# Why is this a Casual observation?

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/why-is-this-a-casual-observation/10664>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Created:** [March 9, 2020, 5:15am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/why-is-this-a-casual-observation/10664 "2020-03-09T05:15:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![kiwifergus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/kiwifergus/32/1904_2.png) [@kiwifergus](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/kiwifergus)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2020, 6:49am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/why-is-this-a-casual-observation/10664/4 "2020-03-09T06:49:32Z")

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Research Grade is **not** an indicator that it is suitable for research, it is just an indicator that certain criteria have been met. There are many casual grade observations that are of high interest to research, and there a lot of RG observations that are likely (IMHO) useless to research. Of course, it depends on what the research is investigating!

There is a forum topic discussing other options for names that might make more sense… but regardless, it is just a name!  
[https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/rename-research-grade-discussion-and-polls/590](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/rename-research-grade-discussion-and-polls/590)

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