College Students! discussion

Just thought this would be a good thread to have..

so feel free to use it! :)


Here's a simple 10 question feedback survey regarding our group:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm...

hey guys..just a matter of feedback..since we did our first group read..i'd love to get some feedback..? what did you guys think?

my specific question..did you guys think it was a good idea to break the book into chapters to avoid spoilers? or do you think it would be better to condense it into 2 threads..one for spoilers(and you would just put at the top of your post *spoilers* and what page your comment is up to..) and a thread for non-spoilers(just general comments about the book)? or is there another way you think will work better?

i really enjoyed splitting it up by chapters. i feel like it worked really well if you had a specific comment in a certain chapter it was easy to go through the threads and just overall easier to follow along with the reading and comments.

yeah the chapter break up is good. that way there are no spoilers. but what you can also do is create a thread of something specific of the book you want to talk about and can leave the page number in the thread title so people know whether they should read it or not. know what i mean? thats another way to keep from having spoilers.

thanks for the feedback girls! i'm in agreement with you. i like the chapter breakdowns. just wanted to make sure others found it helpful :)

something i thought i'd like to ask..I was taking a look at our Classics read section and we really didn't discuss the classic for this month too much and not really for last month either. I feel like maybe it's too much for everybody to have so many different group reads..so..my question is..do you think we should can the classics group read that is in addition to our normal group read..and if we do that..would you all be interested in doing a classic month for our normal group read just like we did for our non-fiction theme.

let me know what you all think..i'm fine with either way.

I think it's a good idea to have a "classic" month... even if you do keep the classic group read. That way other people will be more likely to read it! :)

Maybe we could integrate the lists and if we vote to read a classic, we vote to read a classic. (It's been a while since I've looked at the shelf, so there may not be separate lists)

But would that mean the Franny and Zooey is no longer an option for the book challenge for a past CS read?

oh no..it definitely still would count for the challenge. i'm just thinking that it may not make any sense to have a whole separate classic read when there might only be 3 people discussing it. we could just as easily have a classic month just like we did with the non-fiction.

It may have just been the choice. I was extremely excited to read Franny and Zooey, but couldn't really get into the book. Either way I am fine with, because especially right now, I am way behind in my reading.

i just don't have time to do the classics read..i think it should just be a classics month. or maybe we could start having 2 main group reads..like one will just be whatever people want to nominate..and the other can be a themed read..like one month it could be a class..or non fiction..or like for March..something for St. Patty's Day.

i haven't been a part of this group for more than like 10 minutes lol but i like the idea of just having 2 group reads each month..that way if you have already read something..there might be a chance of having something you haven't read. i think it's too difficult to keep track of all the group reads, the classic read, and the series read. idk thats just my opinion..i mean..i haven't seen how it has worked out in this group...so i don't know.

i would really like if we had 2 options to choose some as well..like what Jessica is proposing. I like the idea of a regular group read and a theme sort of thing..that way there is another option if you have already read one or if you don't care to read one. I also agree with what Molly said as well.

What does everyone else think? I'm sure Jamie and Ashley would be willing to change it depending on what people wanted.

i agree. i think it would be fun to have themed months..i'll create a poll to see what people think..

if that's ok with Jamie and Ashley.

yeah that's fine..go ahead and make the poll..

you don't have to ask me :)

Since there are a TON of new people..

I'd love to hear feedback/concerns etc.

Question:

Are we going to do another Christmas Secret Santa?

Just some feedback..

I really think the group has grown wonderfully. There are soo many intersting topics to choose from and I feel like we have a nice little place here.

The only thing I hate is how many members we have. It's not that I wouldn't like a lot of members..but I feel like maybe there are only 40 really active members..I think it's intimidating how many members it looks like we have but we don't really. I feel like for a while I was missing and when I came back I was really intimidated to post anything because of the numbers..but then I realized that it wasn't really that many people.

Katerina..thanks for your feedback! It's so important to me to know what members think!

I had planned on doing another Secret Santa..all dependent on people's interest.

I think I have struggled a little bit as well with how large the group is. I wish that so many people wouldn't just join and then never do anything with it. Although..I get that..I've done it before on other groups or sites. I always thought about deleting people and what not who don't comment ever..(I can see the number of comments ppl make) but I never know what is fair..people could always want to come back..they just might be busy. I think that the number can really intimidate people from even participating because it looks like a big, huge group. I know I feel that way in another group here. I have actually gone through and deleted people who haven't even used the site in a year. It hasn't been many but that's what I've felt comfortable to do. I don't really know how to fix that problem.

Jamie, maybe you should send them a PM and ask if they're still interested. Or you could just delete them, and if they want to join they can rejoin, right?

But I guess you then have to think, maybe there are lurkers who don't actually like to post anything but still like reading the discussions. It's a tough call.

Yeah..that's why I'm hesitant to delete people because I know some just like to read through everything rather than post..which is totally fine! It's just the people that don't come on to this site anymore that I've been trying to delete out of the group. It says on peoples accounts when the last time they logged on was. I figured if you haven't be on GR in a year..it's ok if I delete you. lol :)

Maybe you could send an "all group" message to everyone or just post a thread explaning the issue and say that if they haven't been active on goodreads for awhile then they will be deleted from the group. It gives people warning and whoever gets deleted can't say they weren't warned... it would be their fault that they didn't check in on the group. Hope this helps.

And to prove you point about so many members in the group yet only some members participate... I put up a poll awhile ago about the new group photo and only 26 people have voted and there is 600+ members in this group.

I actually didn't know about the poll for the new group photo... I voted when I found it a while after it had been posted, but I didn't know which pictures the choices were referring to.

But I do think that's a good idea, Ashley, about sending an "all-group" message. That way if someone isn't active through posting but still wants to be in the group, they'll have a chance to tell you.

Well, I guess I was thinking that if they DIDN'T reply then it would be okay to delete them haha. I say give the deadline of two weeks--if they don't check their messages in that period of time, they probably aren't very active. And like I said, if they want to rejoin they can.

This is part of the giveaway thing we are doing. But I figured it would be a good idea to post a link of feedback survey here:

Click Here to take survey

It's anonymous and you don't have to sign in or anything.

I agree with Ashley. You should send out a group message and let them know that you are trying to keep the group small and if they still want to be in it, all they have to do is reply. Then give people like a month or so and after that delete everyone who hasn't replied.

Alot of you mentioned in the feedback survey had some things you would like to see as features on the site; rather than just this group in particular. I'm planning on taking a bunch of suggestions to the Goodreads Feedback Forum of things we'd like to see either to make our group better/easier to use (things that the mods can't do ourselves) or the site in general.

A few things that were suggested/things I thought of:

- An easier way to know when you get a reply on a thread/ an easier way to follow a thread to see if there has been any activity on a thread you've been on. Maybe a section that just shows all threads you've commented on.
- ability to see how many other members are reading a similar book as you (there is a way that as a moderator I can see who's reading/has read books on the bookshelf..are you guys able to do that?)
- better FAQ of how things work on Goodreads--new members having a hard time getting the hang of things.

So please suggest away!! :)

I never seem able to nominate a book for a book read. It always seems like such a short period of time! I don't go online for a day or two and it has already been filled up. I don't really have a good solution to that, because obviously we can't be voting on a ridiculous number of books...so we have to limit the nominations...

Anyone else have any ideas or feel similarly?

Thank you for your feedback Emily! I've always tried to think of a solution for that but it really is hard. You hit the nail on the head though..we can't vote on a huge number so we have to limit it.

The solutions I had for that were to have the two group reads and you could only nominate for one category..so that way there would be more spots available. The other thing..I tried to make nominations start on the first of the month so that people always know when they are. (The past 2 months I slacked but other than that we've always been pretty good about being consistent). I also tried to send out a mass email on the first of the month to remind people and give a general update.

But I definitely understand what you are saying..if you aren't online..then you miss out.

I'd love to hear if you all have any ideas that could help with this!

What about, if you nominate a book one month, you can't the next month? Or something like that.

That sounds pretty fair. Although..the problem that happens is that despite the size of the group..there is just the same 50 or so people that contribute. However, we could do that..but maybe if there aren't many nominations..we could open it up to others who did nominate.

Any thoughts?

I'll be gone until tomorrow but I'll be back to check so don't think I'm ignoring anyone :)

the every other month thing might help there be fewer nominations....also it would be cool if the person suggesting the book say why they are nominating it/what its about. It could help people vote. just a thought.

Maybe having one week for people who didn't nominate the previous month then open it up to everyone.
I like the idea of having a little background about the books.

How do you all think nominations went this time around?

I got to nominate a book so I'm happy lol

I'd like some feedback about something. Honesty is definitely wanted! In another group people were talking about mass messages from the mods and what not and how some people don't like it. I generally only send out one mass message per month (at the beginning of the month) to let everyone know nominations have begun and give an update about the group. There have been a few times where I have sent one randomly--announcing the book giveaway but that rarely happens that I'll send one other than the first of the month one. So..do you find these messages helpful, annoying, etc? I know I'm not going to please everyone but I'm just trying to gauge whether or not they are worth my time. I haven't really gotten any complaints thus far about them so I know I'm not "abusing" the option to send you all mass messages! :)

I find them helpful! I haven't been able to join a group read yet, but I like to vote in case I can get around to do it - and I'd most likely forget to if it wasn't for that message. They don't annoy me at all.

I agree, I also find them helpful.. if it weren't for the messages announcing things like nominations & voting, I might not check goodreads until it's too late to do either. I also think it's nice that you send out the messages and stay so active in keeping this group running.. I've been in other groups where it seems like the mods disappear.

I like them. Keep up the good work Jamie :)

Sometimes I think 12 books is a bit much for the nomination period. I understand that we have quite a few members, and having more book slots gives more people a chance to vote, but I feel really overwhelmed when it comes to voting. Could we maybe vote once for the 12 and then vote again amongst the top 4 or 5?

Yeah, I know what you mean about that. I've thought about it before..narrowing it down. It's funny because the one group I am in..they will have like 30 or so nominations to vote on..I feel so overwhelmed with that. Anyways, about narrowing it down, I've always thought 12 was a pretty decent number but I do see what you are saying. I hesitate doing it because I'm just not sure if I have time to make another poll and I've wondered if it would be beneficial. I'm definitely willing to try it if alot of people show interest in that way; if the current way isn't doing it for them. So..let me know and I'll see what I can do.

I'd be okay with doing another poll if everyone else is.

I'd be cool with it too.

Me too, my only reservation is that people will quit voting for the first poll and only wait for the second. I am fine either way.

I'm ok with either

I thought about that too Tami.

I personally like the variety. Switching it up is going to get confusing I think. And I think alot of times we don't even get all the 12 nominations. I think we have the right idea already but if that's what the group wants. I just don't want it to become too difficult for everyone (esp the mods) and have so many steps--nominating, voting, voting again.

I am one of those people who is often overwhelmed by the options so when the poll first comes out I vote on my first instinct then right before it closes I look at the books that are leading and if my first choice isn't one I'll change my vote to my second choice or whatever. It kinda feels like cheating but most of the time there are 3-4 I'd really like to read.

I do the same thing, Annashu.

I find that a lot of the time the books that win are books I have no interest in reading haha.