by Joan Inong

Created on: April 10, 2009   Last Updated: May 28, 2012

Rating Helium articles is usually not that difficult, but sometimes there are ties between two articles in which both articles are either written very well or written very poorly. There are a few criteria that must be kept in mind, and when they are, rating becomes an easier task.

• Basics: Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling

This criteria is rightly called the "GPS" system, and it will help you navigate through the rating system more efficiently. First, always check both articles for grammar. Although most articles will have correct grammar, there are some instances in which the rules of grammar have clearly not been followed. Of course, keep in mind that perfection is more or less never attained. So, if you notice a slight grammar error, e-mail the author accordingly. Likewise, punctuation must also be considered. Punctuation is important because it makes reading easier. If there are run-on sentences, the grammar suffers. Run-on sentences can also be found when a comma is inserted instead of a period. Finally, check for spelling. An article that has only one misspelled word means that the author may have been typing too fast; just let that author know about that mistake, and rate it a little lower than the other article, if the other article has no spelling mistakes. Again, always use the contact button to make your improvement suggestions.

• Content and Quality

Content means that the author has sufficiently covered the topic or title at hand. The article does not have to be an encyclopedia of answers. Instead, it should read like a thoughtful article or essay that may be publishable. Always ask yourself, "If I were a publisher, would I publish this article?" If yes, then this article rates higher than the one next to it. If both articles are equally thoughtful and informative, then you must use other criteria to judge them. Quality is important at Helium, and the word "quality" denotes many other terms, such as the GPS outlined above, or the way in which the article is readable. Structure and organization also add to quality. Are there paragraph breaks to ensure easy flow of reading? This also adds to quality.

• Style

Though this is the most subjective criterion of all, style is especially useful in judging two articles of the same quality. If both articles have good GPS, content, and quality, then you should judge by the authors' differing styles (assuming that they do differ, and in most cases, they do). Because one writer will usually have a different style than another, style is a great criterion that will "break" a tie. Judge style by the way you feel about the article. Is it something that you enjoyed reading, even if the information wasn't interesting to you?

So in order to rate articles effectively and efficiently, think about the GPS system, content and quality, and if needed, style. These are useful criteria that will make rating articles easier, more helpful, and more enjoyable.

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