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Tuesday, December 04, 2007

A Few Posting Guidelines

Since many new members have joined and finally the qc is witnessing a flood of posts. I'd like to put in a few posting guidelines:

1) Do not cut/copy questions from another application like Word/Notepad or any other site to blogger, or if you do, make sure the font uniformity is not changed. (Roshan-this is mentioned keeping your previous "Question of the Day" post in mind.)

2)Avoid excessive use of Capitals, unless felt absolutely necessary. If you wish to highlight anything, try the bold or italics or italics-cum-bold option. It looks much better.

3) As seen in a few posts, it is not a bad idea to give out useful links for information within the questions or with the answers, but avoid excessively long links-unless they are worth it.

4) For the sake of being scrupulous- mention the sources of your questions. While answering- mention where you got the answer from(e.g. googled/wikied).

5) Try keeping pics as small as possible. However they should be distinguishable to the naked eye ;). And of course- do rename the pics so as not to give away the answers outright.

I believe thats it. If anyone has any points to add, then please do comment. Should I end the post on a dry note? Nah.

1)Connect the following:(try doing this one without googling, its quite easy)

Slats, Jackie,Tanner,The Fourth, Leo.

Another One-

2)Identify this Gentleman. Yes, he is Indian.

12 comments:

Sharat said...

Questions courtesy:-

1. Wikipedia
2. Google Images

roshan said...

1.MGM Lions
2.Ranjitsinghji
Answers courtesy:-

My head
Ideas
1.Maybe a cap on the number of questions per day?
2.Starting a links column giving out good quizzing links

Problem

1.I have 10 such long problems typed on Word...quite some time back...which I now intend to use as my "Question of the Day"...I really don't want to type them out again...what to do?

2.Is that Questions courtesy/Answer courtesy necassary...
3.Can we take it as a given---
Images...jpeg and gif format...taken from Google Images search
Png format...from wikipedia;-)
4.It seems I am the only one needing these guidelines..So will improve
5.Shit this turned out to be larger than your post

Sharat said...

Ranjitsinghji is not right.

I just posted a few guidelines. The site would look better if you follow them, thats all.

I request dd and abx to comment as well on the need for uniformity in posting- since there are many members and everyone seems so interested in posting right now.

Debasish said...

I totally agree with Sharat. A certain uniformity in posting would be appreciated. Excessive and irregular capitalization isn't aesthetically pleasing and should be avoided.
Certain things that I would like to add.
a. Use post labels. If tomorrow I want to look at all quizzes dealing with questions on Business I shouldn't have to look too hard.

b. Ensure that you post the correct answers in the comments of the original post and not in the body of your next post so the questions and answers can stay together. I wouldn't like to hunt around for the correct answers in other posts.

c. Ensure that you post correct answers. Period. Even if your quiz was cracked left, right and center and you've mentioned who all got which answer right still a last comment with all the right answers in one place would make things simpler. Quizmasters love having the last word anyway.

d. Mention your source. Especially for the text of questions. DO NOT copy questions from other quizzing sites. Come up with your own. If you think a question is cool and worth sharing do post it but mention your source then and there. No "I was going to post the source once the question was answered."
Images, I believe should be fine since saying Google Images doesn't really say anything as Google Images is not the source anyway. It's the means of getting to the actual source. Using images for a quiz should come under Fair Use.

I guess that's all for now. It's nice to see so much activity on the blog but keep the quality of the questions up to the mark too.

Rooney said...

I would like to mention 1 more thing. Before publishing the post, I should goto "edit html" and insert a < hr > tag in between every question. This creates a horizontal rule(line) in between every question and amazingly improves clarity, presentation and aesthetics.

Rohil

Anonymous said...

is it maharaja of kashmir....??..at the time of partition

Rooney said...

Is he Sultan of Hyderabad ?

Abhimanyu said...

I totally agree with what Sharat and DD have said. In addition:

1. @Roshan: You can try the "remove formatting" option when pasting questions from Word/Notepad. Pasting from Notepad does not induce so many formatting problems as pasting from Word does.

2. IMO, sources need to be mentioned only when the questions have been taken (directly/indirectly) from another quiz source. If the question is original, you can give the link to the source when giving out the answer.

3. I strongly discourage everyone from posting the answers after googling. If you can't wait for the answers, fine google for them, but please don't post them. It is very disheartening to make an original question and then come back and find that people have posted the answers after googling for them.

4. I agree with what DD said regarding labels. In some cases, though, labels may give out unnecessary hints. In such cases, one can add the labels to his post while posting the answers.

Keep up the good work!

Sharat said...

The pic is of the Last Nizam of Hyderabad. The ornaments he is wearing are part of the famous Nizam's jewels.

I mentioned he was Indian. not so much at the heart though. Extremely territorial guy. Read about him here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osman_Ali_Khan%2C_Asif_Jah_VII

As for the posting guidelines, I hope everyone to them!

roshan said...

@Debasish
The part that is based on my Mahaquizzer questions..If I give out my link beforehand for any "taken" questions...wouldn't the Quizzing ability be untested?For the same I feel an edited post giving the link is better..So theres a "Dharm Sankat" here if I do want to post such questions again..What do I do now when theres a conflict of opinion?
@Abx
Will try that.Also when do we become an "official" club?I spoke to Raja...He says the certis and trophy will be given in the First week of January
@Anyone
How to:
1.Cross post between blogs
2.Wipe out info from pictures I want to post..as in Edit pictures
3.make a collage of pictures for a connect so I dont waste time posting a lot of pictures
4.Yes I know I am bad with the Computer
R

Rooney said...

1.Cross post ? Do you want the post to appear on 1 blog while you post on another ? I dont think thats possible. Or
2>Use paint. use the selection toold on top right of the tool set (on the left). Select an area . press delete . or fill that area with another colour.
3>Use the same tool to select a pic. Reduce it in size by clicking and draggin on the squares on the corner points of the selected areas. Place the pics together and save.

But Paint isnt that good. Photoshop is much better but you need practice and time to master it.

Debasish said...

@Rohan:
Filched questions aren't supposed to test quizzing ability. If you find a question worth sharing but you didn't come up with it yourself then give the answer alongwith the question itself AND cite the source.

The NSIT QC Blog shouldn't have questions filched word for word from elsewhere.
Also see 2. from Abx's comment.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

A Few Posting Guidelines

Since many new members have joined and finally the qc is witnessing a flood of posts. I'd like to put in a few posting guidelines:

1) Do not cut/copy questions from another application like Word/Notepad or any other site to blogger, or if you do, make sure the font uniformity is not changed. (Roshan-this is mentioned keeping your previous "Question of the Day" post in mind.)

2)Avoid excessive use of Capitals, unless felt absolutely necessary. If you wish to highlight anything, try the bold or italics or italics-cum-bold option. It looks much better.

3) As seen in a few posts, it is not a bad idea to give out useful links for information within the questions or with the answers, but avoid excessively long links-unless they are worth it.

4) For the sake of being scrupulous- mention the sources of your questions. While answering- mention where you got the answer from(e.g. googled/wikied).

5) Try keeping pics as small as possible. However they should be distinguishable to the naked eye ;). And of course- do rename the pics so as not to give away the answers outright.

I believe thats it. If anyone has any points to add, then please do comment. Should I end the post on a dry note? Nah.

1)Connect the following:(try doing this one without googling, its quite easy)

Slats, Jackie,Tanner,The Fourth, Leo.

Another One-

2)Identify this Gentleman. Yes, he is Indian.

12 comments:

Sharat said...

Questions courtesy:-

1. Wikipedia
2. Google Images

roshan said...

1.MGM Lions
2.Ranjitsinghji
Answers courtesy:-

My head
Ideas
1.Maybe a cap on the number of questions per day?
2.Starting a links column giving out good quizzing links

Problem

1.I have 10 such long problems typed on Word...quite some time back...which I now intend to use as my "Question of the Day"...I really don't want to type them out again...what to do?

2.Is that Questions courtesy/Answer courtesy necassary...
3.Can we take it as a given---
Images...jpeg and gif format...taken from Google Images search
Png format...from wikipedia;-)
4.It seems I am the only one needing these guidelines..So will improve
5.Shit this turned out to be larger than your post

Sharat said...

Ranjitsinghji is not right.

I just posted a few guidelines. The site would look better if you follow them, thats all.

I request dd and abx to comment as well on the need for uniformity in posting- since there are many members and everyone seems so interested in posting right now.

Debasish said...

I totally agree with Sharat. A certain uniformity in posting would be appreciated. Excessive and irregular capitalization isn't aesthetically pleasing and should be avoided.
Certain things that I would like to add.
a. Use post labels. If tomorrow I want to look at all quizzes dealing with questions on Business I shouldn't have to look too hard.

b. Ensure that you post the correct answers in the comments of the original post and not in the body of your next post so the questions and answers can stay together. I wouldn't like to hunt around for the correct answers in other posts.

c. Ensure that you post correct answers. Period. Even if your quiz was cracked left, right and center and you've mentioned who all got which answer right still a last comment with all the right answers in one place would make things simpler. Quizmasters love having the last word anyway.

d. Mention your source. Especially for the text of questions. DO NOT copy questions from other quizzing sites. Come up with your own. If you think a question is cool and worth sharing do post it but mention your source then and there. No "I was going to post the source once the question was answered."
Images, I believe should be fine since saying Google Images doesn't really say anything as Google Images is not the source anyway. It's the means of getting to the actual source. Using images for a quiz should come under Fair Use.

I guess that's all for now. It's nice to see so much activity on the blog but keep the quality of the questions up to the mark too.

Rooney said...

I would like to mention 1 more thing. Before publishing the post, I should goto "edit html" and insert a < hr > tag in between every question. This creates a horizontal rule(line) in between every question and amazingly improves clarity, presentation and aesthetics.

Rohil

Anonymous said...

is it maharaja of kashmir....??..at the time of partition

Rooney said...

Is he Sultan of Hyderabad ?

Abhimanyu said...

I totally agree with what Sharat and DD have said. In addition:

1. @Roshan: You can try the "remove formatting" option when pasting questions from Word/Notepad. Pasting from Notepad does not induce so many formatting problems as pasting from Word does.

2. IMO, sources need to be mentioned only when the questions have been taken (directly/indirectly) from another quiz source. If the question is original, you can give the link to the source when giving out the answer.

3. I strongly discourage everyone from posting the answers after googling. If you can't wait for the answers, fine google for them, but please don't post them. It is very disheartening to make an original question and then come back and find that people have posted the answers after googling for them.

4. I agree with what DD said regarding labels. In some cases, though, labels may give out unnecessary hints. In such cases, one can add the labels to his post while posting the answers.

Keep up the good work!

Sharat said...

The pic is of the Last Nizam of Hyderabad. The ornaments he is wearing are part of the famous Nizam's jewels.

I mentioned he was Indian. not so much at the heart though. Extremely territorial guy. Read about him here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osman_Ali_Khan%2C_Asif_Jah_VII

As for the posting guidelines, I hope everyone to them!

roshan said...

@Debasish
The part that is based on my Mahaquizzer questions..If I give out my link beforehand for any "taken" questions...wouldn't the Quizzing ability be untested?For the same I feel an edited post giving the link is better..So theres a "Dharm Sankat" here if I do want to post such questions again..What do I do now when theres a conflict of opinion?
@Abx
Will try that.Also when do we become an "official" club?I spoke to Raja...He says the certis and trophy will be given in the First week of January
@Anyone
How to:
1.Cross post between blogs
2.Wipe out info from pictures I want to post..as in Edit pictures
3.make a collage of pictures for a connect so I dont waste time posting a lot of pictures
4.Yes I know I am bad with the Computer
R

Rooney said...

1.Cross post ? Do you want the post to appear on 1 blog while you post on another ? I dont think thats possible. Or
2>Use paint. use the selection toold on top right of the tool set (on the left). Select an area . press delete . or fill that area with another colour.
3>Use the same tool to select a pic. Reduce it in size by clicking and draggin on the squares on the corner points of the selected areas. Place the pics together and save.

But Paint isnt that good. Photoshop is much better but you need practice and time to master it.

Debasish said...

@Rohan:
Filched questions aren't supposed to test quizzing ability. If you find a question worth sharing but you didn't come up with it yourself then give the answer alongwith the question itself AND cite the source.

The NSIT QC Blog shouldn't have questions filched word for word from elsewhere.
Also see 2. from Abx's comment.