Why you should NOT obsess over star ratings while shopping for books
Have you found an interesting book or title that has drastically different star ratings on two different sites (e.g. bookstores)? If you love reading books, especially on a mobile device or tablet, this is something that you may have seen often.
Let’s take a look at an example.
On my iPad, I use both the Amazon Kindle and Apple Books for reading books. I use both apps since many books are only available in one but not the other. However, some books do appear in both apps. Recently, the following book got my attention. At the time of the writing, the book has a nearly 5-star rating on the Kindle app:
Personally, I enjoy more of the user experience of the Apple Books app, so I checked it out there as well. Yet, the very same title is quite poorly rated:
What’s wrong?
Surely everyone can easily tell: the number of reviews. In a fancy term: sample size.
The Apple Books listing has only four ratings at the time. Just ask yourself: Could you really trust that? Or put it this way: Would you trust the listing with just four reviews versus that with nearly 300 reviews? It won’t take a PhD-level statistician to answer these questions.
Yet, why I am writing about such a trivial idea? I feel an urge to write about this because sometimes, we can get so obsessed with the star rating.
Our judgment can be clouded, or even impaired, when the seemingly more intuitive star ratings are in front of us. (We have done the same when it comes to metrics such as GPA. So often, we fall into the trap of believing one number can mean everything, consciously or unconsciously.)
Now, assume the near-300-review listing isn’t available, would you have the same initial impression about the book? To be honest with you, I cannot say so confidently (despite having Ph.D. level statistics training and can read numbers).
Star ratings can be a deceptive thing.
What you should do
The answer is also very simple: Click that “Sample” or “DOWNLOAD SAMPLE” icon. Read a little bit about the book and find out yourself. Remember that ultimately, you are the one who is going to spend the money. Try it out and see if you like it; it’s that simple.
If you are a “competitive reader” like me, who have lots of reading on their schedules and minds (especially during the pandemic with extra free time at home), remember that downloading a sample and reading it do count towards your daily reading goals. If you decide to buy the book, don’t forget you can pick it up wherever you’ve left off.
What’s difficult and yet crucial, however, is to resist the urge to conclude the book is good or bad simply based on the existing few reviews. Sample size matters, but are you applying this principle in real life?
This article was drafted largely with voice and is part of my Tips & Tricks series.
