Viewpoints Discussion Boards - Misc. General Essay Topic

ChrisJarmick
Seattle, WA
posts: 30

posted on May 08, 2008 at 03:02PM

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1. Create a Misc. General Essay section.

why?

1. So people can write about issues of interest or concern to them and when they do this they don't have to slip in somewhere it really doesn't belong.

2. Appointed managers can MOVE inappropriate (but not obscenely inappropriate) reviews to this section. Example: When someone writes three or four sentences about something they don't like-- such as a movie-- even though they have not seen the movie.

Or when someone writes about a movie trailer or someone writes some tidbit of gossip or rumor about a movie without reviewing it properly or without having seen it.

These kinds of reviews can be moved into the Mis. General Essay Topic area. They won't represent an actual review of a product, they won't be averaged into ratings of a product either.

Yes there have been a few problematic movie reviews at the site and a few other ones also.

It reflects poorly on everyone if a piece of writing stands as a review of a product or service and really isn't a review of that product or service at all-- either because the writer just wanted to rant about someone who looked at them funny or about a parking problem-- or someone found the subject matter objectionable and didn't see the movie or read the book but insisted on making a comment.

Creating this area... would allow reviews to be moved into it that aren' actually reviews and would allow some other types of essay writing that might have some interest and value.

Feedback?

Replies: 13 Latest post: May 10, 2008 at 09:22PM by CyndiA

PattyTherre
The heart of , NY
posts: 52

posted on May 08, 2008 at 03:24PM

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I like it. I also think those reviews of breeds of dogs should go there. They are informative but not truly reviews in my opinion. There, people could talk about, say, their Lasik eye surgery experience and inform us rather than to try to slip that into a review category it doesn't belong. However, I really don't think we need people writing short stories, poems, and the like there. But that's me. I suppose it wouldn't HURT.

But I do like your idea, Chris.

Edited: I just saw that Chris said his poems have been hit quite a few times. So maybe there is a place for creative writing here?

bkovacs
Annandale, VA
posts: 24

posted on May 08, 2008 at 03:29PM

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I think it makes sense to have an general outlet like that for non-reviews, especially if the non-reviews can be easily moved from where they are to where they should be. I can forsee a "car" review that's really about the deal they got when buying the car and not about the car at all. It would be excellent to move that someplace where it doesn't affect the ratings of the actual product.

Good idea, Chris!

--Bob

ChrisJarmick
Seattle, WA
posts: 30

posted on May 08, 2008 at 04:04PM

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We might also have a place for

Misc Creative Writing

and yes Patty...there is always.. ALWAYS a place for poetry.

My NaPoWriMO poems have had 53 plus hits since April 24th and that's a very short essay on National Poetry Month.. writing a poem a day and then I share a few I've written (far from my best).

but this Mis. General Essay place would allow people to publish their rants without trying to slip into a review format and abuse our fine website here.

MikeMaroon
Chattanooga, TN
posts: 7

posted on May 08, 2008 at 10:43PM

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This is a great idea. That way, everyone gets to be heard, yet no one looks up a "review" and gets a sentence saying, "this movie was great! I recommend it", and that's IT.

PattyTherre
The heart of , NY
posts: 52

posted on May 08, 2008 at 11:00PM

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In response to ChrisJarmick's post from May 08 2008 04:04PM

ChrisJarmick said…
We might also have a place for
Misc Creative Writing
and yes Patty...there is always.. ALWAYS a place for poetry.
My NaPoWriMO poems have had 53 plus hits since April 24th and that's a very short essay on National Poetry Month.. writing a poem a day and then I share a few I've written (far from my best).
but this Mis. General Essay place would allow people to publish their rants without trying to slip into a review format and abuse our fine website here.

Yanno, it's funny. I have no problem sharing my fiction with people and sharing details of my life that others would never share but I feel naked if I share my poetry. Yes, I do write it and have for years but have always kept it to myself except for a few contests years ago in magazines.

But on topic, the general area would have to be a place that specifies what is and isn't allowed/wanted there but I think it would be a fun place and possibly quite informative. The question is how far VP wants to go away from strictly being a shopping site. Then again, I have read reviews of celebrities (the actual person, a review of the guy with no product attached), dogs, horses, bowling (just general bowling), and many others that, in my eyes, aren't "reviews" per se, but informative nonetheless and they would fit much better out of the reviews area and into a general area.

Patty - who LOVES the quote feature and thanks Kevin and VP for listening and doing!

kevin
Chicago, IL
posts: 15

posted on May 08, 2008 at 11:02PM

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In response to PattyTherre's post from May 08 2008 11:00PM

PattyTherre said…
Patty - who LOVES the quote feature and thanks Kevin and VP for listening and doing!

Haha, I'm glad you found it already!

PattyTherre
The heart of , NY
posts: 52

posted on May 08, 2008 at 11:10PM

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In response to kevin's post from May 08 2008 11:02PM

kevin said…
PattyTherre said…
Patty - who LOVES the quote feature and thanks Kevin and VP for listening and doing!

Haha, I'm glad you found it already!

We have to stop meeting like this late at night or people will talk. ;)

Thanks for the feature. It will make following conversations much easier.

BayouBengal
Greenwell Springs, LA
posts: 17

posted on May 09, 2008 at 09:57AM

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In response to bkovacs's post from May 08 2008 03:29PM

I've seen several car reviews that just rave about how much they love their new car--it's pretty and I love driving it--but no actual facts to make it a valid review. I agree that there is a need to move some like this to a "misc" area. I suppose there are reviews in every area like this if you look for them.

Karen

bkovacs said…
I think it makes sense to have an general outlet like that for non-reviews, especially if the non-reviews can be easily moved from where they are to where they should be. I can forsee a "car" review that's really about the deal they got when buying the car and not about the car at all. It would be excellent to move that someplace where it doesn't affect the ratings of the actual product.
Good idea, Chris!
--Bob

AWESOMEMOM88
Montgomery, IL
posts: 4

posted on May 09, 2008 at 02:53PM

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The Separation is a great idea, but I would imagine that things like that could be a sub-category of the discussions right here. It would still allow folks to provide feedback, but not in the sense of a review.

Jo
Plymouth, MA
posts: 20

posted on May 10, 2008 at 09:21AM

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There's also a problem with general essays having to be rated - especially for some of us who do comparison reviews. It doesn't make sense to give 5 stars when you love one product and hate another but there is no other option at this point. JO

PattyTherre
The heart of , NY
posts: 52

posted on May 10, 2008 at 12:55PM

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In response to Jo's post from May 10 2008 09:21AM

Jo said…
There's also a problem with general essays having to be rated - especially for some of us who do comparison reviews. It doesn't make sense to give 5 stars when you love one product and hate another but there is no other option at this point. JO

Yeah, I laugh when I give a comparison review 5 stars but I consider the rating a 5 star rate of MY work. lol. I don't know how else to rate. I agree, it is funky when you compare two items and don't generally like one to give the overall thing a 5 star rate.

I find writing comparison reviews tough. For some reason, I struggle to find things to compare. But that's another discussion.

I do agree that a general area does pose a ratings problem though as far as how many stars to give a general essay.

ChrisJarmick
Seattle, WA
posts: 30

posted on May 10, 2008 at 04:15PM

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You can rate and do pros and cons on an essay as need be without re-inventing the wheel. It's an odd duck sure, but it is much better than saying you heard about this movie which had a 13 year old get pregnant, won't see it ever and think we are going to burn in..... Well rating a movie that you didn't see that gets included in the rating stats and pops up as a legit review for the movie?

Must be stopped.

CyndiA
southern, NC
posts: 45

posted on May 10, 2008 at 09:22PM

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In response to PattyTherre's post from May 08 2008 03:24PM

PattyTherre said…
I also think those reviews of breeds of dogs should go there. They are informative but not truly reviews in my opinion.

Most of them are not even informative - dog breed reviews. You own a dog. You love your dog. You're just going to rah-rah.

There's one breed that is five stars here. Stats show this is a 50/50 (or close) split on banning these dogs. Many areas have.

But who is going to come in and rain on the parade?

A dog is not a product. Dogs are animals. They vary greatly from one to the next just like people.

If we're going to rate companian animals, then I think we should also rate spouses and children. Teehee. That's a joke. But, it's about the same difference.