When configuring a score set for the Scoring reviewing mode, you must choose how the final score is calculated. The options are Sum or Mean.
What's the difference?
Sum
Adds all criteria scores together
The total score is the combined value of every criterion
Mean
Adds all criteria scores together
Divides the total by the number of criteria
Produces an average score
Example calculation
Sum
Mean
Criteria 1: 5/10 points
Criteria 1: 5/10 points
Criteria 2: 7/10 points
Criteria 2: 7/10 points
Criteria 3: 9/10 points
Criteria 3: 9/10 points
Total score = 21/30 points
Total score = 7/10 points
Formula: (5 + 7 + 9 = 21)
Formula: (5 + 7 + 9 = 21 / 3 criteria = 7)
Using weights
The same calculations apply when criteria have different weights. Mean scoring is affected by weighting because the average is calculated after weights are applied. Sum scoring simply totals the weighted values.
Leaderboard behaviour
Sum and Mean calculations do not change how applications are ranked. The leaderboard always shows the average score per application.
What changes is the score scale:
With Sum, the score is out of the total of all criteria
With Mean, the score is out of the average of all criteria
Good to know
Every Scoring mode score set must use either Sum or Mean.
Mean scoring reflects weighting more clearly while Sum scoring produces higher total values.
Criteria can be given a weight of 0 only when using Mean.
