2015 Data Contest Scorecard

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Brian Hubbs
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2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Scorecard Link: http://www.naherp.com/reports/california.php

This contest applies to reptile and amphibian sightings entered in the www.NAHERP.com database.

Here's the rules for the contest:

All 2015 California entries count, regardless of the NAFHA members home state. Entries older than 2015 will count for the national Historical Contest.

Scoring
1 Point for =Every Entry
1 Point for =Every County
1 Point for =Every Species
1 Point for =Every DOR
1 Point for =2015 County Record (The first entry of 2014 for a species in a county)
1 Point for =2015 Personal County Record (In other words if you enter a skink in LA county for YOUR 1st time in 2014 you get a point)
2 Points for =County Record (True NAFHA county record)
5 Point Bonus= 25+ entries of a species in a county (Any species you record 25 of in a county you get a 5 point bonus.)

Every Entry MUST include
Species to atleast species level.
County (can be hidden)
Date-Time
Vouchered
And any questions on the entry itself must be answered on that entry.

This will give everyone a fair chance, encourage new data even from counties with a lot of records, encourage lots of data of same species (density), encourage visiting new counties (diversity)
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

If any of you would like to see the points for county records and 25+ changed, please reply below. I suggest 20 pts. for each new county record (official HERP county record) and 10 pts. for each 25+... I think these points are warranted due to the difficulty in accomplishing these two categories. What say you all?
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

I'd love to see 20, even 50 or 100, points for a county record, but not so much 10 points for 25+. I see your reason, getting more people to do what you and Nicholas are already doing, pulling the trigger on every herp you see, but it may just pull the database (contest) too much into a quantitative direction. What we really need is not more fence lizards and utas, but less county gaps.

Robert
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Calfirecap
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Calfirecap »

I agree with Robert on this, Co records are much more difficult to get now and what we need is to get people into those counties with low numbers. I'm not negating the value of the 25+'s, they are still quite worthy. I'm good with either 5 & 10 or 10 & 15 (25+/Co Record).

Lawrence
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I like the 10/15...let's do a vote...and yes, we always need more utas and scelops...from different places...
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Fundad Sir, this NEEDS to be a sticky...
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Calfirecap
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Calfirecap »

One more thing, how about zero points for entries without a voucher photo?
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

One more thing, how about zero points for entries without a voucher photo?
Yep, that's a good one. We could even deduct a point ... :lol:

Robert
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I didn't know we gave points for un-vouchered entries...hmmm...let me see...NOPE, I tried it and it didn't show up in the contest totals. So...there is no problem.

well, guess it's time to get off my duff and enter my 987 lizards from this week...OY! :o
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Fundad
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Fundad »

records without vouchers do not receive any points and dont show on contribution/scorecard.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

I think I just said that... :roll: :lol:
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

What Nicholas Hess is doing to me right now reminds me of what I used to do to Owen Holt...and still do... :lol:
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

Nicholas Hess is actually being rather lazy right now. He's been sitting on about 100 records for a couple of weeks and seems to lack the motivation to enter them, that is, until someone catches up with him or, better yet, passes him. It's boring being in first place too much.

Robert
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Yeah, that's why I like him to be in the lead...I'm not bored anymore... :lol: I did a little herping in CA this past week so I might be able to add about 50 records soon...maybe more...
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jonathan
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by jonathan »

There are still a lot of people who only enter one of a herp from each county, or not even every herp they see in the county.

I like the idea of still having some sort of motivation for people to enter more total records, even of the species they see more frequently. At the least, I think people should be entering at least 1 each of each herp species they see at each site...even if they already entered one at a different in-county site 10 miles away.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

The people who don't enter everything they see are the one's who don't want to spend hours and hours entering data...they either don't have the time, or they don't have the motivation. I glad some of us are motivated to do it.
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

I just had an insight: The database appeals more - much more - to introverts than extroverts. Think about the cast of characters involved, and you'll see what I mean.

For those not familiar with the terms introvert and extrovert, here is a basic definition:

An extrovert is a person who is energized by being around other people. This is the opposite of an introvert who is energized by being alone.

Database entry, a solitary activity, is boring - "deenergizing" - for anyone, but particularly so for extroverts. They would rather do something social, they want to connect with and be around people, if only by posting on this forum.

So, one way to phrase the challenge is: How do we make the database more social, more "extrovert-friendly"?

Actually, I think that people might underestimate how social the database is or at least can be. Those of us who enter data regularly receive lots of comments and questions on our entries from other database afficionados, and vice versa. We scan the New Entries to see who is finding what and where. When we see a particularly interesting find, we leave that person a comment or even shoot him/her a pm to say congratulations and/or ask about details. And more often than not, we receive enthusiastic answers, often with way more specific locality info, etc., than you'll ever see on this forum. Over time, a level of comradery develops that I think goes deeper than what you will find just here on the forum. The database connects people, gives them a common purpose, and also builds trust. I am much more likely to share info with someone who contributes to the database, and vice versa.

So, to those who have not spent much or any time with the database because it looks just so hopelessly boring and tedious, I say, "Think again." It actually can be a lot of fun and - socially - rewarding.

As far as those who do enter data regularly are concerned, we just need to realize that database entry is, or at least appears, harder to extroverts. And we could try to find ways to make it more appealing to them. The star system we came up with years ago, but never implemented, would be a step in that direction. It would reward database entry with social recognition. Introverts might not care much, but extroverts probably would.

Just some ideas ...

Robert
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Fundad
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Fundad »

Hey who you calling introvert? :x :lol:
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

Hey who you calling introvert? :x :lol:
Well, at least you're not alone. :lol: :lol:

There's also nothing wrong with being introvert, as far as I am concerned. I score sky-high on the introversion scale myself. Remember, before Nicholas entered my life, I used to solo paddle a kayak several miles offshore for the better part of the day every weekend - and one of my primary motives was that there was no one else out there. Just wind, water, sun, and the occasional dolphin or sea lion.

I should add that there are people who strike a nice balance between introvert and extrovert. Nicholas actually may be one of them. It's a little early to say. And I can think of some other people here who can't clearly be classified as either introvert or extrovert. Unfortunately, neither you, Fundad, nor I qualify. :lol:

Robert
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by JAMAUGHN »

I'd object to being called an introvert, but there's too many people on this thread, so I think I'll go stand in the corner.

JimM
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jonathan
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by jonathan »

Yeah, introvert here too.

Robert, what you say about the database possibly being much more social is incredibly true. I participate in the "India Biodiversity Portal", a database for all Indian species. Despite the fact that the database is quite new and in a country where amatuer data collection is a very new thing, there are already close to 50,000 records.

The IBP is significantly more social than NAHERP. You can upload a record simply as "unidentified", and other people will post their ID. Or even if you post an ID, other people can post to confirm the ID, or suggest a different ID. There are different projects people can contribute on (like Fundad has also suggested for our database), and even if you don't submit your data to a particular project, someone else involved with that project can add your info to the project database. There are different cool data entries highlighted each week with backstories to why that data is so interesting. Each user has a profile that they can include biographical information on - when I started contributing a lot of interesting data, one of the site mods emailed me and suggested I fill in more profile information because I was doing some great contributions and other people might want to get to know me better. I've also been encouraged to make more comments in the notes of my observations, because other people like to read those notes to learn more about what's going on.

On top of all that, I've found data entry in IBP to be a lot more user-friendly for the general public than data entry in NAHERP.

I certainly wouldn't copy everything from IBP over to NAHERP. There are plenty of silly things, and there are great features that NAHERP has that IBP doesn't have. But it can be helpful to learn from others so we can steal the things they do well too.

http://indiabiodiversity.org/
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

YEAH! Who's da new sheriff now...? Who dat? Yeah, I talkin' to the Hess boys...Yeah, baby...eat my dust... :lol: 8-)
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Helleri
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Helleri »

What do the points do?
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Owen
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Owen »

not too dusty there, Brian :lol:

I'm sure those Hessians have a broom. ;)
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

:P ;)

Nicholas
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

Nick was inactive for a few days. I see I inspired him to enter some utas... :lol:
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

I forfeit... For Now :twisted:

Nick
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

You had me going there for awhile. I ran out of photoshopped and cropped pics...need to do more tomorrow. It should be interesting...
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by RobertH »

Yes, it's going to be interesting indeed. Nick has to go to school right now, but he'll "BE BAK" tonight. You better start cropping ... :lol:

Robert
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

And the battle goes on... :lol: :thumb:
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by KichiMark »

I must say I am a former introvert but mostly an extrovert now. I would like to get to know more people who have a similar interest such as herping but at least the vibe I got before was it is more of a solitary thing with most people from what I read. When I go out I will take a shot or two of something I find interesting because I believe in the database and the good it can do long term and want to contribute. If I took the time to voucher every uta or fence lizard then I would be up major points but for me that is not the point.
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

The point is whatever you want to make it. For me, the point is documenting everything I can see everywhere i go (but not every uta or even every fence lizard, except maybe each one every 100 feet). Part of the vision I see for the database is to be a great mapping tool. It can also show where good densities of each species are if we take enough pictures from those localities. What we DO NOT want to do is go to the same places over and over and record the same species time after time. That serves no purpose. Maybe one or two vouchers of each species per year from your favorite spots is OK, but not entering the same tons of stuff year after year. That just clogs the database and does nothing but make it look like you've seen a lot of animals. I use the "My records in google earth" function on the database, and I like to fill in the gaps in my map. See my latest example for Western Pond Turtles (a species that has been suggested for the ESA, that I believe does not need that protection). These icons, when spread out on google earth show 2,649 records, and that's nothing compared to all the places I have not vouchered:

Image



Still the Sheriff...yeah... 8-)
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KichiMark
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by KichiMark »

Wow Brian…that is really amazing. I will be honest and say you are inspiring me to find specifically western pond turtles. Only stuff I got are soft shells and red eared sliders….(little boy in me says when I grow up I want to be like Hubbs haha).
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Brian Hubbs
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Re: 2015 Data Contest Scorecard

Post by Brian Hubbs »

You gotta be a self-employed traveling salesman like Hubbs and have a lot of free time to look for herps. That's the only reason I've seen as much as I have. But, seriously, I just started the pond turtle project in 2011 when I got a camera with a decent telephoto. I had some older pics, but nothing compared to what i have now. I only have 78 pre-2011 records for pond turtles, and some of those are pics that were given to me by others. A lot of the time I just take pics out the window of my car. :thumb:

PS-Fundad is doing the same thing...only he's looking for boas, not turtles. You oughta see his boa map...
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