Subject: EDQ #2: Categorization
Posted by: looney_tunes
Date: Mar 23 13
The second topic we have decided to address in the Editors Discussing Quizzes series is categorization. I am known as LT or Looney here in the Lounge, where I thoroughly enjoy participating in all the activities that emerge from Kyle's fiendish brain. I have been editing since 2010, starting in Humanities and then adding Literature and Books for Kids into my repertoire. Figuring out which category is most appropriate for a quiz is something that I have dealt with extensively both as an author and as an editor, so I am going to start the discussion. Editors in other categories, who are aware of the specific categorization issues that are relevant in their areas, will add their words of wisdom, and we would love to have anyone ask questions that we will try to answer.
I am having technical issues, so am going to leave the header as just this introduction, and post my opening ideas as a series of responses.
Posted by: looney_tunes
Date: Mar 23 13
The second topic we have decided to address in the Editors Discussing Quizzes series is categorization. I am known as LT or Looney here in the Lounge, where I thoroughly enjoy participating in all the activities that emerge from Kyle's fiendish brain. I have been editing since 2010, starting in Humanities and then adding Literature and Books for Kids into my repertoire. Figuring out which category is most appropriate for a quiz is something that I have dealt with extensively both as an author and as an editor, so I am going to start the discussion. Editors in other categories, who are aware of the specific categorization issues that are relevant in their areas, will add their words of wisdom, and we would love to have anyone ask questions that we will try to answer.
I am having technical issues, so am going to leave the header as just this introduction, and post my opening ideas as a series of responses.
50 replies. On page 2 of 3 pages. 1 2 3
agony
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Categorization is one aspect of the site which shows how organically this place has grown. When the categories were set up and the basic bones put in place, there was no notion that it would ever grow to anything like the size it is now. A system that seems to make sense when you have a few hundred quizzes looks different when there are ten thousand. Reply #21. Mar 24 13, 3:30 PM |
spanishliz
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"If I had two solid weeks with nothing else to do, and if Terry hadn't specifically asked us not to delete categories without a very good reason because it causes headaches for him, I'd redo Music from top to bottom, moving thousands of quizzes and totally eliminating huge categories. " I would love to do the same to some parts of Movies! Reply #22. Mar 24 13, 7:17 PM |
beergirllaura 
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Well, I would simply like to thank the editors for always finding the appropriate places for quizzes. It can be a very frustrating endeavor, so THANK YOU! Reply #23. Mar 24 13, 7:27 PM |
Mariamir
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About categorization, I have a question. At what point does a Word Play Brain Teaser be considered easy enough to be put in For Children? Reply #24. Mar 25 13, 12:53 AM |
nannywoo
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What about changing a category completely after setting up a template? Does that poes any problems? Specifically, I had set up a template for a quiz in Social History for a commission title, but I just got a bright idea for that title in an entirely different category - Brain Teasers - that will qualify the quiz to count in another challenge at the same time. I tinkered a bit with changing categories, but the menu shows ROOT and the various categories. So, before I mess up the template (I can continue with the Social History quiz) what will happen if I save one of those ROOT categories? Will I then get a chance to put it in one of the specific Brain Teaser categories (rhyming)? Reply #25. Mar 25 13, 7:48 AM |
Lpez
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Yes, when you click on any root category and then click "save quiz", when you go back to edting the subcategories will be displayed. Reply #26. Mar 25 13, 7:49 AM |
| nannywoo
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pose NOT poes - importance of editing - :) Reply #27. Mar 25 13, 7:56 AM |
| agony
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As Lpez said, it's no problem at all. Click on ROOT, save. Then go back in - don't use your back button, but actually re-enter the template - and when you click on the drop down you'll see a whole new set of options. You can keep doing this as often as you need to, if you are headed for a sub sub sub category. Reply #28. Mar 25 13, 9:41 AM |
| salami_swami
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The biggest thing I've wondered about categorization is about Spongebob. I don't ever plan on writing a quiz, but I was curious as to why there are 25 or so in For Children, and another 30 or so in Television. It looks like quotes and specific episodes are in TV, but there are also a few specific episodes in For Children as well. There are also general Spongebob quizzes in both sections. Is it the way the questions are portrayed, e.g. if they are written with a younger audience in mind it goes to For Children? I have tried playing a few quizzes in each section and cannot figure out why some are For Children and some are Television. I'm sure there are other shows and movies with this same issue (where they appear in both categories), but this is the only one that sticks out to me. Possibly because of the fact that I used to play all the Spongebob quizzes. :P Difficulty also doesn't seem to play a part. There aren't any "very easy" in the television section, sure. But there are several "easy", and in the For Children section, there are plenty of "difficult" and even a "very difficult". So, enlighten, please, to me, this one particular category, as well as any others that may have quizzes legitimately be placed in two places such as that? I mean, I understand the Harry Potter thing being confused, looking in literature and not thinking there are any quizzes about it; since it's in For Children.... But to find them in two places has me a bit confused. :P Reply #29. Mar 25 13, 9:46 AM |
guitargoddess
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For the Spongebob ones, the simple ones go to FC and the more detailed ones are in Television due to the show having older viewers as well. I think most of them do come to TV since there's really only do many simple Qs to ask and most have been. For the most part quizzes on shows go either on Television OR For Children, but there's been other cases where we've each accepted a quiz on the same show not realizing the other category already had. Usually it's the Disney Channel or Nickelodeon type shows that cause a little confusion on this regard and when I see a quiz in the TV queue that looks like it could possibly fit FC, I do a search to see if we already have quizzes on the show and if so in which category. If not, then usually a quick look online will say what age group the show is aimed at. If its borderline, say aimed at 11/12 year olds I'll ask Natalie if she wants it for FC or prefers to keep it in TV Reply #30. Mar 25 13, 10:27 AM |
| guitargoddess
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To add on, the only Spongebob quizzes in FC that are harder than average were placed online in 2002 and 2003, I'm guessing before it was decided that harder ones should go in TV. Of course 'harder' is a judgement call and a quiz that we think is too easy for TV may end up being a bit tough in FC By harder, we generally mean if the questions ask specific details from specific episodes, or specific quotes, etc, rather than general questions about the show Reply #31. Mar 25 13, 10:35 AM |
remote9
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I had a question about categorization too. Why is the category "Teen Titans" placed in Television while shows like Avatar: The last Airbender, Power Rangers, etc. are in For Children? I thought that they were similar kind of shows and attracted the same age group. Please pardon my ignorance. Reply #32. Mar 25 13, 10:48 AM |
| agony
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I'm not sure how Television does it, but the way we decide if a book goes in FC or Lit is pretty simple. If I suspect when editing a quiz that the book is aimed at younger readers, I'll do a quick search on Amazon and look at the cover. That almost always does it - book covers these days are very good code for what you are likely to find inside. There are a few authors - Terry Pratchett and CS Lewis come to mind - who have categories in both Lit and FC. This is because they wrote certain books for children, and others for adults. So Lewis quizzes on the Narnia books are found in FC, while quizzes on Christian theology are found in Lit. Sometimes it's just a coin toss. I suspect that if the Harry Potter series had been completely finished before the Harry Potter category was established in FC, those quizzes would go to Lit, as the series becomes much more adult as Harry grows. When the series started, though, it was very much a kids series, and FC was the logical place for it. Now that there are hundreds of quizzes, that's where it will stay. Reply #33. Mar 25 13, 11:19 AM |
| guitargoddess
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Sometimes when categorization comes down to should it go in Television or TV for Kids, it could be that whoever wrote the first quiz on it submitted to one or the other and we didn't think it REALLY didn't fit, so then it makes sense to house future quizzes on the same show in the same category. I am not familiar with Avatar: The Last Airbender so can't say why precisely that one has been found a home in For Children, but sometimes title/description may help us decide. e.g. *Teen* Titans suggests older kids, maybe age 13/14ish and not necessarily the age group aimed for in FC. There is definitely grey area when it comes to shows that appeal to preteen-ish crowds. We do try to research the shows a little bit, look for where like quizzes are housed, but there'll probably always be some genre overlap between the two areas. Reply #34. Mar 25 13, 3:44 PM |
looney_tunes
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When there does seem to be genuine overlap, it would make sense to consider your target audience for the quiz you intend to write, and place it accordingly. A number of the topics you see in For Children have counterparts in other categories, but the level of complexity (both in concepts and in language) will be different. If in doubt, you could sample some from each spot, and decide which is more like what you have in mind. Reply #35. Mar 25 13, 4:55 PM |
NatalieW
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In reply to Lpez, editors often discuss categorisation of quizzes before the editing process begins if there are two possible places for the quiz to go (for example, the main History category and the kids' History categories). This is what happened with your quiz. As has been mentioned with other answers in this discussion, there can be a fine line between locating a quiz in one place in preference to another. If you play the quizzes already online in a subcategory to which you wish to submit, this will give you an idea of what types of questions work best there. History quizzes in For Children tend to be along easier lines, but it doesn't mean that every single question in them has to be completely basic - a quiz like yours that offers a bit more of a challenge is definitely not a bad thing! If you aren't sure of where your quiz might work best, you can always contact one of the editors in the respective categories to check. NatalieW For Children editor Reply #36. Mar 25 13, 8:48 PM |
| Lpez
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Thank you very much. Reply #37. Mar 25 13, 8:49 PM |
| NatalieW
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In reply to Mariamir, a good thing to do to get a feel for the relative difficulty of kids' brain teasers quizzes compared to the adult ones is to play some from each category. The kids' quizzes will usually be much less complicated and use shorter words (for example, in add-a-letter quizzes). In addition, the use of fill-in-the-blank questions is more limited in For Children. Fill-in-the-blank questions are permitted in the wordplay subcategories of For Children, but the answers must be one word only, of no more than six letters. NatalieW For Children editor Reply #38. Mar 25 13, 8:52 PM |
skunkee
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I'd like to add a few words about the Celebrities category. It's not as straightforward as you would think. Basically we accept quizzes about people in the entertainment industry, so we don't accept quizzes (or even questions) about politicians, authors, athletes, models, royalty and etc. unless they ALSO have a career in the entertainment industry. Quizzes about most of those people would probably end up in People or Sports. Quizzes on individual musicians or bands go to the Music category, which has been discussed at length, but mixed quizzes on a variety of musicians or bands often find a home in Celebrities. Quizzes in the Celebrities category should include a mix of questions about the celebrity's personal life and their body of work. So if your quiz is all about the movies that Maryl Streep has made, for example, then it should be placed in Movies. If it also includes questions about Meryl's personal life, her family, education, charitable work or how she got started in the biz, for example, then it belongs in Celbrities. Reply #39. Mar 25 13, 9:37 PM |
Snowman
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And to complement skunkee's post, the rules for People are a bit more straightforward (although only a bit). It's easier to define who belongs in People by listing those that don't. People does not accept quizzes on; individuals who work in the entertainment industry (they belong in Celebrities as explained above); musicians (they belong in Music); religious figures (Religion); politicians (World); or sports stars (who belong in Sports). Everyone else is fair game, although questions on authors should not focus solely on their works, as such a quiz is better suited to Literature. One other point to note in People is the difference between "Other People" and "Mixed People". Generally, speaking "Other People" is the category if you want to write a quiz about individuals or a collection of people who don't fit into any other category. "Mixed People" is the category to go to if you are compiling a thematic People quiz, such as those connected by their hometown, their first name or something more ephemeral. In these mixed quizzes, we are more forgiving about the subjects that can be accepted for questions. Unlike Celebrities, there is no blanket ban on questions being asked about any particular type of person (except serial killers)--all we ask is that in any mixed quiz, the majority of questions should be on people who would be housed in People were you to write a quiz about them alone. Reply #40. Mar 26 13, 3:30 AM |
50 replies. On page 2 of 3 pages. 1 2 3
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