Sourcerers Project - Proposed Change [closed]

Question

The Sourcerers Project currently awards new members a Sourcerer badge, if they have added and tracked at least one valid source to an unsourced profile in the first monthly Sourcerers Challenge they participated in. The project audits new members the first time they participate and again when they achieve over 500 contributions in a monthly challenge for the first time, with occasional audits done when circumstance necessitates. Audit messages are sent to the participants giving them advice on how to improve.  Audits can result in a participant not being awarded a badge, or not being awarded an Owl sticker (a measure of number of contributions achieved in any monthly challenge). Currently, once a badge is awarded, it is almost never removed.

Increasingly, however, members of WikiTree and other projects may consider the Sourcerer badge an endorsement of a member’s sourcing skill. The project has found a number of cases where audits show a few participants have not learned from repeated audits.

We would like to propose a change to the rules such that a member who has received three audits and has still not adopted the advice given has their badge removed. This would not prevent them registering to participate again, though should they do so, the Sourcerers badge would only be awarded if the audit considers they are meeting the standards set by the project.

We welcome feedback from Sourcerers and other members of WikiTree on this proposal.

Comments

For clarification, see New Sourcerers FAQ.However, this is not a debate of our standards.

Answer 1

I agree that badges should be removed after a third audit shows the participant has not adopted Sourcerers sourcing standards.

Comments

I'm not a member of the Sourcerers Project. I do agree that a member should be sourcing profiles according to the standards set by the project.

Sourcing can be a steep learning curve, but the project does give advice and if that advice is ignored, that is a problem.

---

Badges should mean something!

---

That seems reasonable to me.

---

If someone has been repeatedly audited, and still not improved, I don't see any reason they should keep the badge. As Bartley says, badges should mean something.

---

I agree with Bartley, "Badges should mean something." A badge should symbolize at least a basic level of expertise on a given topic. Otherwise, they become meaningless - nothing more than "bling" for our profiles. I think all projects should follow your lead in tightening up their badging policies.

Answer 2

I disagree with badges being removed.

Answer 3

I am no longer participating in the Project. So, you can remove my badge.

Comments

Sorry to hear that, Tommy!  I have removed your badge, as requested.  Hope you are well!

Answer 4

hi Wendy, not sure I even have sourcerers badge, would have to look, although I do follow this tag.  Meawhile, it would be appropriate to include in your post what the project criteria are for your ''standards''.  I quit doing thons a long time ago, but I still do a lot of sourcing on existing profiles.

Comments

Thank you, Danielle!  You are still a badged Sourcerer. See the Comment added above with a link to our new Sourcerers FAQ.

---

Thanks, that helps.

---

I suspect there are several of us that are like Danielle. I have the badge; awarded way back  in 2015 when the project started. Like Danielle, I no longer do thons or participate in challenges. I do add sources to unsourced profiles ; sometimes even  alongside thons. I just don't track them because  I'm not into garnering points.

Vis a vis the question, I applaud this check on on  the validity of sourcing . One of my reasons for not participating in challenges is my perception that quantitiy beats quality.

(Would have changed this to an answer but can't do it)

Answer 5

Hi Wendy,

I am not part of this project, yet! But, in the thons I participated in, they gave me a badge BEFORE the thon began.  But I was always wondering, but afraid to ask, why not give me the badge AFTER the thon was over? How do they know I am even going to follow through? (I did, and I had a great time)

Just a thought, from now on, why not award a badge AFTER the participant has contributed to the standards you wish to see.  (then you don't have to upset a member by taking the badge away)

Comments

Thank you, David!  Hope that "yet" means you might join in.

I can’t speak for Thons, since I am not involved with their operation.  The Sourcerers project gives a badge after participation, but a badge is given if they improved one profile with a qualifying source, even if they tracked changes to a number of profiles, some of which did not qualify. It is hoped that the audit helps them improve subsequently.

We don’t wish to upset people by removing badges, but we do want our members to contribute quality research to WikiTree.

---

@Wendy  Look over my recent contributions (my profile page / contributions / look for Dave Draper 1942-2021 Body builder Notable (this is not me, I just cleaned up his profile) and If you feel I have the right stuff, I would be honored to sign up...tell me where!

---

Hi David!  I will private message you.

Answer 6

I did not know about audits in the sourcerer project. I am a sourcerer and hope I am doing it right. Maybe not removing the badge but not giving stickers would work. I care more about my monthly owl sticker than an badge that I got years ago.

Comments

Hi Nancy!  We normally only audit when someone first joins, or when someone contributes 500 or more contributions, unless there is an issue to follow up on.  Your contributions seem fine.

We already adjust scores based upon the results of the audit, which can result in not getting an owl sticker. I expect different people have different motivations, though.