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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sleepwalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 1:19pm
I sent ovidiu a PM. 

Seeing m@x's reply before me maybe ovidiu now has got two messages concerning his review. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 1:22pm
Originally posted by Vehemency Vehemency wrote:

Not to judge anyone, but it is not easy to read reviews with tons of exlamation marks and whatnot. Healthy use of paragraphs and reduced use of special characters always makes a review already better. I'm definitely not a good writer nor excellent in English, but I think those are worthy tips for improving reviews. :-)
 
That�s a matter of personal style. Not much to do about thatSmile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vehemency Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 1:43pm
^ Yeah, true too. And I must underline that I'm not expecting anyone to write formal and professional reviews (because I can't and don't want to do so either). :-)

Anyhow, I think there should be SOME line that shouldn't be crossed, when the text becomes way too hard to read / understand. I'm not talking about any specific one (nothing wrong with ovidius's reviews even if their appearance is not for my taste!) but in general for the times to come: perhaps we need some vague guidelines / "rules"? Or perhaps not, we can always just moderate / report reviews if so needed? Just philosphizing. :-)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 2:03pm
I think one of the main reasons why PA is so succesful ( and we�re dealing with a similar concept here on MMA) is the fact that people can more or less write reviews in the style they want as long as they don�t break some basic rules. Restricting people�s multitude of different writing styles might turn some people off from writing reviews.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sleepwalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 2:03pm
Originally posted by Vehemency Vehemency wrote:

^ Yeah, true too. And I must underline that I'm not expecting anyone to write formal and professional reviews (because I can't and don't want to do so either). :-)

Anyhow, I think there should be SOME line that shouldn't be crossed, when the text becomes way too hard to read / understand. I'm not talking about any specific one (nothing wrong with ovidius's reviews even if their appearance is not for my taste!) but in general for the times to come: perhaps we need some vague guidelines / "rules"? Or perhaps not, we can always just moderate / report reviews if so needed? Just philosphizing. :-)

We've got this:

But, in the end I'm sure there are people who won't read the guidelines or simply won't care, so moderating reviews always is a pretty important thing I suppose, definitely when the site will get bigger and more crowded.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Vehemency Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 2:12pm
^ Ah, I had a feeling that we already had those guidelines... Perhaps that topic should be linked somewhere near when posting a review? Just an idea, for people to see how things reviews are handled in MMA before submitting their first review.

Edited by Vehemency - 30 Jun 2010 at 2:12pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sleepwalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 2:19pm
Originally posted by Vehemency Vehemency wrote:

^ Ah, I had a feeling that we already had those guidelines... Perhaps that topic should be linked somewhere near when posting a review? Just an idea, for people to see how things reviews are handled in MMA before submitting their first review.

That's the way it goes on PA as well. With every review you post you first must agree with the reviews guidelines. Perhaps it indeed is a good idea to do the same thing here as well. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m@x Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 2:50pm
Review Guidelines would be a good idea, mix with the light review style moderation (as mentionned by UMUR)

TODO, added

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 3:04pm
You can have all the guidelines you want, but if they are not enforced, they will serve no purpose. Personally, I would be in favour of some more editing - PA has been criticized quite often because of the poor quality of some reviews. Being an official reviewer for another site, I am a stickler for both style and substance, if you get what I mean. In any case, even if we decide to be more flexible than most reviews-based sites are, there are no excuses for remarks such as the ones Ovidiu wrote in his review. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sleepwalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 4:10pm
I agree Raff, but when a reviewer has to agree with the guidelines to post a review at least they can't say they didn't know about those guidelines. Also, it's a good thing to make people aware of those guidelines to prevent them from accidentally not following them. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 4:29pm
I absolutely agree with you about making the guidelines as visible as possible. What I meant, however (even if I expressed myself rather badly), is that people who want to ignore the guidelines will do so anyway, therefore we have to be ready to act. On PA there are quite a few Prog Reviewers who break the guidelines all the time, even if they should know better. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Time Signature Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2010 at 4:55pm
Maybe if they're conceptualized as rules rather than guidelines, people would respect them more (at least according to the linguistic relativity theory)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote m@x Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2010 at 10:02pm
Please review PA guidelines and report so I can implement this on MMA soon.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGARCHIVES REVIEWS GUIDELINES:
1 - Write in ENGLISH, we regret that we cannot accept reviews in other languages. Avoid the use of on-line translators wherever possible, they will not do justice to your efforts. Do not use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in your reviews, standard sentence case should be used at all times. Do not use abbreviations or �texting� language. Remember to check your review for spelling, grammar and punctuation. A poorly presented review can distract the reader from the well written content. Reviews accepted should be a MINIMUM 100 words preferably substantially more, no maximum.

2 - While ratings without reviews are accepted, you are strongly encouraged to write a review to support your rating.

3 - Feel free to review as many discs as you like, and to construct your reviews in whatever way you wish. (Tip, to start a new paragraph in your review, put <p> at the end of the previous paragraph.)

4 - Write in an intelligent and considerate manner. Rude or insulting language (including blatant vulgarity) will not be tolerated! Show respect for other reviewers, readers, the artists, and the CD and song titles. Do not belittle reviews posted by others, their opinions are as welcome and valid as yours. It is generally best to avoid commenting on other reviews altogether. 

The following are examples of phrases which should NOT appear in reviews: "Reviewer Joe Smith is stupid for saying that...", "Anyone who doesn't like this album is an idiot", "The band which made this album is rubbish", etc.,

5 - Do not voice general opinions on matters such as whether a band/album/sub-genre should be included in the site, whether you agree with the star rating system, etc.. Such matters should be discussed in the forum. Keep the review pertinent to the specific album concerned. The reviews section is NOT the place for initiating or prolonging a debate.

6 - Try to write reviews that will be of real use and interest to other progressive music fans, who can benefit by finding new avenues for their musical exploration. Consider aspects which will be of interest to the reader such as the style of music, notable influences, similar bands, best tracks (don�t just say "this album is brilliant", explain what you like about it), production quality, musicians involved, album history, We suggest you listen to an album several times before writing a review. It can take a number of listens to Prog albums in particular to begin to appreciate the music.

7 - Remember that your reviews will be on the relevant album�s page for all to read for many years to come. Do not therefore word your review with only the front page (which shows the latest reviews) in mind. Consider whether the review will still make sense in 5 years time and more.

8 - Before assigning a star rating to an album, you should ensure you understand what the differing numbers of stars mean. Please use "one" and "five star" ratings very sparingly -- most albums you dislike will have at least some positive qualities, and not every album that you enjoy will be a perfect "masterpiece of prog".

9 - When quoting from elsewhere, ensure due credit is clearly given. Do not copy reviews or text from other sources and attempt to pass them off as your own.

10 - Any impersonation of another reviewer will be treated as an abuse of the Prog Archives site, and the offender will be barred from further use of the site.

THESE GUIDELINES are designed to help you to help us build a comprehensive reference of progressive rock (and related) recordings. By posting a review, you are indicating your acceptance of the guidelines, and undertaking to abide by them.

A special THANKS from Prog Archives to all those who submit reviews!

Useful links:
To report an inappropriate review
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3317

Site rules and guidelines
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13083

Frequently asked questions
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13080

Legal Notice
http://www.progarchives.com/Legalnotice.asp

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Thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progshine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jul 2010 at 10:46pm
I have changed some PA/Progressive words for the right ones and changed links, but I couldn't find the 'Legal Notice' link Smile


METAL MUSIC ARCHIVES REVIEWS GUIDELINES:
1 - Write in ENGLISH, we regret that we cannot accept reviews in other languages. Avoid the use of on-line translators wherever possible, they will not do justice to your efforts. Do not use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in your reviews, standard sentence case should be used at all times. Do not use abbreviations or �texting� language. Remember to check your review for spelling, grammar and punctuation. A poorly presented review can distract the reader from the well written content. Reviews accepted should be a MINIMUM 100 words preferably substantially more, no maximum.

2 - While ratings without reviews are accepted, you are strongly encouraged to write a review to support your rating.

3 - Feel free to review as many discs as you like, and to construct your reviews in whatever way you wish.

4 - Write in an intelligent and considerate manner. Rude or insulting language (including blatant vulgarity) will not be tolerated! Show respect for other reviewers, readers, the artists, and the CD and song titles. Do not belittle reviews posted by others, their opinions are as welcome and valid as yours. It is generally best to avoid commenting on other reviews altogether. 

The following are examples of phrases which should NOT appear in reviews: "Reviewer Joe Smith is stupid for saying that...", "Anyone who doesn't like this album is an idiot", "The band which made this album is rubbish", etc.,

5 - Do not voice general opinions on matters such as whether a band/album/sub-genre should be included in the site, whether you agree with the star rating system, etc.. Such matters should be discussed in the forum. Keep the review pertinent to the specific album concerned. The reviews section is NOT the place for initiating or prolonging a debate.

6 - Try to write reviews that will be of real use and interest to other metal music fans, who can benefit by finding new avenues for their musical exploration. Consider aspects which will be of interest to the reader such as the style of music, notable influences, similar bands, best tracks (don�t just say "this album is brilliant", explain what you like about it), production quality, musicians involved, album history, We suggest you listen to an album several times before writing a review.

7 - Remember that your reviews will be on the relevant album�s page for all to read for many years to come. Do not therefore word your review with only the front page (which shows the latest reviews) in mind. Consider whether the review will still make sense in 5 years time and more.

8 - Before assigning a star rating to an album, you should ensure you understand what the differing numbers of stars mean. Please use "one" and "five star" ratings very sparingly -- most albums you dislike will have at least some positive qualities, and not every album that you enjoy will be a perfect "masterpiece of metal".

9 - When quoting from elsewhere, ensure due credit is clearly given. Do not copy reviews or text from other sources and attempt to pass them off as your own.

10 - Any impersonation of another reviewer will be treated as an abuse of the Metal Music Archives site, and the offender will be barred from further use of the site.

THESE GUIDELINES are designed to help you to help us build a comprehensive reference of metal music recordings. By posting a review, you are indicating your acceptance of the guidelines, and undertaking to abide by them.

A special THANKS from Metal Music Archives to all those who submit reviews!

Useful links:
To report an inappropriate review
http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2&PN=1

Site rules and guidelines
http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=180&PN=1

Frequently asked questions
http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/about.aspx#faq

Legal Notice
? ? ?
Testing 1...2...3..
RAY, IT'S NOT WORKING!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sleepwalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2010 at 11:29am
Guys, this has already been done. Wink

Originally posted by Sleepwalker Sleepwalker wrote:

We've got this:

But, in the end I'm sure there are people who won't read the guidelines or simply won't care, so moderating reviews always is a pretty important thing I suppose, definitely when the site will get bigger and more crowded.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote progshine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2010 at 11:44am
I think Max was talking about the text that appears under the review box on PA and do the same here on MMA, so everyone can see what's going on before post the reviewm cause let's just agree, nobody will look for this guidelines on Forum before post a review Cool
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jul 2010 at 3:18pm
Yes, I think it would be better to have the rules appear right under the review box, so that no one can claim they are not easily available to would-be reviewers. Not that having the guidelines so readily visible has ever stopped anyone from violating them...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jul 2010 at 2:43am
^LOL You�re right about thatDisapprove. Well I�m not holier than thouEmbarrassed. I�ve broken the guidelines on occasion and taken the inevitable beating afterwards. I think I�ve learned my lessons though. It�s mostly the 1 star reviews that pose problems. A good 1 star review is extremely hard to write and actually requires more skill than writing 5 star reviews. Maintaining a respectful approach to something that you ultimately find annoying and a terrible listen, is a study in self-control. Not many master this skill and that�s why this thread is important. With a little guidance from an admin, some of those reviews can actually be re-written and become valuable assets to the site. 1 star reviews are as important to the site as the 5 star reviews are. They bring perspective.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Time Signature Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jul 2010 at 4:13am
I think that if you think something is shit, you should be allowed to say so. When it's about the music, I don't see the problem, because a review really just says something about yourself and your taste than about the music itself.

It's more reviews that attack groups of people or individuals because of sexuality, ethnicity, religion and whatever (like that review that attacked both Rob Halford as a person for his sexual orientation), because then it's not about the music - then its personal, and then its offensive. Also "this is crap because the the sound production is awful and the songs are too boring and formulaic" is much more informative than "this is crap because the singer i gay and the drummer is black" (which just informs us that the writer of the review is a racist homophobic C.P.)

I agree that writing a good and sober 1 star review can be very difficult, and that reviews that go beyond "this-sucks" or "this-is-crap" are more interesting to read (I especially enjoy negative reviews that make a lot of use of creative similes and metaphors - even if its a review that bashes one of my favorite artists). I don't mind "the music on this album is rubbish" reviews, but I don't like reviews that personally attack the artists (no matter how much they actually suck) and I don't like reviews that attack people who like or don't like that artist (I don't mind if reviews criticize, or agree with, the general attitude towards the release in question; those can actually become quite interesting to read).


Edited by Time Signature - 04 Jul 2010 at 8:58am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raff Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jul 2010 at 6:04am
Great posts, Jonas and KimClap! I agree 100% with you on the difficulty of writing a 'good' 1-star review. I have written only three for PA, and all of them were of albums by bands I love (Deep Purple and Blue Oyster Cult). When I started writing for ProgressoR, I had to tackle really bad albums from completely unknown quantities, and that was a challenge. You have to straddle that fine line between clearly stating that the album is not up to scratch (and that's an understatement) and trying to be constructive - such as pointing out that the album in question might indeed appeal to someone. This is one of my most negative reviews ever (the band is prog-metal, though I don't believe they are on MMA yet):

http://www.progressor.net/review/eoi_2009.html
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