Moderator's Manual, need feedback!

Thank you for taking the time to be apart of Discuss Life’s moderating team We appreciate you and cannot thank you enough. However, to ensure our moderators understand their duties and will meet our standards, we require you to read and follow the guidelines that are within this moderator manual.

1. Expectations of the Moderator
You are expected to greet newcomers to Discuss Life. A reasonable way of greeting a newcomer is “Welcome to Discuss Life, enjoy your stay ” or, you can take it to a personal level and customize it as you like.
You are expected to be familiar with the sections you moderate, as well as the whole website. This includes, but is not limited to the forum, portal, game section, etc.
You are expected to be as friendly as possible, no matter what the circumstance may be. If things get out of control, and you cannot hold your cool anymore, please alert an administrator, or another moderator who may be able to deal with the problematic member.
You are expected to remove all outdated, off-topic or useless threads to the Archives forum. Or, if threads seem reasonable, you can move the thread to “Random Junk.”
If a thread gets out a hand, you are expected to lock the thread.
You are not allowed to censor or edit a user’s post. However, if the post is directed at an individual, please do delete the post.
You are expected to visit the forum daily. If permitted, try to post at least 5 times a day through out the forums, and try to make it known that you are active within the staff forums by posting there as well.
You are expected to not get caught in with drama within members, but deter the members from the drama.

2. Using the moderator’s control panel
2.1 - “Awaiting Moderation”
This is the first box on the right when entering the MCP. These show the threads, posts and attachments that are waiting to be approved.
2.2 - “5 Latest Moderator Actions”
This is the second box on the right when entering the MCP. These show the latest threads and posts that were locked, split, moved, stuck, approved, disapproved, deleted, etc. It also shows the date and time, who performed the action, where the action happened, and the IP Address of the user who performed the action.
2.3 - “Bans Ending Soon”
This is the third box on the right when entering the MCP. This box shows the bans that will end soon. It shows the user, reason, length of the ban, and who the user was banned by.
2.4 - “Moderator Notes”
This is fourth and last box on the right when entering the MCP. This box is like a notepad where all moderators can add little notes that all other moderators can view.
2.5 - “Announcements”
This is the first option under “Forums and Posts.” Here, moderators can add announcements, edit announcements and remove announcements.
2.6 - “Reported Posts”
This is the third option under “Forums and Posts.” Here, moderators can view reported posts. This box also displays the post ID, the poster, thread, reporter, and the reason. You can solve the reported posts, as well as close them.
2.7 - “Moderator Logs”
This is fourth and last option under “Forums and Posts.” Here, moderators can view the latest actions of moderators, as well as filter actions from certain moderators.
2.8 - “Profile Editor”
This is first option under “Users.” Here, you can edit a user’s profile. This box shows the users, the usergroup they are apart of, registration date, their last visit, and their post count. There is another box under the first box where you can search for users.
2.9 - “Banning”
This is the second option under “Users.” Here, you can view banned users, and you can ban a user. Once clicking “Ban a User,” there will be four fields: username, reason, moved to banned group and lift ban after ____.
2.10 - “Warning Logs”
This is the third option under “Users.” Here, you can view warned users, and you can warn a user.
2.11 - “IP Search”
This is the fourth and last option under “Users.” Here, you can search IP Addresses.

3. How-to
Moving a Thread
In order to move a thread, you will go to the selected thread, scroll down to the end of the page, and you will notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and select “Move/Copy Thread.” You will automatically be redirected; at the next page, there will be three fields: Username, New Forum and Method. You may leave “Username” as is. However, to move the thread, next to “New Forum” click the drop down and select the forum you’d live to move the forum to. Last but not least, next to Method, there are three options: Move thread, move thread and leave redirect in existing forum for days: __, and Copy thread to new forum. Click the option that best suits what you would like to perform.

Opening and Closing a Thread
In order to open or close a thread, you will go to the selected thread, scroll down to the end of the page, and you notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and select “Open/Close Thread.” It will automatically close if opened, and open if closed.

Deleting a Thread
You will not use this option, ever. Instead, you will move the selected thread to the Archives.

Deleting a Post
In order to delete a post, you will go to the selected thread, go to the post you would like to delete, select the box next to “Post #1 (for example)”and then scroll down to the end of the page, and you will notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and click “Delete Selective Posts.” You will automatically be redirected to a page with the post(s) you’d like to delete. Click the box next to each post you want to delete, and click “Delete Selected Posts.”

Sticking and Unsticking a Thread
In order to stick, or unstick a thread, you will go the selected thread, and you scroll down to the end of the page, and you will notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and click “Stick/Unstick Thread.” The thread will automatically be stuck, or unstuck.

Splitting a Thread
You will not use this moderation option.

Merging a Thread
In order to merge a thread, you will go the selected thread, you will scroll down to the end of the page, and you will notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and click “Merge Threads.” You will automatically be redirected to a page with three options: Username, New Subject, and Thread to Merge with. You will leave everything the same, except “Thread to Merge With.” Go to the thread you’d like to merge another thread with, copy the URL, and add it into the box. The threads will be merged.

Merging Posts
In order to merge a post, you will go to the selected thread, you will go to the posts you’d like to merge, and you will scroll down until you notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and click “Merge Selective Posts.” You will be redirected to a new page. Select which rule you’d like to use: Horizontal Rule, or a new line. Click the box next to the post, and then select “Merge Posts.”

Remove Redirects
In order to remove a redirection, you will go to the selected thread, and scroll down to the end of the page until you notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and click “Remove Redirects.” The redirection will automatically be removed.

Removing Subscriptions
In order to remove a thread subscription, you will go the selected thread, and scroll down to the end of the page until you notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and click “Remove all Subscriptions.” The subscription will automatically be removed.

Unapproving a Thread
In order to unapprove a thread, you will go to the selected thread, and scroll down to the end of the page until you notice “Moderation Options.” Click the drop down, and click “Unapprove Thread.” The thread will automatically be unapproved.

4. Time Commitment and Absenteeism
As said in section one of the moderator’manual, you are expected to visit the forum daily. If you are unable to visit the forum, please notify an administrator or community overseer before you will be absent. If you do not, you may return to the forum not being a moderator.

5. Code of Conduct
As a moderator of Discuss Life (dot) Net, you agree to:

Be respectful to all members, each other and the administration of Discuss Life, and to represent Discuss Life with professionalism.
To be confidential about what goes on in private forums and member information.
To use the private messaging system and/or private emails to communicate with the administrative team when question administration policy or guidelines on specific issues or decisions.
To remember that all moderators are equal in rank.
To resign from moderator duties if there is a breech of confidentiality, if the code of conduct is not followed, or if the guidelines of the website or the authority of the administrative team is not recognized.

You have reached the end of Discuss Life’s Moderator Manual.

Thanks for your tenure as a moderator Discuss Life appreciates you

 

I did use a resource of another site- one that is prohibited, but I did not copy anyone.

Where have you seen this?

 

"you are expected" is over used.

If I was reading that as a first time new moderator I'd be saying thanks but no thanks. That entire Section 1. can be rewritten a lot friendlier.

In fact reading over the entire thing I think it's job description. Is this a very busy forum? Are the moderators compensated?

Sure is a lot of stuff for a moderator to be doing.

A quick example of nicer text

Deleting a Thread
Threads are not deleted, move the selected thread to the Archives.

Just my 0.02, I take different tactics in my communications, but then again, I don't know your audience.

 

Oh..and here is an idea for the How To...

it works for me.

In a Moderators area of the site a How To Forum

Individual posts for each topic with screen caps, circles arrows and all that crap.

Sticky that sits at top always that is an index of the How To's

A bit anal, but the day job is a tech writer...

It's much like this http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/63/130/ that is for the forum.

 

If you're a member of one of AA's competitor's you might have seen it there, because I also posted it on that site.

Thanks for your feedback, Gnatster!

 

Why tell them not to use a feature, ever? Can you just disable it for that usergroup?

 

Anytime...

I'm always writing tech stuff along with policy and procedure docs so if anyone needs these types of docs written or edited I have very reasonable hourly rates.

 

Got'cha!

I can, but I won't.

Splitting a thread may be useful thru time, so I will not disable it, but as far as they know, at the moment, they will not use it.

Generally, how would you all rate this manual? Was it helpful, do you think new moderators can get a grip, do you think new moderators would understand?

On a scale 1-10, where would this manual go...

 

To be frank it has a lot of flaws.

For instance, there is contraction.

In part 1.

Then in part 3.

What if the thread only contians one post that needs to go. Do I delete or move to archives.

Other areas that need some work...

2.11 IP Stuff

You mention how to view but there is nothing about why one would want to view or even what to do with the information.

2.5 Announcements

This needs to be tied to a policy about announcements, who can make them, what they should contain, why to use etc etc.

All in all this is a good start, it lays out what areas need to be touched up but fails giving the moderator enough detail to do their job.

Format wise it could use some work as well. The step by step would be better in numbered lists as opposed to the paragraph they are now.

For example:

Stick or Unstick a Thread
Threads deemed by the staff to contain important information or of such quality that all should read can be Stuck. Meaning the thread will be listed at the top of the containing forum.

To Stick a Thread:

1. Navigate to the thread.
2. Scroll to Moderation Options located after the last post in the thread.
3. Click the drop down, and click “Stick/Unstick Thread.”

If the tread is already Stickied this action will Unstick the thread


These comments reflect my style and may not suit your site.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

OK, Just for yucks and to procrastinate from a dreadful task I took the liberty of editing Section 1

 

Wow, thanks Gnatster!