How does the WATS AND kARMA THING WORK?????

No idea if this has been asked before but how does the WATS rating and Karma rating thing work? i remember seeing a post by SO about it but im still rather confused. how do we get the score up? how do we know were we are ranked?

im soo confused

Actually that's a good question ronisha... It seems when I view WATS I only see 5 members... yet the new rankings go to top 100....

It is explained in this thread: www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by joyride0187


ye iv read that but i think i maybe having sever blonde moments coz i dont understand how exactly it all works its scary coz im a brunette

might just be me

reply to post by ronishia


Well it sure isn't just you...

I did not understand it either... I was just to afraid to tell. What would happen if people find out that I'm not as smart as I pretend I am ?

Apparently the more a person contributes to the site, the more areas of the site are opened up to that person.... that's the best I can make of it; and that's just based on digging thru the forums on my own, talking with others in the chat, and interpreting what SO previously stated.

More areas opened up? What areas? What are they about? At what levels(wats scores) do they open?

Here is Skeptic Overlord's explanation for the Karma points.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord
As many have noticed, a new "KARMA" parameter has been added to the mini-profiles... and perhaps because of some of the comments in this thread, I moved-up the integration plan a bit.

First... the "WATS" score. I know many believe there to be some controversy or at the least, unfairness, in the method of calculation for the "Way Above Top Secret" ranking. The concerns/comments/ideas have not been ignored, but since the intent is to apply a heavy statistical weight to those who start threads, I believe the oft-discussed formula serves that purpose well, but may be refined as a result of the KARMA rank in order to place a much higher value on flags.

However, there are lots of members who contribute well, but may not start many threads; the KARMA score is for them. The karma calculation places a high weight on stars, a secondary weight on staff applause, and a tertiary lesser-weight on Flags; then compares all that against the number of posts. So that it is indeed possible for a new member with few threads, but great ideas in lots of replies, to achieve a higher "KARMA" than long-time high-WATS members.



Okay... I know what you're thinking, "This can be abused."

Any system can be gamed in one way or another. However, since the new calculation is based on a combination of factors that includes the input of staff applause, it won't be easy.

So enjoy your Karma while it lasts. Tomorrow, a new person may join whose awesomeness whips yer but.

edit on 27-10-2010 by SkepticOverlord because: (no reason given)

Roughly speaking, WATS is largely a measure of quantity:

For example, someone with 1,000 posts, 10,000 stars and 1,000 flags will have a WATS score of around 72. Whereas, someone with 20,000 posts, 6,000 stars and 600 flags will have a higher WATS score of around 76.

Despite the fact that the first member has more stars and flags per post, the second member scores more highly on the index because of the way that the system is weighted towards the quantity of flags, stars and posts which are accumulated - rather than averaged.


The ''karma'' score is a star/flag/applause per post ratio. In my pseudo-mathematical notation, this is how it works:

k = s x 15 + f x 10 + a x 10 + i ÷ p

k - karma
s - stars
f - flags
a - applause
i - initial 20 karma points
p - posts


If you look at my totals, you'll see:

s3268 x 15(49020) + f130 x 10(1300) + a7(70) + i(20) ÷ p(2580) = 19.53, rounded up, making my ''karma'' total: 20.

If my ''karma'' total reaches 19.49 or less, then it will be rounded down to 19.