Scoring System Tutorial
How the Scoring System works
The scoring system is a fun way to compete with other members to contribute the most to the scientific and teaching communities. The system works like this: for every resource you create or group you start, you get Contribution points. As you have more people get involved with your projects, you earn Social points. If you want to become a moderator or reviewer on this site, you are going to need at least 1,500 Contribution points and 1,000 Social points in both categories in order to be accepted (this score is not a guarantee of admission, just an approximation of time needed to become a part of the community).
How to get a high User Rank
We maintain ranks for both the Contribution and Social scores, and each one accrues points differently. For Contributions, you get points by creating groups, resources, and resource updates. For Social points, you need to get others to visit your content, and comment on it. To prevent people from gaming the system for a high score, we don't divuldge what the point values are. However, here's a few pointers:
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You will do far better creating and maintaining a few really good projects than by manufacturing a bunch of low-quality ones.
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The score for finding good content for the Directory is weighted to be roughly equivalent to the effort needed to create a new resource, so there's no advantage doing one or the other. Just write and share what you are passionate about, that's the key.
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Groups are the way to get ahead; high initial score, plus an inflow of points if you maintain an active group.
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Clickbot activity is fairly easy to catch, and doesn't help you much to begin with.
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And finally, remember that scoring is really just for fun. Don't take it too seriously.
Of course, this site is not just about rankings
The ranking system is ultimately just a form of friendly competition, and shouldn't be taken too seriously. Remember, LaboratoryMike is about helping grad students get ahead in their research, and helping teachers do a tremendously important job. Your contributions will go far beyond points earned on this website.
Also, as a separate reward for hard work, we're developing a portfolio builder so that whether you are user #1 or #1000, you can collect all of your contributions into a nice portfolio to show to prospective employers. It's a nod toward the open source computing way of rewarding meaningful contributions.