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Evaluating Content Quality

Applicable to: All blog posts
Focus: Wordiness, focus, truthfulness, and content grounding
Scoring: 20 points total

Core Questions​

Wordiness and Conciseness​

  • Concise Language: Is the writing concise without unnecessary words or phrases?
  • Clear Structure: Are sentences and paragraphs well-structured and easy to follow?
  • Elimination of Redundancy: Are repetitive phrases or concepts avoided?
  • Precise Vocabulary: Are words chosen for precision and impact rather than wordiness?

Focus and Coherence​

  • Single Focus: Does the post maintain a clear, single focus throughout?
  • Logical Flow: Is the content organized in a logical, easy-to-follow sequence?
  • Relevant Content: Is all content directly relevant to the main topic?
  • Clear Transitions: Are transitions between sections smooth and purposeful?

Truthfulness and Authenticity​

  • Factual Accuracy: Are all claims and statements factually accurate?
  • Personal Experience: Are personal experiences and anecdotes genuine and authentic?
  • Honest Reflection: Is the content honest about challenges, failures, and learning?
  • Avoidance of Exaggeration: Are claims realistic and not overstated?

Content Grounding​

  • Source Attribution: Are sources, references, and influences properly attributed?
  • Original Content: Is the content original and not copied from other sources?
  • Personal Voice: Does the content reflect the author's genuine voice and perspective?
  • Grounded Examples: Are examples and case studies based on real experiences?

Specific Criteria​

Wordiness Assessment​

  • Sentence Length: Most sentences are under 25 words
  • Paragraph Length: Paragraphs are 3-5 sentences maximum
  • Active Voice: Active voice is used instead of passive voice
  • Elimination of Filler: Words like "very," "really," "quite" are minimized
  • Concrete Language: Abstract concepts are explained with concrete examples

Focus Assessment​

  • Clear Thesis: The main point is stated clearly in the introduction
  • Consistent Theme: All sections support the main theme
  • No Tangents: Tangential content is removed or clearly connected
  • Purposeful Content: Every paragraph serves a specific purpose
  • Strong Conclusion: The conclusion reinforces the main point

Truthfulness Assessment​

  • Verifiable Claims: All factual claims can be verified
  • Personal Honesty: Personal experiences are described honestly
  • Acknowledgment of Limitations: Limitations and uncertainties are acknowledged
  • No Fabrication: No fictional scenarios are presented as real
  • Balanced Perspective: Both successes and challenges are presented

Content Grounding Assessment​

  • Original Ideas: Ideas are original or properly attributed
  • Personal Experience: Content is based on genuine personal experience
  • Specific Examples: Examples are specific and detailed
  • Authentic Voice: The writing voice is authentic to the author
  • Grounded Insights: Insights are based on real experience, not speculation

Key Questions​

  1. Is the writing concise and focused without unnecessary wordiness?
  2. Does the content maintain a clear focus throughout?
  3. Are all claims truthful and grounded in real experience?
  4. Is the content original and authentically the author's voice?
  5. Are examples and anecdotes genuine and specific?

Combined Process​

This rubric should be used in combination with the general blog evaluation criteria to ensure both content quality and professional impact are properly assessed.

Quality Threshold​

  • Ready to Publish: 16+ criteria met (80%+)
  • Needs Minor Revision: 12-15 criteria met (60-79%)
  • Needs Major Revision: Below 12 criteria met ("under 60%")

Content Planning Template​

Wordiness Reduction​

  • Eliminate filler words: Remove "very," "really," "quite," "somewhat"
  • Use active voice: Convert passive constructions to active
  • Shorten sentences: Break long sentences into shorter, clearer ones
  • Remove redundancy: Eliminate repetitive phrases and concepts
  • Choose precise words: Use specific, impactful vocabulary

Focus Improvement​

  • State clear thesis: Begin with a clear main point
  • Remove tangents: Eliminate content that doesn't support the main point
  • Strengthen transitions: Ensure smooth flow between sections
  • Maintain consistency: Keep the same focus throughout
  • End with purpose: Conclude by reinforcing the main point

Truthfulness Enhancement​

  • Verify all claims: Ensure factual accuracy of all statements
  • Be honest about experience: Describe genuine personal experiences
  • Acknowledge limitations: Admit uncertainties and challenges
  • Avoid exaggeration: Keep claims realistic and achievable
  • Present balanced view: Show both successes and failures

Content Grounding​

  • Use personal examples: Base content on genuine personal experience
  • Provide specific details: Include concrete, specific examples
  • Maintain authentic voice: Write in your genuine voice and style
  • Attribute sources: Properly credit influences and references
  • Avoid speculation: Base insights on real experience, not assumptions

AI METADATA - DO NOT REMOVE OR MODIFY​

AI_UPDATE_INSTRUCTIONS:

This rubric should be automatically re-evaluated every time any blog post is updated.

The AI should check each criterion against the current blog post content and update the markdown checkboxes accordingly.

1. SCAN_SOURCES: Read the current content of any blog post in /blog/ directory

2. EVALUATE_CONTENT: Check each criterion against the blog post content

3. UPDATE_CHECKBOXES: Mark criteria as completed [x] or incomplete [ ] based on current content

4. CALCULATE_SCORE: Count completed criteria and update quality threshold status

5. MAINTAIN_FOCUS: Keep evaluation focused on content quality, wordiness, focus, and truthfulness

6. PRESERVE_STRUCTURE: Maintain the rubric structure while updating checkboxes

CONTENT_STRUCTURE:

- Wordiness and Conciseness: 4 criteria for concise language and clear structure

- Focus and Coherence: 4 criteria for single focus and logical flow

- Truthfulness and Authenticity: 4 criteria for factual accuracy and honest reflection

- Content Grounding: 4 criteria for source attribution and original content

- Wordiness Assessment: 5 specific criteria for sentence and paragraph structure

- Focus Assessment: 5 specific criteria for clear thesis and consistent theme

- Truthfulness Assessment: 5 specific criteria for verifiable claims and personal honesty

- Content Grounding Assessment: 5 specific criteria for original ideas and authentic voice

EVALUATION_CRITERIA:

- Wordiness: Concise language, clear structure, elimination of redundancy, precise vocabulary

- Focus: Single focus, logical flow, relevant content, clear transitions

- Truthfulness: Factual accuracy, personal experience, honest reflection, avoidance of exaggeration

- Content Grounding: Source attribution, original content, personal voice, grounded examples

- Specific Assessments: Sentence length, paragraph structure, active voice, concrete language

- Quality Standards: Clear thesis, consistent theme, verifiable claims, authentic voice

CHECKBOX_UPDATE_RULES:

- Mark [x] if criterion is clearly demonstrated in current blog post content

- Mark [ ] if criterion is missing or insufficiently addressed

- Update based on actual content, not assumptions

- Be strict in evaluation - only mark complete if clearly present

SCORE_CALCULATION:

- Count total [x] checkboxes across all criteria

- Apply quality threshold: 16+ for publish-ready, 12-15 for needs revision, "under 12" for major revision

- Update status indicators based on current score

UPDATE_TRIGGERS:

- Blog post content changes

- New content added to any blog post

- Existing content modified or removed

- Blog post structure changes

- Content quality improvements

FORMATTING_RULES:

- Use [x] for completed criteria, [ ] for incomplete

- Maintain consistent checkbox formatting

- Preserve all section headers and structure

- Keep quality threshold calculations accurate

- AVOID MDX-BREAKING CHARACTERS: Do not use < > & characters without quotes

- Quote values containing < > & characters (e.g., "under threshold" instead of less-than-threshold)

- Use "less than" or "under" instead of < symbol

- Use "greater than" or "over" instead of > symbol

- Use "and" instead of & symbol when possible

UPDATE_FREQUENCY: Every time any blog post is modified or this rubric is accessed