Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Please Take These Polls About Book Grades or Ratings

I'm working on my review policy and New Year's resolution for this blog and your poll answers help me greatly! Thanks!



14 comments:

Suey said...

The rating, of any style, is the first and sometimes only thing I look for on a review.

Robin M said...

You know what. I just read your first question and had an epiphany. I don't even look at the ratings, just read the review. Have been trying to decide on a rating system myself and kept feeling like was limiting myself within a certain choice. Thanks to your question, I realized I didn't want a rating system. Will just write an honest opinion of the book and my words will be the rating. Thanks for the insight.

Anonymous said...

I voted star rating but I think either that or the letter grade would be fine.

Rowena said...

I always look for a grade before I read a review...I'm nosy like that. =)

Florinda said...

I use a point system which is basically the same as star ratings, just without the stars. I added it when a reader asked me to - I guess it really helps sum things up.

Marg said...

I use numbers as well! My revelation is that I like to see a rating and yet I don't publish my own gradings. I do use them on my records but noton my blog! I was thinking about changing that for next year but I am definitely decided now!

Anonymous said...

I look at a rating if it is there, but don't need one. I do think stars are too subjective. A 4 to one person is a 3 to another, you know?

Mimi N said...

You could get creative and use a dung heap for the books you dislike, a happy sun for ones you enjoyed, a beating heart for the ones you absolutely loved. I don't know. :) Just being goofy.

Mimi B

Ruth King said...

I use a number rating that corresponds with star ratings. For instance:

1-2: 1 star
3-4: 2 stars
5-6: 3 stars
7-8: 4 stars
9-10: 5 stars

So, a 7 on my blog translates to a 4 star review on Amazon or LibraryThing.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what I look at. I think I glance through the initial paragraph to see what they thought and then read the book synopsis. If it sounds interesting then I read more, but sometimes not.

I think if you're going to do a ratings system, it might be useful (but a lot of work) to break it down like "writing style = 4" "plot = 3" "characters = 4" etc.

Joanne ♦ The Book Zombie said...

When looking at reviews I completely ignore stars, letters or percentage ratings. I find the reviewers actual writing and thoughts much more useful. Ratings are too black/white for me, I wanna know all about that gray area in between.

Annette said...

I am sorry but I intensely dislike star ratings, I guess I'm a non conformist.
I agree with Joanne about writing about the book and giving my thoughts.

1morechapter said...

Everyone's different I suppose. I enjoy looking at others' star ratings. I use them too, but sometimes it's hard to determine for me which rating to actually give.

Anonymous said...

I only use star ratings on my LT account, and I "translate" the Netflix system:
1 - didn't like it
2 - just OK
3 - liked it
4 - really liked it
5 - loved it

On my blog I don't use a rating system.

I feel a rating without a backup sentence or two (or a summary, "I give this only 3 stars out of 5 because while the writing was strong, the plot left too many loose ends") doesn't do much for me.

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