Interpreting and Translating Ratings
Ratings can take many forms ranging from emojis to vote strings; ratings should, if possible, be converted to a percentage. Before converting, please talk to your supervisor - some groups prefer we do not convert their ratings.
Rating scores ranging from 0 to 100% are the preferred way to enter ratings. The Vote Smart Board understands that this occasionally requires some whittling square ratings into our round hole formula. We convert ratings so that they are standardized and therefore better comparable to one another. The line we have to walk is between what constitutes as a useful service to the voter and what constitutes basic fairness to the rating organization.
Remember: the goal is always to have ratings standardized to our 0-100% scale. You can get there in several ways.
Converting ratings can sometimes depend on the original SIG scores, but typically you will divide 100 by the number of ratings possible minus 1. This will give the number of points between ratings. Set the lowest rating at 0 and each rating should be set higher by the calculated number of points. Enter the numerical ratings and include the conversion scale in the SIG folder.
Rating Types
Letter Grades
Standard Grade Calculation
Original Rating: A, B, C, D, F
Calculation: 100/(5-1) = 25
Conversion Scale A=100; B= 75;C=50; D=25; F=0
Calculation: 100/(5-1) = 25
Conversion Scale A=100; B= 75;C=50; D=25; F=0
Grades in Excel
Formula for Excel, where x is the relevant column and the grade scale is A, B, C, D, or F:=IF(x="A", 100, IF(x="B", 75, IF(x="C", 50, IF(x = "D", 25, IF(x = "F", 0, "NA")))))
If manually entering grades, for any SIG rating that uses +'s and -'s, such as B+ or C-, DO NOT enter the SIG rating on admin. These will automatically be read as strings no matter the rating format and "Our rating" will be overwritten in admin. Until this functionality is changed, only enter "Our rating".
Rating Strings
Occasionally, you will see a set of votes that are coded in such a way that shows that a legislator voted with or against the interests of an organization, with no final number or grade at the end - we call this a rating string.
Format Examples: +-+-, YYNN, RRWW, etc.
If the group gives a "final grade" as well as a string, we will use that group's final grade. Otherwise, we convert their strings using a standard formula:
Entering Strings
Affirmative Votes = "+"Negative Votes = "-"
Did Not Vote or Absent = "*"
Affirmative Vote, No Vote, Negative Vote = "+*-"
Be careful- even if the group uses plus and minus symbols, it doesn't necessarily mean they define these symbols the same way we do, and we may have to convert it.
Currently, the asterisk does not get counted when converting a string to a percentage, but it is still useful for understanding the rating.
Grades in Excel
Where x to y is the range of relevant columns:=(COUNTIF(x2:y2, "+"))/(COUNTIF(x2:y2, "+") + COUNTIF(x2:y2, "-")) * 100
*Do not count vote abstentions, or refusing to answer a questionnaire. If an interest group uses a voting record to formulate their rating and a candidate abstains from a vote or if a candidate does not vote on a piece of legislation, omit that vote from the total number of votes possible. Likewise, if a candidate does not give a response to a question on a SIG's survey, omit the question from the total number of right answers possible. Example: if there are 6 votes and the candidate votes in line with the interests of the SIG 3 times, against the interests of the SIG 2, and abstains on 1 vote => the candidate voted in line with the SIG on 3/5 votes => 60. Likewise, if a candidate does not answer the survey or vote on any of the legislation the SIG uses on the scorecard, omit the candidate from the rating set.
- Exceptions to this rule exist, usually when the SIG specifies that refusing to answer the survey translates to a low score, as the NRA does.
- Another way to deal with these circumstances is to email the SIG, asking how they would like us to treat abstentions. Ask your supervisor if there is enough time to email the SIG. Otherwise, the default is to exclude the candidate, vote, survey question, etc.
Numeric Scales
Numeric scales are most easily recognized by scores represented as a number, however, when taken with the rest of the scorecard the range does not fit into a 0-100% scale. We have determined two types of numeric scales for translating: Point scales and percentage scores with extra credit or negative scores.
Numeric Scale
Original Rating: Scores based on a range. Ex: Lowest Score 40, Highest Score 95
Scores can be translated using the following formula, where x is the relevant numeric score, MIN the minimum value, and MAX the maximum value:
(x-MIN) * (100/(MAX - MIN))
Numeric Scales in Excel
In Excel, scores can be translated using the following formula, where x is the relevant row, x100 is the last relevant row in the range, and the "$" hold the range constant:=(x2-MIN($x$2:$x$100))*(100/(MAX($x$2:x100)-MIN($x$2:$x$100)))
Percentage Scores with Extra Credit or Negative Scores
Scorecards with percentage scores and have values below 0 or above 100 falls into this category.
If we can determine the raw vote score without sponsorship or other shows of support or opposition, we will take the raw score. However, it's often difficult to find how much extra credit/deductions have been awarded and who has received extra credit/deductions, especially if the score is under 100. Therefore if we cannot determine the raw score, we will eliminate all extra credit above 100. 100 will be the highest percentage an official or candidate can receive.
In short, there will be no negative scores and no extra credit awarded above 100.
Another way to think of it is in terms of GPA. If a student receives extra credit on a test that gives him a 104% in the class, his GPA will remain 4.0.
Point Scales
A point scales is a numeric metric that assigns a point value for actions taken. Unlike percentages, point scales do not represent a ratio.
Examples of point scales are 0-20 ranges, negative values, or values above 100.
You will need to convert their scale to our 0-100 scale. When possible, find the SIG's minimum and maximum possible scores. This can be done by looking at the scorecard methodology and the string if it's provided. If you cannot calculate the theoretical min/max, then use the observed minimum (or 0, where the observed min is greater than 0) and maximum. This may happen if there is no archive of the scorecard or if there is no methodology provided.
See Legislative Evaluation Assembly of Minnesota (2014 Positions): If a legislator were absent for all 22 votes considered, then they would have the absolute minimum rating of -50. The maximum rating is 100. Therefore, to convert in excel, =(x + 50) * (100/(100+50)).
A rare exception: For scorecards that count committee actions, sponsorships, etc.: Use the observed maximum/minimum rather than the theoretical maximum/minimum. This is necessary because officials do not have the opportunity to take all such actions, whereas they do have the opportunity to vote on (almost) all bills. To be safe, we minimize the impact of our translation.
