Review Process – First and foremost, it’s important to understand that any reviews on our site are based on our own experiences trying the product and are our own opinions.
This means that our reviews will not be influenced by outside factors (such as a company paying us). It also means that you might disagree with some of our reviews and ratings.
How we rate resources
Resources are rated on the combined score of 3 criteria: Quality, Thoroughness, and Value. Each of the 3 criteria is scored from 0-5. The average of these scores is the overall rating of the resource.
Quality
- The resource is designed well and is intuitive to use
- The content seems to be thoughtfully created and designed to promote learning
- It’s enjoyable to use
Thoroughness
- The resource teaches the material it sets out to teach
- The content structure and organization makes sense
- There aren’t any glaring gaps of content within the scope of the resource
Value
- The resource offers a lot for the cost
- It’s a productive way to spend studying time
- It compares favorably to other resources teaching the same language(s)
Language learning is highly personal. One person’s favorite resource might only be so-so for another person. While there’s a certain amount of personal subjectivity in any review, we do our best to ensure that ratings remain as consistent as possible regardless of who is testing the resource.
We’ve done this by having ALR team members try out the same resources, give their ratings and reasons, and compare with others. Writers also edit each other’s reviews which helps keep everyone on the same page with regards to scoring and what resources are available.
It’s also worth noting that even if a resource receives a lower score, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth considering. As an example, Glossika is a favorite resource of one ALR team member. But, despite this, he only rated it as a 3 out of 5 stars. It’s the most effective resource for him, but the resource itself has a lot of room for improvement.
On the flip side of this, just because a resource has a high rating, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to love it.
Everyone is unique, learns differently, and are at different points in their language learning journey. We do our best to objectively look at the various language learning resources available and make it easier for readers to figure out what might work well for their own unique situation.
Most importantly, whether or not you agree with everything we say, you can be sure that it’s our own opinion.