What a review is actually evidence of
Read reviews for the information they really contain.
Reviews are evidence, but not of what people usually assume. A rating averages the opinions of the people motivated enough to type something.
That group leans in two directions. People who are delighted, and people who are angry. The large middle, the people for whom the item was simply fine, mostly says nothing.
So the number of stars is weak evidence. The useful part is the specifics inside the writing. A review that says the handle cracked after two months tells you something a five star review saying love it does not.
Two more things worth checking. How many reviews there are, because ten reviews is a rumor and eight hundred is a pattern. And whether critical reviews describe the same problem repeatedly.
Key points
- Ratings reflect who chose to write, not everyone.
- Specifics in the words beat the star average.
- Check how many reviews exist before trusting the score.
- Repeated complaints about one part are a real signal.
- Three star reviews often carry the most honesty.
What to remember
- Details in the writing beat the number on top.
- Look at how many reviews there are before you look at the score.
- Repeated specifics in critical reviews are worth more than the overall score.
Try this
Pick something you already own and look it up. Read three critical reviews and see whether they describe the problems you know it has.
Practice: What a review is actually evidence of. Your first lesson is free, with no account or card; the rest are part of a Lantern plan. Interactive lessons require JavaScript.