Average Score on stories issue?

7 Feb 2021

I have been catching up on my reading here and noticed something odd. Above eighteen votes, the Average Score calculator is randomly rounding some scores way up on non-straight votes. Some examples from various categories:

nineteen 5's / one 4 = 4.95 > shows as 5
twenty-two 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-four 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-seven 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-nine 5's / one 4 = 4.97 > shows as 5

but

twenty-one 5's / one 4 = 4.95 > shows as 4.95
twenty-five 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 4.96

Just to be sure it wasn't a cycle lag, I've waited a few days before posting this. Also, none of these are mine as I haven't broken that ceiling yet.

Given that some readers here use these scores for story selection, it seems that they should be accurate in fairness to all the writers. Is there some other factor past simple math involved? Do I need to find a hobby? Embarassed

7 Feb 2021

Quote by kistinspencil
I have been catching up on my reading here and noticed something odd. Above eighteen votes, the Average Score calculator is randomly rounding some scores way up on non-straight votes. Some examples from various categories:

nineteen 5's / one 4 = 4.95 > shows as 5
twenty-two 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-four 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-seven 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-nine 5's / one 4 = 4.97 > shows as 5

but

twenty-one 5's / one 4 = 4.95 > shows as 4.95
twenty-five 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 4.96

Just to be sure it wasn't a cycle lag, I've waited a few days before posting this. Also, none of these are mine as I haven't broken that ceiling yet.

Given that some readers here use these scores for story selection, it seems that they should be accurate in fairness to all the writers. Is there some other factor past simple math involved? Do I need to find a hobby?

you're only going to drive yourself crazy doing this and it's not something that we're gonna devote time to.

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.

7 Feb 2021

Quote by kistinspencil
I have been catching up on my reading here and noticed something odd. Above eighteen votes, the Average Score calculator is randomly rounding some scores way up on non-straight votes. Some examples from various categories:

nineteen 5's / one 4 = 4.95 > shows as 5
twenty-two 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-four 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-seven 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 5
twenty-nine 5's / one 4 = 4.97 > shows as 5

but

twenty-one 5's / one 4 = 4.95 > shows as 4.95
twenty-five 5's / one 4 = 4.96 > shows as 4.96

Just to be sure it wasn't a cycle lag, I've waited a few days before posting this. Also, none of these are mine as I haven't broken that ceiling yet.

Given that some readers here use these scores for story selection, it seems that they should be accurate in fairness to all the writers. Is there some other factor past simple math involved? Do I need to find a hobby?

Sorry, Kistin. This is really not healthy. I am the one who messes about with the stats here on the site. Look what it has created in me over the past few years. Embarassed

7 Feb 2021

I'm sure I remember reading on here (quite a while ago) that, once a story has received 20 or more votes, the lowest score is dropped when calculating its average score. I guess this was put in place to filter out a vote that might have been based on a personal grudge or something.

7 Feb 2021

Quote by kistinspencil
Given that some readers here use these scores for story selection, it seems that they should be accurate in fairness to all the writers.

They are.

Firstly, if you are relying on those little bar charts at the bottom of the stories to work out what scores have been awarded then you’re wasting your time. They don’t show enough detail to work that out.

Second, the scores are calculated as trimmed mean averages. That means that the highest and lowest score values are excluded incrementally. That prevents the extremes from unfairly influencing the traditional mean and gives you a more accurate weighted score.

Your example of “twenty-one 5's / one 4 = 4.95 > shows as 4.95” is more likely to be:

20 x 5
2 x 4

If you remove the top and bottom scores you’re left with:

19 x 5
1 x 4

So, 19 x 5 is 95, plus the 4 equals 99. Divide that by 20 votes and you get 4.95, which is correct.

@Lizerotica

7 Feb 2021

Thank you all and I am very sorry to have brought it up, wasting your time. Exceedingly petty of me. I think I need to go away for a while.

7 Feb 2021

Quote by kistinspencil
Thank you all and I am very sorry to have brought it up, wasting your time. Exceedingly petty of me. I think I need to go away for a while.

Good Idea !

In the world's harsh wear and tear many a very sincere attachment is slowly obliterated.

Είμαι ταξιδιώτης τόσο στο χρόνο όσο και στο διάστημα

7 Feb 2021

Quote by Melissa999

Good Idea !

That's just mean. Which is why people leave.

7 Feb 2021

I think Kistin‘s question has been answered. Why don’t we leave it there please..

@Lizerotica

7 Feb 2021

Quote by kistinspencil
Thank you all and I am very sorry to have brought it up, wasting your time. Exceedingly petty of me. I think I need to go away for a while.

Careful. No drastic decisions, dear lady. You know this is your home now, and "we are family!"

8 Feb 2021

Quote by Melissa999

Good Idea !

Hurtful for no reason.

8 Feb 2021

Quote by kistinspencil
Thank you all and I am very sorry to have brought it up, wasting your time. Exceedingly petty of me. I think I need to go away for a while.

I think it was a very good question. When you can't understand something the only thing to do is ask. Isn't it "there is no wrong question". Good for you for bringing it up. It's terrible when you open yourself up innocently and someone strikes like a snake. They are in the wrong....certainly not you.