Aug 12, 2001 09:20 PM
2727 Views
Like several others here, I joined It Pays To Learn before the ''cash quizzes'' started in late July. For a good over view of the site, please check out the reviews written by Pete and Mike24. I thought it would be more useful to add my experiences with using the site over the past few weeks, than to review again the basics.
The Cash Quizzes finally started on July 24. There were several promised start dates prior to that. Each time there was a delay, there was an explanation posted on the site's main page. In the meantime, you were able to take some demo quizzes to learn how to use the site. In the first few days of the cash quizzes, there were many, many glitches. Halfway through a quiz, there would be an error message and that quiz would be lost. Users were encouraged to report these glitches via email. My emails were responded to promptly. To make up for these problems, any user who accumulated 350 points in July was credited an extra 200 points. It took several days to get the statistical system -aka-the Active Stats going. And several more to get the Retake quizzes (more about this below) active. The Knowledge Bank-which shows total accumulated points including those from referrals-finally came on last week. As is explained in the TOS, this site pays a percentage of revenues. For the short month of July, the site paid .15 cents per cash point. With about 1500 points from quizzes and 3 referrals (two being my husband and son) I made $2.39. My son with 550 points and no referrals made just over a dollar. You have to accumulate $20. to be paid so I can't speak to promptness of payment. The site promised payment by check or pay pal by August 15.
The cash quizzes, as described in other reviews, are at three levels. The higher the level, the more points for each correct answer. There is also a retake quizzes option. In the retakes, you are presented only with questions you have previously missed. The theory being you will then ''learn'' something new. Both my husband and I have done well in the intermediate and advanced quizzes in our preferred categories. Our 9 year old has better than a 70% average in the beginner area. So far, so good! BUT, we are all running out of quizzes to take that are challenging. There are only 6-10 quizzes in each topic at each level so far. There is also some repetition of questions within these.
The site is actively looking for individuals to write questions and will pay 25-50 cents per question set (question with possible answers). We are considering this, but not sure if we will follow through because a commitment of at least 300 sets would be required. This would seem to be ideal for teachers who are already used to formulating questions. The information for prospective writers is informative. In addition to listing proposed topics, it reviews it's definition of the levels in detail.
Bottom line, I hope this site works out. It's a great way for kids to review basic concepts. Also, for the rest of us, many studies show that the brain like very other part of us needs ''exercise''. The money would be a nice little reward but more important will be the addition of more questions and topics to hold the user's interest.
Addendum August 26---So far IPTL is keeping it's promises. New quizzes have been added and users are now only shown categories that have quizzes available.(specific to that user-once you have done all the available quizzes, the category disappears)
