How Fair Are You in Awarding BRs?
By worldwise1
@worldwise1 (14885)
United States
September 16, 2008 2:12pm CST
This question popped into my mind as I was responding to a discussion not long ago. I considered my response to be in the BR-category, but, at the same time, I didn't think I had a snowballs chance....of receiving it because I don't think I'm on the posters friends list. That prompted me to wonder, Do the rest of you award BRs solely to their friends or are you non-biased? I have struggled with this dilemma in the past when I get more than one really great response to a discussion, but I would never give the BR to a friend just because they are my friend. In fact, I often give them to people I have had no prior contact with. What about you?
5 people like this
15 responses
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I usually use a grading system. Which I calculate by how much they stayed on topic, how much they contributed to the discussion, and if they used manners when replying even when disagreeing. Sometimes it gets rewarded to friends, sometimes it's to people I have only had one talk with, so it just depends on what was talked about and what not.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
20 Sep 08
My requirements are pretty much the same as yours, jeweled. With me if I see that someone is very knowledgeable or has gone to the trouble to do some research on my topic it goes a long way towards helping me make my decision.
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
22 Sep 08
Thanks for BR!
Yeah it helps when people are willing to take the time to research out their answer before posting. Shows they are paying attention to the subject matter at hand and not just trying to make that extra one or two cents for posting a response.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
17 Sep 08
For me, I don't care if you are on my friend's list or not, a best response is a best response. I know it when I read it. and I would Never give the best response to Only my friends. The problem is that sometimes there are more than one post I would give the best response to so I don't pick a best response. Also I have started posts that will never have a best response because they are purely opinions and they were written in a way there isn't a best response.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
17 Sep 08
You have broken it down into terms anyone could understand, sarah.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
19 Sep 08
I believe I am as fair as can be..I give the BR's to the best response, hence the meaning..I may give my friends the BR more often, but that is probably because they know me and know what I am actually looking for in a response, but I have given many who were not my friends too. Unfortuantely, between not having a computer all summer long, and then because of the storm, Ike, I had no power for a week, I am way too far behind in giving out the BR's..I will have to take time to catch up on that..
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
20 Sep 08
It's only natural, carmelanirel, that since we tend to interact more with our friends they probably earn more BRs, but that doesn't exclude the possibility that someone from outside our circle of friends can sometimes outdo them. That is why I am pleased when they respond to my discussions. I have made a lot of new friends this way.
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
17 Sep 08
When awarding best responses I look at the responses and consider the best ones to my mind. I do not award best friends so I don't even look if they are my friends.
1 person likes this
@rkrish (3003)
• India
17 Sep 08
I always wait for 4 days before giving BR. Because i often struck with getting better responses later and i feel dropping earlier. And there is no discrimination of givng BR on usernames, that depends on responses. Sometimes first preference goes to what meet my mind and the second the wrold better talk.
1 person likes this
@mcjohnson7 (301)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I am fairly new here, so haven't started that many discussions. I have awarded only one BR so far but I based it on what I thought was the best response to the discussion. Another query I have is how long do you wait before awarding? I don't want to award and then have someone post a better response later. I have made several friends but would not award them based solely on that fact.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
20 Sep 08
it's really up to you, mcjohnson, how long you decide to wait to award a BR. The guideline I use is when I see that my discussion has received no further responses after a day or so then I will close it out. Sometimes, however, if I only get 1 or 2 responses I don't bother with it at all.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
16 Sep 08
I am totally non-biased my friend, to the extent that I actually awarded a best response to a newbie! They had about 5 or 10 posts but the response they gave deserved the best response twice over! They had really thought about it, gave an honest, informative and interesting answer. Basically I look at the response and if it merits a best response then I will award it to them, friend or no friend, newbie or veteran absolutely makes no difference, the only thing I am guilty of is forgetting to award best response, I know bad wolfie!
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
17 Sep 08
Some of these newbies really are sharp, wolfie, and I have been known to give them a BR every now and then also. My post was not meant to agitate or accuse anyone. It's just that I do find a sort of high schoolish clique mentality among some of the members here.
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I don't judge a response by whether or not the myLotter is on my friend's list or not. I'd feel guilty by giving a best response in this manner. Many times I've given a best response and was so sorry I jumped on it too soon because a better response came in after I made a decision. I try to wait a week or more before awarding any member. Do have a bad habit of waiting too long and forgetting about it until months later..lol
1 person likes this
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
16 Sep 08
I am the same way. There have been a lot of times that I couldn't decide which response was the best when i start a discussion. I usally wait a few days before I choose.Sometimes I wait untill the end of the month.
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
16 Sep 08
To me, best response means just that, Best Response. It doesn't matter if the person is on my friends list or not, it just matters that out of the responses I get to a discussion, this is the one I feel is the best of them. To only award them to people in my friends list would be unfair, as even though I try to pick the best people for my friends, there may be other answers that were better than theirs. So considering people on my list doesn't even come into my mind when I am looking to award a best response, just what I feel is best out of what I have received.
1 person likes this
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
17 Sep 08
When I am ready to resolve my discussions, I will go back and read each response again. Those with a yes or no, or really did not answer my question, or who was not descriptive in their response, I eliminate them right away. Then I re read the remaining responses, from there I will select the best response. I really do not even look at the person's name. I have so little iteraction with people on my friend's list, that I wouldn't recognize the name as a friend anyway. I usually wait at least a week before I make a selection, that way I am giving everyone a chance to respond to the discussion.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
17 Sep 08
I pretty much know all of the people on my friends list, sudalunts, but that doesn't decide who I will award the BR to.
@ananth_kamma (675)
• India
17 Sep 08
i dont care, weather he is a friend or not, the best answer will get the BR. if not satisfied with the answer, then i will mark none......
1 person likes this
