah I have no clue as to why I found your comment so funny.

Everyone knows Andrea likes nature poems.

Gigggggles

Oh mercy.........

I heart you guys!!!!!