h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello, BB here, wearing his new Chief Scout hat, which is quite possibly one size too big. Or too small. One day it might fit...

Apparently I've been appointed Chief Scout, so I suspect I should start doing something vaguely Chief Scouty. Not entirely sure what that actually means, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it some time...

As I think that if something's not broken, there's no need to fix it or reinvent the wheel, I don't particularly plan to propose lots of changes. I'm confident that you know what you're doing. Most of you Scout lot have been a scout longer than I have, after all. But there's no harm in having a chat to see what you think (and to sneakily find out how many Scouts aren't subscribed to this Scout page, so if you read this, please reply so I know you've subscribed).

It's good to talk, it's good to be a scout, so it must be good to talk about being a scout.

So, basically I'm just seeing what everyone thinks of being a Scout:
Was it different to how you imagined?
Is there anything you think can be improved?
Is there anything that annoys you about Scouting?
Have you seen any particularly good or bad scouting in the past?
Do you have any thoughts on being a Scout that you'd like to share?
Have you found the Scouts home pages useful?
Can you think of a better question that should be listed here that I've not thought of?

If anyone (current or previous scouts and people on h2g2 who aren't scouts) has anything they'd like to say, then please do.

If you have any thoughts and suggestions please mention them so we can discuss them, and then I'll mention briefly my thoughts and suggestions, and we can all discuss them too. One thing I've noticed since I became a scout is that there isn't really much discussion between scouts about being a scout.

If there's anything particularly private that you wish to say, we do have the Trello forum. But for a general open and honest discussion, we can use h2g2 itself.

I like being a Scout, and it is something that we volunteer to do. It is fantastic that you spend your spare time reading through what other people write and try to help them improve it. So most importantly of all I'd like to say a great big thank you and well done for that. Not only as a chief scout-type bloke but also someone who keeps filling Peer Review with endless articles, I must say that I appreciate all the hard work you put in.

<BB<

Dmitri here, ing, as usual.

Hi to all Scouts. BB's right - you folks are the best!

Well apparently I'm still subscribed,even though I've not been a scout for about a decade. Hello

I'm another still-subscribed ex-scout.

You won't be surprised to learn I have an opinion about scouting practice. If you want to hear it, then please ask. I wouldn't foist it upon you before you've had a chance to speak with the active scouts, who all do a wonderful job, of course.

OOoOoh!

Sneaky, sneaky, Chief Scout trying to catch me out


*looks under her Matt for her 'Official Scout 'at*


It's here somewhere!


Okay, let's get the inquisition over with as gently as possible

Was it different to how you imagined? Not at all. I had lurked here for a long time before volunteering.

Is there anything you think can be improved? Now that the Recommendation Button is working properly - especially in Pliny, I don't think we need to improve Scouting.


Is there anything that annoys you about Scouting? Only when I've recommended something Entry for the author to say they want to research further and will be back... and never coming back!


Have you seen any particularly good or bad scouting in the past? If you mean by a Scout offering assistance/opinion, then most of it is good. I don't like harsh comments, especially to new Researchers, in the PR threads. It's hurtful for the author, and it pains me to see it. (*ACE hat slips off*)


Do you have any thoughts on being a Scout that you'd like to share? Being a Scout helps us to gather as much information for the Edited Guide as possible. Scouting finds some real gems in the PR threads. I enjoy it.


Have you found the Scouts home pages useful? I must reacquaint myself with the home pages. It's been a while since I last looked.


Can you think of a better question that should be listed here that I've not thought of? Nope. You seem to have covered it, I think


lil
Scout


*Puts Scout 'at back under her Matt*

Just adding my name to the list of ex-scouts still subscribed.

I'm starting to wonder whether any genuine current scouts will pop up on this thread, or whether it'll just be flooded by us has-beens.


Geggs

Oh, and now lil has appeared, making my second sentence look incredibly foolish.

Oh dear me.


Geggs

Well, apparently I'm still subscribed, too. I'm now going to remedy that

Of course I'd like to hear from ex-scouts and their opinions on scouting. I also think it's important to learn why ex-scouts have left scouting. Of course it is natural for people to leave if their personal circumstances change, if they need to devote more time to their families or studies etc. Similarly if someone's given it a go and decided that they're better suited to being, say, an ACE or qotd archivist, fair enough.

But I do think it is helpful to find out why they felt one activity suited them more than others, and try to find out if there's a recurring theme (other than time issues).

<BB<

Those would all be worthy things to think about <BB< and a reminder to new scouts to subscribe to these pages please would be good too, I think?

*waves* Ex-Scout here too. I stopped because I stopped reading Peer Review due to life.

If you want my (which I'm sure you don't ) I think we need a greater emphasis on Scouting not being about reviewing Entries in PR. Scouting is about skim-reading the PR threads and picking the cream that floats to the top. In an ideal world a Scout never has to actually review anything. That has already been done by us ordinary Researchers.

Of course, at the moment we are so far off an ideal world that my vision simply isn't possible.

Vip - I'd love to have your - that's why I asked.

I believe that different people have different approaches to scouting - after all, we are all different people with different interests and perspectives. Diversity is a good thing, so I'm not out to say 'Scouts MUST do things this way' (as soon as you start doing that with volunteers, you soon run out of volunteers ) but it is interesting to know how different people approach the same task.

<BB<

My ideal for the Scouts team would be to have a wide cross section of Researchers, representing different parts of the world, age range, interests, life styles and so on.

Being a Scout is what got me hooked on volunteering for h2g2. I found it really rewarding.

I agree with Lanzababy. Subject-matter expertise is important, but it's equally important that an entry is structured logically and appropriately. Each has to be enjoyable to read and enlightening, whether through first-hand experience or through careful research.

I'd like reviewers to hold off with the grammar/punctuation criticism for a few days until the structure is clear (although if there is ambiguity, then that needs to be corrected at the outset).

We all should peer-review entries, of course, not just the Scouts. Scouts need to manage the peer review forum and make sure that entries get a proper review, before recommending the ones that are ready.

Hi - current scout but somewhat inactive - need to get back into it.

Am doing two jobs (real ones not on hootoo) at the moment, but once that has sorted itself out, will be more present.

sprout

One suggestion. The wider community may not subscribe to the Peer Review forum because they don't want all the review postings jamming up their conversation list.

You might catch more of the occasional or picky reviewers if you created a single announcement-style conversation "What's New in Peer Review" and posted a link whenever a new entry was submitted to PR.

I know this stuff is on the front page, but many researchers just navigate via their conversation list.

A 'What's New in Peer Review' thread, probably in Ask, is a very good idea...

<BB<

Yay sprout! so glad to hear from you, we'll keep your spot warm until you have a bit more free time.

Lanzababy