I am thrilled to participate in the captivating Steemit Crypto Academy Contest which delves Into the intriguing realm of voting & curation within The Steem blockchain . In this era of decentralized finance & digital ecosystems it is paramount for both new & seasoned Steemit users to Understand the significance of Voting and curation mechanisms. So let's dive in & begin !

voting and curating

Voting and curating are two distinct concepts in the context of content on the Steem blockchain. While they are related they have different implications and functions.

Voting

Voting on Steem refers to the action of expressing your support or preference for a particular piece of content such as a post or comment. Users can cast their votes by upvoting or downvoting a piece of content indicating their approval or disapproval respectively. Voting plays a crucial role in determining the visibility and reputation of content on the Steem platform . It allows users to participate In the Content discovery process and influence The Distribution of rewards .

curating

curating in Steem refers to the act of actively searching for high-quality content and upvoting it. Curators are individuals who review and assess the value originality and relevance of content before endorsing it with their upvotes . They play a vital role In identifying and promoting valuable content within the Steem ecosystem . Curators are incentivized for their efforts With curation rewards which Are portion of the overall rewards pool allocated to Those who contribute to The Content discovery process .

voting and curating Are related but distinct actions in Steem. Voting is the act of expressing approval or disapproval for content while curating involves Actively seeking out & endorsing High quality content through upvoting. Voting is a broader Term that encompasses both upvoting & downvoting whereas curating specifically refers to the process of Identifying & promoting valuable Content.

vote a content before 5 minutes or after 6 days 12 hours

No voting on a content before 5 minutes or after 6 days 12 hours of its Age in the Steem Blockchain will Not yield the same amount of reward as during the General voting period . The reward calculation is Based on the timing of the vote and follows Specific rules .

During the first 5 minutes After a post is published a "reverse auction" period takes place . In this period the curation reward is deducted in a linear fashion . By voting during These initial 5 minutes you May lose a percentage of the curation reward ranging from 100% to 0% . The deducted Amount is Returned to the Reward pool.

On the other hand voting after 6 days 12 hours of a posts age also affects the reward amount . The voting power begins to deplete linearly with 0% Depletion at 6 days 12 hours and 100% depletion at 7 days . Therefore voting at this stage may result in a reduced reward Compared to voting during the general voting period .

To check the reward Amount of a post that has returned To the Steem Blockchain's reward pool you can use various tools and platforms . One such tool is #steemworld.org Where you can enter the post's URL or username to access detailed Information about the post including its payout and rewards . By Examining the Payout details you can determine the specific Reward Amount Allocated to the post.

Author rewards:

curation rewards:

how curators can Earn More Than 100%

I have experienced how curators can Earn More Than 100% of the upvote value as curation rewards On the Steem Blockchain. Let me share an example of a post I voted on and the Projected Curation Reward .

I recently upvoted a post titled "Steemit Update May 22nd 2023" by the user "steemitblog" . link The post had been published for approximately 17 hours When I placed my 100% upvote On it . The Total payout For This post is $6.92 .

To Calculate the curation reward We need to determine the payment before Voting (P0) & the payment after voting (P1) . In this case P0 is $0 as I voted When The post Was already 17 hours old & P1 Is $1 Indicating the value of the upvote .

Using the curation reward formula:

Curator Payout = (1/2) * √PT * (√P1 - √P0)

where PT Is The Total Payout after 7 days we Can substitute the values :

Curator payout = (1/2) * √6.92 * (√1 - √0)
Curator payout ≈ (1/2) * √6.92 * (1 - 0)
Curator payout ≈ (1/2) * √6.92 * 1
Curator payout ≈ (1/2) * √6.92
Curator payout ≈ 1.32

Based on this calculation My projected curation reward for upvoting this post would be approximately $1.32. This means I can earn more than 100% of the upvote value as curation rewards specifically around 132% .

It's important to remember that the curation reward percentage May vary depending on factors such As the timing and position of the vote the total payout of the post & other variables . The Steem Blockchain's curation rewards System aims to incentivize curators to discover & support Valuable content by providing them with the opportunity to earn Additional rewards.

Role of curation

The role of curation in the Steem Blockchain is crucial for better content discovery . Curation involves the process of evaluating selecting and promoting high quality posts created by Other users on the platform. By curating content users help to identify valuable and engaging posts making them more visible To the community.

Curation plays a significant role in content Discovery for several reasons :

1) Quality Control:

Curators have the Responsibility of assessing the quality relevance and originality of the content. By upvoting high quality posts curators Help to Filter Out low quality OR spammy Content Ensuring that the platform maintains certain standard of excellence .

2) Community Engagement:

Curators contribute To community engagement by actively participating in the content evaluation process. They provide feedback support & recognition to content creators encouraging them to continue producing valuable content .

3) Exposure and Visibility:

When curators upvote post it increases its visibility within the Steem community. This exposure can lead to more interactions comments & engagement providing Content creators With the opportunity to gain a wider audience.

4) Rewards Distribution:

Curation plays vital role in the reward distribution system of the Steem Blockchain. By upvoting valuable content curators allocate a portion of the posts rewards to themselves as curation rewards. This incentivizes curators to discover & promote quality content Creating a positive feedback Loop that benefits both content creators and curators .

self-voting

Regarding self-voting it is a practice where user upvote their own content. While self-voting is allowed on the Steem Blockchain it is generally discouraged due to potential negative implications for the reward system .

Self-voting can be seen as an attempt to manipulate the reward system as users Are essentially allocating rewards to themselves without external validation OR consensus from the community . This can lead to a concentration of rewards in the hands of a few individuals limiting the fairness & effectiveness of the platforms reward distribution mechanism .

Moreover self-voting can diminish the role of curation in content discovery. Instead of relying on the evaluation and support of the community self voters prioritize their own content regardless of its quality or relevance. This can Hinder the organic growth & diversity of the platform by Suppressing the visibility Of other deserving posts .

To maintain a healthy reward system and encourage a vibrant community it is generally recommended to Focus on curation rather than excessive self-voting . By actively curating content users contribute To the discovery of valuable posts foster community engagement & ensure a fair and balanced distribution of rewards.

i am inviting

@edmund.nef @qasim78 @karimshah