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I want to change the title of this topic to "MY criteria for rating articles on Helium", because that's what it's all about: We each have our own set of rules for how we rate articles. Many of the rules are the same. Some of us have different pet peeves. Some rules are given more weight than others. However, I think it's a good idea to get a feel for how most Helium members rate articles; you'll be armed with knowledge that will help you as you write.

My method is not an exact science. The rules change depending on the situation. Obviously if both articles I'm looking at are atrocious, I'm going to go with the one that doesn't make me cringe as much. If both articles are great, I go with the one I like a little bit better.

Here's a general rundown of how I rate Helium articles:

1. SPACES BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS
If I see a big blob of text with no empty spaces between the paragraphs, I am simply not going to read it. It's much too hard on my eyes.

Before you argue that newspapers and books don't format text this way, keep this in mind: They indent their paragraphs. You can tell at a glance where a new paragraph begins. You can't use this technique when you write for the web.

2. SPELLING, GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION
I know we don't have professional editors cleaning up our articles before we publish them on Helium. However, if the writer can't even bother to capitalize the word "I", then I'm not going to bother reading the article.

I can overlook a few typos and misspellings. It would be hypocritical of me not to, since I make mistakes myself. But they hurt your article, and they take away points. If someone else's article is decent AND has fewer misspellings, it's probably getting my vote.

3. OFF TOPIC
I've seen some great articles posted in places they didn't belong. I'm sure the poem about your mother is lovely, but why does it need to be posted under a topic about fixing your car?

Sometimes the problem is more subtle. The writer sort of addresses the topic, but then veers off in another direction. If the topic is "101 cool uses for Elmer's Glue," don't write all about the history of glue. Similarly, if the topic is "Why you should eat Twinkies," don't write an article telling people not to eat Twinkies. It doesn't matter how well you present your argument is or how right you are; if your article isn't true to the topic, it's either getting flagged or rated down. Probably both.

4. TOO SHORT
Short articles don't get much attention from me. Anything much shorter than 300 words implies that the writer wasn't trying very hard, unless it's obvious that there's not a lot you can say about the topic. When it comes to my vote, a longer article that's more entertaining or informative is going to beat the short article.

5. TOO LONG
On the flip side, an article that rambles can turn me off too. There's a difference between being thorough and filling an article with a lot of fluff.

6. NOT AS VALUABLE
Sometimes it really is that simple: Article B just doesn't have as many answers as Article A. One of the questions I ask myself is how well the article covers its topic. Was it full of great information? Do I feel more enlightened now?

7. TOO BORING
Now I'm just being cruel, I know. But the fact is, if an article bores or offends me, I'm probably not going to rate it up. I like an article that has a bit of "sparkle" or personality to it, something that gets my attention and gives me a reason to keep reading. This is the one thing that can decide a tie-breaker. I can't tell you exactly what this quality is, but I can say this: If you're bored with your topic or don't believe in what you're writing, it'll show.

Learn more about this author, Victoria Neely.
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