Frequently Asked Questions
General1. What is ZiiTrend?
2. Why predict?
3. What topics can I predict?
4. What is a Ziibo?
5. How accurate is ZiiTrend's prediction?
6. How can I report problems?
Prediction Topics
1. What is a prediction topic?
2. How do I participate in a prediction topic?
3. How do I interpret the ZiiValue?
4. How do I interpret the bar/line graph?
5. How do I make my own prediction?
6. How do I change my prediction?
7. How do I review my past prediction?
8. After a prediction event happened, how do I update the result of the prediction?
9. After a prediction event happened, how do I see my prediction score in a topic?
10. How do I create a new topic or prediction?
11. After I save my new topic, where do I find it?
12. When I make my own prediction, how objective do I need to be?
13. What should I do with bad topics?
14. Is ZiiTrend prediction exactly like a Poll?
15. Verifiable vs. Casual Predictions. What do they mean?
16. How does topic life cycle work?
User Profiles
1. What is my tag profile? How do the system know what I am good at?
2. Who are my friends on ZiiTrend?
3. Do I need authorization from another user to add him/her as my friend?
4. What are badges?
5. What do the vital figures mean?
6. What do all the badges mean?
General
1. What is ZiiTrend?
A community where you can predict future events, share your thoughts and train your mind.
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What will happen?
Wonder what will happen in the future? You can browse and search for prediction topics, or create a new prediction topic yourself.
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Predict together
Predict the future together with other Ziibos. Join us to experience the power of social prediction with better forecast and knowledge discovery.
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See the future
See the Ziibos' prediction before the event happens, and keep track of your own prediction score afterwards.
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2. Why predict?
There are many benefits to prediction. Here are some examples:
- See the future before others.
- Train your mind to become a top trend predictor in your area of interest. In ZiiTrend, you can keep track of your progress in your personal profile.
- Challenge your friends, and have fun predicting together. In ZiiTrend, you can earn points and badges by predicting the future correctly, and find out what type of predictor you really are.
- Predicting the future accurately can help your personal financial investment. What's more powerful than anticipating the next real estate boom?
- Keep yourself on the cutting edge of product and fashion trends.
- And more awaiting for you to explore ...
3. What can I predict?
You can predict ANY future events that you are interested in. You are encouraged to predict a future event that other users are also interested in. The prediction result will be a lot more interesting if more users participate in the same prediction topic.
Top4. What is a Ziibo?
Ziibo is you! Ziibos are the residents of the ZiiTrend community. Each Ziibo has a little antenna that radiates predictive power. When many Ziibos gather together, the predictive power let you see the future more clearly. If you haven't seen how Ziibo lives in the ZiiTrend community, take a look our introduction.
If you have not become a Ziibo yet, please join us here.
Top5. How accurate is ZiiTrend's prediction?
In general, predictions on Ziitrend are more accurate than predictions done by any individual. The accuracy is influenced by many factors, including:
- number of participants in a prediction topic
- how well a prediction topic is defined
- available news and information during the prediction period
- predictive power of all participants (Ziibos)
To serve you better, we will continue to improve the quality of the ZiiTrend prediction algorithms, information and workflows.
Top6. How can I report problems?
If there is anything that will help us serve you better, please email us at support@ziitrend.com.
If you experience abuse, harassment, threats, impersonation, or intimidation on the site, or if you find abusive use of the site, please email us at abuse@ziitrend.com. We will investigate and take appropriate actions to make sure ZiiTrend remains an enjoyable community.
TopPrediction Topics
1. What is a prediction topic?
A prediction topic describes a future event or a future date in which the result is not yet known. Such an event may have one or many possible outcomes. Each outcome must have a value associated with it. Depending on the nature of the topic, such value can be:
- a chance (0% : will not happen vs. 100% : will happen)
- OR a value (e.g. currency, distance, height, or temperature, etc.)
A prediction topic also has an "event date" that indicates when the event will happen, or in other words, when the result will be known. For example, the 2008 United States presidential election will be held on the "event date" November 4, 2008. The result should be known after this date.
Once the "event date" is passed, users can start reporting the results in the topic. After a week of reporting period, the topic is closed automatically. You can still view a topic after it is closed.
Top2. How do I participate in a prediction topic?
You can participate in many ways:
- add your comment
- add/track related news
- edit wiki article. A wiki article is where you describe the background information related to the prediction.
- And of course, you can make your own prediction!
3. How do I interpret the ZiiValue?
ZiiValue represents the collective prediction of all participants in this topic. For example, a topic can be about "Who will win the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election" on November 4, 2008. If Candidate A has a ZiiValue of 33%, it means the ZiiTrend community estimates Candidate A has 33% chance in winning the election.
You can choose to agree or disagree with the ZiiValue. You are encouraged to enter your own prediction based on your own knowledge and interpretation of the future event.
Top4. How do I interpret the bar/line graph?
There are two types of graphs. The bar graph shows the current ZiiValue. This represents how the ZiiTrend community see the future right now.
The line graph shows how the ZiiValue changes in the past. By reading the line graph with related news together, you can see how each piece of news can influence our prediction of the future. The up-to-date information can help you understand the future better.
Top5. How do I make my own prediction?
You can make your prediction by clicking the "I Predict" button. It will show you a list of possible outcomes where you can start entering your prediction values. Then you can click the "Predict All" buttons to confirm your entry.
Your submission is then added to the ZiiValue. Congratulations! You have just added your predictive power to the topic. Your prediction might push the ZiiValue up or down slightly.
Top6. How do I change my prediction?
After you make your first prediction, you might decide to change your prediction upon new information, or you have a change of opinion. All you have to do is re-submit your prediction again. There is no limit on how many times you can re-submit. In fact, you are encouraged to change your prediction as often as you like, whenever news or new information is available.
Top7. How do I review my past prediction?
When you are viewing the topic page, you can click the "Past Predictions" tab to view a list of your past predictions on this topic.
Top8. After a prediction event happened, how do I update the result of the prediction event?
After the event date is passed, if you know what really happened, please let us know. In the topic page, you can update the results by clicking the "I Answer" button. If you do not agree with the current reported values, feel free to enter your own.
Top9. After a prediction event happened, how do I see my prediction score in a topic?
After the event date is passed, users can update us on the results of the event. After that, ZiiTrend will calculate the prediction score of each participant. You can view your own prediction score by clicking the "Score" tab for scored topics, or go directly to your own profile.
Top10. How do I create a new topic or prediction?
In the predictions list page, you create a new prediction by clicking the "Add a New Prediction..." link in the upper right corner of the page. You can then follow the instructions in the subsequent web pages. At the end of the wizard, you can choose to publish your prediction topic right away by clicking "Publish Now" button, or save this new topic for later publishing by clicking "Save for Later" button.
Top11. After I save my new topic, where do I find it?
In your personal profile, you can navigate to your own unpublished prediction list to see your unpublished new topic. When you decide to publish your topic, you can click the "Publish Now" button. It will then walk you thru the publishing wizard. Please note that, once you publish your topic, it will start showing up in the public listing. You can not undo a publishing action.
If you decide to permanently remove an unpublished topic, you can click the "Remove" button beside the topic title.
Top12. When I make my own prediction, how objective do I need to be?
You can be as subjective as you want when you enter your prediction, as long as you answer the right question "What WILL happen?" instead of "What I WANT to happen". Some people make their prediction based on research, and some people make their prediction based on gut feelings. We do not care how you come up with a prediction as long as you answer the right question, and the answer truly comes from you.
Top13. What should I do with bad topics?
Sometimes you may want to report bad topics for one of the following reasons:
- Duplicated topic
- Poorly defined topic
- Inappropriate topic
You can help improve the quality of topics by reporting bad topics. To report a bad topic, you can click the "Report Topic" button in beside a topic title. If you have any other complaints, please write to us at abuse@ziitrend.com. Our staff will take appropriate action.
Top14. Is ZiiTrend prediction exactly like a Poll?
In short, the answer is No. A prediction on ZiiTrend is quite different from a poll. Polls usually collect opinions from a random sample of people and then extend these answers to apply to a larger group. Questions in polling are usually in the form, "What do you WANT to happen?"
However, on ZiiTrend, we help users to define and make predictions. Questions in ZiiTrend are usually in the form, "What do you think WILL happen?" So ZiiTrend users predict the future regardless of personal preference.
Also, in ZiiTrend, we keep track of individual prediction accuracy. We will factor in users score when calculating the final ZiiTrend prediction. You can think of the whole ZiiTrend community as a giant smart predictor who learns from past mistakes and becomes better every day.
Next time, when you predict on ZiiTrend, make sure you answer the correct question: "What WILL happen?" instead of "What do I WANT to happen?"
Top15. Verifiable vs. Casual Predictions. What do they mean?
There are two types of predictions on ZiiTrend -
verifiable predictions
( 
)
and
casual predictions
( 
).
Here is a summary of their differences:
| Icon | Prediction Type | Description | Examples |
|
|
Verifiable Prediction | This is a prediction in which the result can be verified after the closing date.
As the result, ZiiTrend will score this topic if enough people answer the result.
Every Ziibo (user) who participated in this prediction will receive a prediction score and accuracy.
This score can be found in the topic score tab, and the user profile.
Verifiable prediction life cycle: 
For information on topic life cycle, click here |
"Who will win the next US presidential election?" (Because the result will be known after the election date, this is a verifiable prediction.) "World Cup Final Prediction: Team A vs. Team B." (Because the result will be known after the game, this is a verifiable prediction.) |
|
|
Casual Predictions | This is a prediction in which the result cannot be verified. As the result,
ZiiTrend will not score this topic. It is still a lot of fun to predict the
future even if the result is not known. ZiiTrend is all about social prediction.
As long as a prediction topic is interesting, it is welcome here.
Casual prediction life cycle: 
For information on topic life cycle, click here |
"Will New Product XYZ be popular?" (It is very hard to verify the popularity of a product, so it is a casual prediction.) "Will you get a raise this month?" (Because the result is not public knowledge and cannot be verified by the community, this is a casual prediction) |
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16. How does topic life cycle work?
Prediction topic on ZiiTrend goes thru differnet stages after it is published.
| Stage | Description | Apply To |
| Fresh |
When a topic is published, it shows up in the Fresh list.
This list is used by Ziibos (users) to browse new prediction topics.
|
Verifiable Prediction
Casual Prediction
|
| Hot |
If a topic gain popularity, it shows up in the Hot list.
This list is used by Ziibos (users) to browse popular prediction topics.
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Verifiable Prediction
Casual Prediction
|
| Closed |
After a topic is closed, it shows up in the Closed list.
This list contains the recently closed predictions. Ziibos (users) can come back to
these closed topics, and answer the results of the predictions.
|
Verifiable Prediction
Casual Prediction
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| Scored |
If the result of a prediction (in the Closed list) is answered by enough Ziibos (users),
ZiiTrend will caculate the prediction scores for all Ziibos participated in this topic. This
prediction then shows up in the Scored list.
Ziibos can come back to this list to review their own or the community prediction performance.
|
Verifiable Prediction ONLY
|
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User Profiles
1. What is my tag profile? How do the system know what I am good at?
Your ZiiTrend tag profile is a list of keywords (i.e. tags). These keywords indicate the subject areas in which you achieved the best prediction accuracy. After a prediction is answered and scored, your tag profile will be updated. The default score of a tag is 100. If you have predicted quite well on the topic, you will earn more point for the relevant tags.
For example, if your tag profile contains the tags "apple", "stock", and "technology", you are quite likely to be an expert in predictions related to US high-tech stocks. If "apple" is the tag of highest score in your profile, you are then named as "APPLE expert" as shown on your profile. If you want to get a nice title such as "APPLE expert", you have to perform well in the relevant predictions!!
Top2. Who are my friends on ZiiTrend?
Friends on ZiiTrend are users (Ziibos) that might share the same interest as you. After you add other Ziibos as your friends, you will be able to keep track of the prediction topics they participated in. This is a quick and fun way to find prediction topics.
Top3. Do I need authorization from another user to add him/her as my friend?
No, as soon as you add another Ziibo as your friend, it will immediately be on your friend list. Adding a friend requires no authorization from the other user. If the other users are also interested in your predictions, they can also add you to their friend list.
Top4. What are badges?
Badges represent a record of your accomplishment on ZiiTrend. You can view other's badges by visiting their personal profile, or you can click the icon beside their usernames whenever you see them. You can earn more badges simply by participating more, and most importantly have fun predicting. There are many different badges you can earn.
Top5. What do the vital figures mean?
| Vital Figure | Description |
| Guru Point | Guru point represents your contribution to the community. Creating new topics,
adding news, and leaving comments will earn you guru points. Substanial points
are given for quality topics, news and comments which are voted up by other Ziibos.
On the other hand, your guru points are deducted if your contributions are voted down by others.
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| Prediction Score | It is an accumulative score that you earn from all your predictions. After a prediction topic
is answered and scored, this score is incremented for good prediction, or deducted for bad prediction.
The default score is 0.
|
| Accuracy | It represents how well you can predict in general. When a Ziibo just joins the community, his / her
accuracy is assumed to be 50% (obviously we have no idea how well you can predict). After some prediction topics
are answered and scored, the accuracy is updated accordingly. See how your accuracy will affect your
badges.
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6. What do all the badges mean?
| Badge | Name | Description |
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Super Ziibo | Accuracy above 90% |
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Time Traveler | Accuracy above 80% |
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Visionary | Accuracy above 70% |
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Forecaster | Accuracy above 60% |
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Learner | Accuracy above 40% |
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Normal Human | Accuracy below 40% |
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Predictor 1K+ | Predicted on 1000 topics or more |
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Predictor 500+ | Predicted on 500 topics or more |
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Predictor 200+ | Predicted on 200 topics or more |
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Predictor 100+ | Predicted on 100 topics or more |
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Predictor 50+ | Predicted on 50 topics or more |
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Predictor 20+ | Predicted on 20 topics or more |
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Predictor 5+ | Predicted on 5 topics or more |
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Predictor 1+ | Predicted on 1 topic or more |
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Author 50+ | Publish 50 topics or more |
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Author 10+ | Publish 10 topics or more |
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Author 5+ | Publish 5 topics or more |
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News Reporter 50+ | Added 50 news or more |
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News Reporter 20+ | Added 20 news or more |
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News Reporter 5+ | Added 5 news or more |
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Commentator 50+ | Commented 50 times or more |
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Commentator 20+ | Commented 20 times or more |
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Commentator 5+ | Commented 5 times or more |
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Voted Up 100+ | News/Comments received 100 votes or more |
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Voted Up 50+ | News/Comments received 50 votes or more |
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Voted Up 20+ | News/Comments received 20 votes or more |
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Voted Up 5+ | News/Comments received 5 votes or more |
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Voted Up 1+ | News/Comments received 1 votes or more |
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Birthday Ziibo | Today is this user's birthday. Happy Birthday! |
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