by Kate Flaxx

Created on: October 01, 2010

While there is no obligation to rate articles, many Helium writers choose to participate in the Helium article rating process.

As the person rating articles, it isn’t always easy to pick the best article out of both A and B.  The exact way to rate articles is not concrete and there is no specific manner that represents the recommended criteria.

Helium raters usually have their own criteria for choosing the best article and with most raters, the choice may come down to several factors including enjoyment factor, writing style, format and the information within those articles.

Because rating is such an important part of the website, asking yourself the following questions as you read an article may help you determine the article that stands out just a little more than the other;

- Does the article have my attention?

- Does the article fit the title?

- Is the article easy to read?

- Is the right information in the article?

- Did the writer use the right language for the article?

- How was the spelling and grammar?

- Can I praise the writer or make a suggestion?

- Does the article have my attention?

There is the potential with a good opening sentence to grab someone’s attention and hold it to the end.  Helium members who rate articles on a regular basis know that sometimes they are presented with an article they have little or no knowledge about. 

Ask yourself if the opening lines of the articles tell you anything about the subject and then make you want to read further.

- Does the article fit the title?

It helps to read the whole article first and then answer this question.  Some articles can take a little while to get going and its best not to dismiss one article against the other if it doesn’t fit the title within the first or second paragraph, the good stuff might be in the middle and towards the end of the article.  Of course, this applies when the article doesn’t leave it too long to get to the topic at hand.

- Is the article easy to read?

The breaking up of information is important when it comes to being able to successfully read an article.  Is the article easy on the eye?  Does it have enough white space and is it presented in a way that fits within its type of article, for example, a how to article may be written in a series of steps that have been broken up into easy to read paragraphs.

- Is the right information in the article?

Going back again to the title.  After reading the title,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>