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Suggestions to improve Helium's rating process? I once believed the onus for improving the rating process lay solidly on Helium's algorithmic shoulders. I, as a contributing writer, was just a bystander; nay, I was a victim of Helium's rating process. I now know better.

If you have been frustrated by Helium's rating process, here are FIVE simple tips to help you improve the rating process and, subsequently, improve your own status on Helium.

1) Rate daily. If you write on Helium every day, you should try to do daily rating, as well. Believe it or not, your own rating actions will help both your old and new articles move in Helium's rating queue.

The old saying, "I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine," applies here. If you want your articles rated, then you must rate other's articles.

2) Rate fairly. The goal of rating articles on Helium is to help sort the good from the bad, the powerful from the weak. Take time to correctly report problem articles using the "flagging" tools provided. Then, once the article is reported, you'll be returned to the pair of articles, including the offending article. Rate the "better" article (sometimes defined as the less awful of the pair) "by far," sending the poorer article down.

This action will help the good articles rise up (like Helium, right?), and the poorer articles sink; hopefully the authors, upon receiving Helium's advisory message, will feel motivated to "leapfrog" their substandard article.

CAUTION: The author, whose article you reported, will see your name and know it was you who did the reporting. So, be careful with your comments. The author can, and many times, will, write back to you with his or her OWN comments.

3) Rate consistently. If you are tired, shut off your computer; leave the rating task till the next day, and then double the amount you would ordinarily do.

Becoming bored or exasperated, and then rating just to finish the task, isn't good for anyone. You will more than likely make a mistake; I suspect haphazard ratings are often responsible for skewed ("What the heck is that doing there?") line-ups.

4) Rate leapfrogs carefully. Leapfrogs are done for many reasons; it takes a careful read sometimes to find the changes, especially tiny punctuation or grammar edits. But if you can't (many times it's downright impossible) then vote "same" and Helium will ensure the newer version is pushed into place.

5) Rate regularly. Set aside time to rate on Helium just as you would schedule time to watch a TV program, or time to do a small job. The discipline you exercise will not only help Helium's rating process, but will help you hone your own abilities as a writer, and as an editor.

Besides, the more rating you do, the easier it gets. And you'll get some pretty yellow stars, to boot.

So, if you ever feel like a bystander, or worse, a victim of Helium's rating process, take action. Click "Rate" at the top of your screen and settle in for a rousing round of reading and rating.

Your efforts will go far towards improving Helium's rating process. And you'll feel much better knowing that as you shovel and dig, read and rate, pushing anonymous articles through the ratings queue, some other Helium writer is doing exactly the same thing same for you.

Learn more about this author, Sheree Zielke.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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