Why Review Scores are A Bad Idea™
I suspect some people may take notice of this some time, so I decided to answer the question pre-emptively:
Why don't any of your reviews contain scores?
Short Answer
Scores defeat the point of writing a review. My thoughts are not easily shoved into a numeric mold.
Long Answer
When you read a review for something, what matters? If you answered "score," you're wrong. Someone could post a negative review with a top score, or a positive review with an abysmal score. There are two primary questions that should be answered in every good review:
- Would you recommend this product to someone else?
- What reasons do you have to support your opinion?
It's really that simple. That's why a lot of sites have gone to "Yay" or "Nay" systems; they're simple and they allow for greater expression instead of mulling over which specific number to assign to it.
My reviews follow this principle. I urge readers to follow this elegant simplicity and do the same for their reviews.