Becoming an editor

[Guest]

Hi, first of all, I think having this forum is a great idea /images/icons/laugh.gif

 

To what's important... I found several categories I would like to become an editor of, all of which does not currently have an editor. There aren't many sites in it as well - probably around 10.

 

I'm wondering what the standards are to become editors. I don't have a website at the moment but I spend a considerable amount of time at forums learning stuff - all of which are related to those categories. I started out a few months ago, each day spending anywhere between 3 hours to 10 hours - yes... I'm an addict /images/icons/smile.gif

 

Is that sufficient enough? Or is Dmoz looking at other aspects of 'qualifications'?

[apeuro]

You don't need to have any "qualifications" to become an ODP editor. You do however, need to be able to write in proper English (or in a foreign language if you choose to be a World editor), and be able to write titles and descriptions for sites in accordance with the ODP Guidelines.

[Guest]

It's pretty easy to become an editor; just be honest on the application, do a good job with the descriptions for the sites you suggest, and describe your experience or knowledge in that field. If you come across as being competent you'll probably be approved.

 

Starting with a small category like that is a good idea, especially if you know of a lot of good sites you can add to it's listings. That's a good way to get good experience, which would help in future editing.

[vladd]

Hello.

 

First, thanks for asking.

 

The mininum standard is to be able to spell correctly, and to avoid the promotional language in descriptions. It is highly unlikely to accept an editor which gives as description: "Click HERE! The best site on the net".

 

Just supply 3 URLs with good titles and descriptions. Be honest about your affiliation and your reason for applying. Knowledge related to the topic is a plus, but it's not a requirement. If you have an area that you are familiar with, consider applying for it :/images/dmoz/purplegrin.gif

[Guest]

How does Dmoz "filter" who may be qualified and who may not be? Certainly there are millions of people who fits in the requirement you specified (english & ODP Guidelines).

 

So Dmoz ask for honesty and the ability to write good descriptions and titles? /images/icons/smile.gif That I can do... spent a lot of time at Zeal lol

 

Those replies came really quickly /images/icons/laugh.gif Came as I was typing the last setence lol

[enarra]

Meta editors (and staff editors) review applications. All applications are looked at by a human and judged for honesty, quality, and a few other factors such as the size of the category the person has applied for.

[apeuro]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr><p>How does Dmoz "filter" who may be qualified and who may not be? Certainly there are millions of people who fits in the requirement you specified (english & ODP Guidelines).<p><hr></blockquote>

 

Funny as it may seem, a large portion of the applications fail one or both of those qualifications. /images/icons/wink.gif

[Guest]

Would it be right to conclude that:

 

-if you are honest - unlikely to exploit your 'power'

-can write 'good' titles and descriptions - informative and concise

-if you are able to handle the category due to its size

-plus other factors which may exist for specific categories

 

You can be an editor?

[apeuro]

Absolutely /images/icons/smile.gif

[Guest]

Sounds good to me /images/icons/laugh.gif

 

More questions...

 

What are the significance of the following:

-Describing your experience and interest in the category

-Your business affiliation in this category (what exact does it mean by 'affiliation' here?)

-Do all editors need to have an existing website?

[Guest]

No, editors don't have to have their own website. The affiliation part of the form is where you'd list your website, or any websites that you might help out or work on, that would be listed in that category. This is one of the places where being honest is important. /images/icons/smile.gif

 

Describing your experience and interest in the category tells the editor that reviews your application why you want to edit it and perhaps how familiar you are with the subject matter.

[Guest]

Sounds good /images/icons/smile.gif How long does it take to reivew the applications?

 

Off to read the Guidelines a million times... /images/icons/laugh.gif

[Guest]

It can take anywhere from a few days to a month or more; it all depends on when one of the meta editors gets to it.

[lissa]

No website required! Editors come from extremely varied backgrounds - ages range from 14 to 60+, all nationalities, experts in the computer field to just enough knowledge to surf the web and use the editor interface. The one common thing they all have is a joy of organizing and providing information for other people. The richness of backgrounds is what provides the richness of the directory's content. Experienced editors are extremely helpful to new editors to show them the ropes and help out with whatever they don't understand - it is definitely not required to be a computer genius!

[hutcheson]

>>That I can do... spent a lot of time at Zeal lol

 

Definitely mention volunteer experience building directories. If you have a good links page on your website, mention it. We have a lot of current (or former) Zeal or Go-guide editors.

 

Caveat: ODP's editing style is different from Zeal's or Go's. (This not to criticize either: within a project, any kind of consistency is better than chaos. These are all supposed to be _organized_ directories.) Read the ODP guidelines first, and demonstrate that you can write ODP-style descriptions. Once accepted, you'll find some of those cross-pollinators ready to help you with the stylistic (and cultural) differences.

[Guest]

Hello,

 

I run a guide about brussels (hotels and city guide). I've been running this website for 2 years now. I have applied to be an editor but never got an answer.

 

Is that a problem to mention the website I run ?

 

Also, i submitted my website a couple of times and never got an answer either.

 

I'm belgian born and I have been living in Brussels for 8 years now.

 

pierre

[apeuro]

Pierre,

 

When you applied, did you receive a confirmation email. If you didn't receive one, or didn't reply to it, that's the reason you never were accepted.

[Guest]

Hello,

 

No I never did.

 

But my problem is that what do we have to add as URL's.

Can we suggest our own website, because it shows the experience we have in the field, or do we have to find 3 relevant url's and add suggest them ?

 

Pierre

[Guest]

It took me a few try's to get accepted. What I did was email the person above and struck up a conversation with him. We had a lengthy discussion on what the ODP was about and I provided him the information that I had stored about my chosen topic.

 

He was then able to see that I really was interested in my chosen topic and dedicated to editing. I finally got accepted.

[chris2001]

Hello Pierre,

 

you have to submit 3 relevant websites which are not listed elsewhere in the directory, and one of them can be your own. Be honest about your business affiliation, tell them which site is your own!

The submission should demonstrate not only that you´ve experience in the field, but that you´re interested in searching for other websites and that you´re able to write objective, factual descriptions in accordance with the ODP Guidelines http://dmoz.org/guidelines.html

 

Chris http://dmoz.org/profiles/chris2001.html

[dajeffster]

Time varies, took a long time for my acceptence, in fact I hate to adit it, but I forgot all about applying and was suprised when the acceptence e-mail arrived!

 

Jeff

[Guest]

Chris is right, but I wanted to reiterate the fact that the biggest issues when we reject editor applications is dishonesty, poor writing skills, and self-interested motivations behind the application. The urls provided must also fit the category you're applying for and that the category is appropriate for a new editor.

 

Basically when one applies to volunteer for many volunteer organizations, they do background checks and expect to see solid reasoning behind your willingness to volunteer, the ODP's system basically does that, to ensure an honest and comprehensive directory.

 

As far as whether you need a website or not, the short answer is no you don't. However if you do, be sure to list it in your affiliations.

[hutcheson]

>>you have to submit 3 relevant websites which are not listed elsewhere in the directory, and one of them can be your own. Be honest about your business affiliation, tell them which site is your own!

 

All true. But, look, you're trying to persuade us that you're going to do a lot for the directory--not just list your own sight, right?

 

The best proof is to start doing it before you're accepted. The note says give "two or three" sites. Two is OK. Three is excellent. Are you, or are you not, going to be doing a lot of this kind of thing? If you are, go ahead and do as much as possible. Further, suppose one of your sites is (by ODP standards) a bad mistake. Wouldn't it be better to have two other examples to fall back on?

 

The note says that one of the three sites can be your own. True. But--again, you have to mention your own site in the "affiliation" box anyway. Why not say something like "I have a site, http://myownrelevantsite.com, that belongs in this category also, with a description like "Hype, hype, hype, hype, and lots more hype! Come here for all your needs of every kind! You are feeling drowsy...CLICK HERE NOW!"

 

Well, maybe the description could be improved. You might do better to make it as much as possible like the other three(!) examples in style and content.

 

What I REALLY like to see is a note like: "My site, http://relevantportal.com, has a links page including 2000 more links, most of which fit the ODP criteria for listing in this category. Over the next few months, I'd like to add them also."

 

Of course, all of this has to be true to be any use.