Hi all:

I've been using the "report error/typo/spelling mistake" prompt (bottom of every quiz page, before you click to learn the answers) to suggest corrections of spelling and grammatical errors.

I've been advised by the editors that I should not do that. That prompt is to be used for factual errors only. Spelling and grammatical corrections should be sent via the "Send a Suggestion" prompt.

I am happy to oblige, but would like to suggest that the site reword the "report error/typo/spelling mistake" prompt to make it more obviously for factual errors only.

I'm puzzled by what you say. This is only ONE prompt and that should be used for both errors of fact and of language (including typos). The prompt about reporting mistakes says what it means - and means what it says.

It sounds to me as if there's a misunderstanding somewhere.

FT Editor

I don't see any misunderstanding. This member posted this after I told them after approximately 20 CNs over time on grammar issues, that sending a CN on a grammar issue is not what the 'Correction Notice' prompt is for. As most of their CNs were opinionated grammar issues, I then explained to him, the CN prompt is for factual issues that affect the outcome of the answer. I then suggested to use the 'Suggestion' prompt to the author instead of sending a CN.

The only thing I would add is that if you yourself are the one making the spelling errors and are asking that the author add your mis-spelling as a 'correct' spelling for a fill in the blank answer, the 'report typo' link is not the correct venue.

I quite agree with my fellow editors. I can't tell you how many times I've been sent a correction note because the spelling I have used in my quizzes didn't match what the player thought it should be.

I was once given a correction note that said I spelled 'neighborhood' wrong in a multiple choice question, when in fact it was spelled right. I was sent a correction note that said I spelled 'judgment' (as in WWE's Judgment Day), grant it, the word can be spelled two ways, but according to the pay per view, it is spelled "Judgment" not "Judgement".

If a player continually sends correction notes on what they think is spelled incorrectly, then all that is doing is sending invalid correction notes.

Believe me, no one likes to get invalid correction notes, so if players are going to do that, then I have to agree with what Nightmare said.

Also, what Dakota said made me want to add that I've also seen a lot of correction notices when a player said spellings such as colour were incorrect. Well, that's the British spelling and it is correct.

I don't know the exact circumstances of what you sent in your correction notice and what the editor said, but the above was just a thought that happens a lot and prompts me to ask people not to send such things as correction notices.

Please note that my suggestion was NOT intended to challenge nightmare's request to me. I will abide by the rules of the site.

My purpose was to request clarifying the site's language on the prompt. The prompt I was using clearly states we are to use it to "report error/typo/spelling mistakes". If it is not to be used that way, why not change the wording?

P.S.

I just took an excellent quiz, and wanted to correct a spelling mistake (in a proper noun). I looked for the correct prompt, but I could not find any "send a suggestion" prompt in the quiz, neither on the question page nor the answer page.

(I ended up sending the author a compliment--well earned--and then including the correction in the same message. I feel that sort of saps some of the strength out of the compliment part of the message, however, and will continue to look for the "send a suggestion" prompt.)

Please, everyone, let's be clear on this.

If there is an obvious misspelling or grammar error, then please DO use the "send a correction notice" link. If you do this, then, if the quizmaker is no longer around or chooses not to fix the quiz, the editors will see the note and deal with it.

If, instead, you send a suggestion, the editors will NOT see it.

But please, be certain that what you send IS about an error!

Thanks for making this clear crisw. I have always used the 'send a correction' link to report typo and factual errors, but was beginning to think, in spite of this topic being discussed in detail elsewhere, that I was now wrong in so doing.
Although the 'report error' facility is available before clicking 'submit', I can't see much point in reporting errors at this stage. Surely it's best to see the answers and notes first, then report any and all errors together? Reporting errors before submitting answers, could easilly lead to sending two separate correction notices for the same quiz, which is both unnecessary and possibly offensive.
As regards reporting punctuation errors, I would not do this unless it was quite obvious, such as starting a normal sentence without a capital letter, or failure to capitalize a proper noun.

I often get people who feel that I should have accepted answer x y or z as well as what I put in as an answer on some of my word quizzes. Many times they do this as a correction notice, but, I do feel that as the quizzes of that nature have been on a long time without too many errors in understanding, I am willing to consider a new possibility of course, but I feel that's more of a suggestion. I have added quite a few and tend not to do many FITB questions any longer because of this aspect!

If they feel that something like banana _____ hairs is something other than split, then they're welcome to suggest it, however, they should acknowledge that the word split is valid as well. If my clue was ice cream treat/nitpick, their 'suggestion' had better be pretty good!

For me, this should be a suggestion.

If I've misspelled 'split' and put 'spilt' then I require a correction note.

If you disagree with my spelling of that word, yet my spelling of it is accepted in my part of the world, then that would be a suggestion. It would not offend me as a correction note, but, you should consider my version before you suggest yours.


Punctuation errors are a greyer area as well as some spelling differences. As many have said here and elsewhere, we're international, and we have editors from many areas of the world now. This means that we can check with someone from that country if we think it's necessary before we put a quiz online.

Correction notes are a great idea, but, it's not good to send one unless you're certain that it's indeed an error.
One other thing that Agony stresses, if your sentence or word is creating a number of correction notes from players, it might be worth changing it. This is regardless of it being right, but because it might be unclear to players.


Bruyere, funtrivia editor

I agree whole-heartedly with what has been expressed so far, in that actual errors, whether they be factual, spelling or typographical, need to be sent as a correction note.
One of my pet peeves is interpretive correction notes, particularly those that do not affect the answer in any way.
If, in the Interesting Information section the QM makes a comment about how they interpreted the events in a certain scene, and you disagree with their interpretation, by all means send a note. Just do not use a Correction Note to do so, because no error exists. Both opinions are valid and correct, and while dicussing them can be enjoyable, you have no right to tell someone else that their opinion should be changed to agree with yours.
I also don't understand the need to be picky over certain words. In one quiz I wrote, I received a Correction Note because I described 2 characters as friends. The note said they were brothers, not friends. First of all there was no evidence to substantiate the brothers claim, but even if there had been, why can't brothers also be friends?

Very helpful distinctions, bruyere and skunkee. Thank you.