Peer Review

[+Rikitan]

Hello,

 

I'm with Waymarking since its start, but always wondering about Peer Review rules. How much (%) votes needs each category proposal to pass? Any special rules? Who can vote? Any account, even without any Waymarking history?

 

I'm sorry if I've overseen this info. I found only general advice how to judge proposals, including:

"Before we get started, however, remember that duplicate categories should be disqualified from the start."

 

Does it mean, that i.e. Fire Lookouts are disqualified regardless voting?

 

thank you, R.

[+BruceS]

It takes a 2/3rd vote yes for a category to pass. A true duplicate category would not get approved though probably would not get through the vote either.

 

And your assessment of Fire Lookouts is incorrect. Read the requirements of the lookout tower category... very distinct differences. Lookout towers must be able to be climbed or go in by the public.

Edited October 5, 2012 by BruceS

[+silverquill]

To answer some more of your questions:

 

ANYONE with a Groundspeak premium membership can vote in peer review.

 

This means someone with NO Waymarking experience can vote, and they often do.

This is usually because someone with a weak category idea recruits his nonwaymarking geocaching friends to vote. That is my suspicion, at least. I've seen some peer review votes where up to 1/3 of those voting had zero waymarks created or even visited.

 

Groundspeak has veto rights to all new categories, and the category is not activated until manually approved by someone at Groundspeak. I think this is a reasonable precaution, and the veto is used only in extreme cases.

[+dreamhummie]

This means someone with NO Waymarking experience can vote, and they often do.

This is usually because someone with a weak category idea recruits his nonwaymarking geocaching friends to vote. That is my suspicion, at least. I've seen some peer review votes where up to 1/3 of those voting had zero waymarks created or even visited.

 

In a peer review says a good WM Member often "Why dont you put it in the forum first before you ask for a peer review"

But the most voters never visit the WM forum. So they don't read or respons for the cons & pro's.

And the most common words in there decline is "boring"

I think Groundspeak don't take that declines seriously.

Grtz

John

[+fi67]

In a peer review says a good WM Member often "Why dont you put it in the forum first before you ask for a peer review"

But the most voters never visit the WM forum. So they don't read or respons for the cons & pro's.

And the most common words in there decline is "boring"

I think Groundspeak don't take that declines seriously.

You are right; most voters do not participate in the forums, at least not actively. Still the forum is a chance to present your ideas to the public and get a feedback that can be used to improve the category before going through the whole process. A category proposal that does not get support in the forum will most likely not make it in peer review.

 

"Boring" sound not like a very elaborated argument, but it is in fact one of the four official voting criteria, just the wording is a bit different. A decline counts, no matter how misinformed or subjective the reason behind might be (the same goes for Yeas, of course).

[GT.US]

In a peer review says a good WM Member often "Why dont you put it in the forum first before you ask for a peer review"

But the most voters never visit the WM forum. So they don't read or respons for the cons & pro's.

And the most common words in there decline is "boring"

I think Groundspeak don't take that declines seriously.

You are right; most voters do not participate in the forums, at least not actively. Still the forum is a chance to present your ideas to the public and get a feedback that can be used to improve the category before going through the whole process. A category proposal that does not get support in the forum will most likely not make it in peer review.

 

"Boring" sound not like a very elaborated argument, but it is in fact one of the four official voting criteria, just the wording is a bit different. A decline counts, no matter how misinformed or subjective the reason behind might be (the same goes for Yeas, of course).

 

The other reason we suggest bringing it to the forums before submitting is that the handful of us that frequent the forum are some of the most expereinced waymarkers, and can give objective feedback.