Flagging research grade posts for further review when ID is unsure

I take a lot of photos especially of potential subspecies or new species or variations or such interesting cases in ‘‘less explored locations’’. These individuals often require a second look. But often people racing to provide ID seem to overlook and such specimens get marked off as Research Grade with no further review. It would be great to have an option to flag such photos so they remain in review for additional period of time or further reviews. The option to agree on an ID makes it faster to pass an ID to research-grade. And the absence of a disagree on ID makes it harder for such cases to remain for review. At least, there needs to be an option to mark a photo for review when it has met the criteria for Research grade. Such a category may be of interest to enthusiasts who are specialists as well pushing further taxonomic interests.

Just mark it as “can be improved” and it won’t have RG anymore.

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Be aware (this is not meant to reignite the inevitable arguments this topic tends to create) that many identifiers are uncomfortable or unwilling to do identifications at the subspecies or variety level. While some users are comfortable doing it, many also shy away from it.

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Thank you for your comments. Sorry if i wasnt clear. My primary issue is not that i expect ID to subspecies but that the option to agree on a ID seems to be very easy for people racing to provide ID. Such cases that require a closer look or should atleast be marked at Genus level if unknown gets passed off as RG.

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Just to expand on melodi_96’s comment - that “can be improved” option is in the Data Quality Assessment section on each observation, at the very bottom:

Where it says “Based on the evidence, can the Community Taxon still be confirmed or improved?” you can mark “Yes”. Once you get another ID, you have to remember to uncheck the box so that it no longer appears in the “Needs ID” / Identify section. Other users can also mark “No” if they disagree that it needs more IDs.

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Thank you very much. Most helpful. I was searching for the option.

Just to flush out that checkbox, especially if you are going to use it on your own observations.

  • there is no threshold that “turns it off”. If 10 more users come and agree with the ID there it will still remain in needs id, and correspondingly need far more identifications to be done to get it to subspecies etc of that is your goal
  • if someone sees that check and says no that’s not right, this is properly or as completely identified as possible and votes no, it will revert to research grade and you will receive no notification of the change

And just to clarify your comment about the lack of a disagree that is done by adding an opposing identification identification. The agree button is simply a short cut to adding an ID.

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