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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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In this comic, [[Randall]] has blended many traditional rating scales to create a "universal rating scale". Unfortunately, the mixing of these scales creates a scale that is impossible to use. Only a subset of the values of each rating scale is included, further weakening its claim as a "universal" scale. The result is much like the attempt to create a "universal standard" in [[927: Standards]].
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{{incomplete|Created by a AA+ ICED COFFEE. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
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In this comic, [[Randall]] has blended many traditional rating scales to create a "universal rating scale". Unfortunately, the mixing of these scales creates a scale that is impossible to use.
  
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Alternatively, it can be perceived as a way of comparing the different scales, for instance to answer a question like "Is it worse to get a 2 or an F?"
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: '''Scale of zero to ten''' (but with an 11, because people often add that to exaggerate - see {{w|up to eleven}} about the meme)
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:: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11. The number 9 is omitted.
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: '''Scale of zero to ten''' (but with an 11, because people often add that to exaggerate - see {{w|up to eleven}} about the meme. Also, [[670: Spinal Tap Amps|this]].)
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: '''Competitive scores''', such as in the Olympics (ordinarily from 0.0 to 10.0, perfect)
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:: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11. The number 9 is omitted, possibly because seven ate nine (789) or because nine is the [[1103: Nine|neglected number]].
 
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: '''Competitive scores''', such as for artistic gymnastics' {{w|Code of Points (artistic gymnastics)|Code of Points}}, (ordinarily from 0.0 to a {{w|Perfect 10 (gymnastics)|perfect 10.0}})
 
 
:: 10.0
 
:: 10.0
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: '''{{w|Likert scale}}'''
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: '''Scale of agreement'''
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:: strongly disagree, disagree, agree, strongly agree (often there is a "neither agree nor disagree" value in the middle, but it is not strictly required)
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:: strongly disagree, disagree, agree, strongly agree
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: '''{{w|School grades}}''' (there are also B, C, D, and others with + or -)
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: '''School grades''' (there are also B, C, D, and others with + or -)
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:: F, A+
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:: F, A, A+
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:: S - Schools in Japan may use the {{w|Academic grading in Japan|S grading}}, which is said to stand for [https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/S#Etymology_1_2 "superior"], implying “even better than A.” The expression S is also used in daily life, generally perceived as an S in '''s'''pecial or '''s'''uper, here unrelated to the academic grading system. For example, the most expensive seat in a theater (e.g. a balcony seat) may be called ''S-seki'' (lit. “S seat”) in Japanese, while the second most expensive seat may be called ''A-seki''. Many video games also use S grading, and some (such as Beat Saber and Dance Dance Revolution) use SS, SSS, and even more S's as ranks above that (though these are not shown in the webcomic). A possibly related expression is “Super S” as in {{w|Sailor Moon (TV series)|''Sailor Moon SuperS''}}.
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:: S - Schools in Japan may use the {{w|Academic grading in Japan|S grading}}, from the Japanese shū (秀), meaning excellent. Many video games also use S grading, and some (such as Beat Saber) use SS as a rank above (though SS is not shown in the webcomic.)
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: '''{{w|Star (classification)|Star rating}}'''
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: '''Restaurant or entertainment ratings'''
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:: 1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars, 4 stars, frequently used to rate restaurants, films etc. 5 star is omitted, probably due to Randall's opinion that items with 5 stars [[1098: Star Ratings|tend to only have had one rater and aren't trustworthy]].
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:: 1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars, 4 stars
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: '''{{w|Conservation status}}''' (this is only a subset of the nine groups in the {{w|International Union for Conservation of Nature}} (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species)
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: '''{{w|Conservation status}}''' (this is only a subset of the nine groups in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species)
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:: extinct, critical (probably critical''ly endangered''), endangered, least concern
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:: extinct, critical, endangered, least concern
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:: According to the title text, "extinct in the wild" is a half-step below "critical", presumably above "G".
 
 
: '''{{w|Starbucks#Products|Starbucks brand beverage sizes}}''' (there is also short and trenta)
 
: '''{{w|Starbucks#Products|Starbucks brand beverage sizes}}''' (there is also short and trenta)
 
:: tall, grande, venti
 
:: tall, grande, venti
 
: '''MPAA age-appropriate {{w|Motion Picture Association film rating system|film ratings}}''' took effect November 1, 1968 with G, M (now PG), R (not shown in comic) and X (now NC-17)
 
: '''MPAA age-appropriate {{w|Motion Picture Association film rating system|film ratings}}''' took effect November 1, 1968 with G, M (now PG), R (not shown in comic) and X (now NC-17)
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:: G, PG (as of February 11, 1972, {{w|Motion Picture Association film rating system#From M to GP to PG|replaced GP}}), {{w|PG-13}} ({{w|Motion Picture Association film rating system#Addition of the PG-13 rating|introduced}} July 1, 1984), {{w|NC-17}} (introduced September 1990, {{w|Motion Picture Association film rating system#X replaced by NC-17|replaced X}})
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:: G, PG (as of February 11, 1972, replaced GP), PG-13 (introduced July 1, 1984), NC-17 (introduced September 1990, replaced X)
 
: '''ESRB age-appropriate {{w|Entertainment_Software_Rating_Board#Ratings|ratings}}''' for video games (there is also EC for early childhood, E for everyone, E10+ for Everyone 10+, M for Mature, and AO for Adults Only)
 
: '''ESRB age-appropriate {{w|Entertainment_Software_Rating_Board#Ratings|ratings}}''' for video games (there is also EC for early childhood, E for everyone, E10+ for Everyone 10+, M for Mature, and AO for Adults Only)
 
:: T for teen  
 
:: T for teen  
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: '''Happiness emojis''' (alternately, the '''{{w|Wong–Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale}}''')
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: '''Happiness emojis'''
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:: Frowny face (☹, U+2639), neutral face (😐, U+1F610), smiley face (☺, U+263A). It is not totally clear which emoji each symbol is meant to refer to. The unhappy face could be [https://emojipedia.org/worried-face Worried Face] 😟, [https://emojipedia.org/anguished-face/ Anguished Face] 😧, [https://emojipedia.org/frowning-face/ Frowning Face] ☹️ (note the lack of eyebrows), [https://emojipedia.org/slightly-frowning-face/ Slightly Frowning Face] 🙁 etc.
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:: Frowny face, neutral face, smiley face
 
: '''{{w|Coin grading|Coin grades}}'''
 
: '''{{w|Coin grading|Coin grades}}'''
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:: G, VG, UNC meaning good, very good, and uncirculated respectively
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:: F, G, VG, UNC for fine, good, very good, uncirculated
 
: '''Hurricane/cyclone strengths''', {{w|Saffir–Simpson scale}} (ordinarily categorized from category 1 to category 5)
 
: '''Hurricane/cyclone strengths''', {{w|Saffir–Simpson scale}} (ordinarily categorized from category 1 to category 5)
 
:: Category 5
 
:: Category 5
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: '''Tornado intensities''', {{w|enhanced Fujita scale}} (ordinarily categorized from EF0 to EF5)
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: '''Tornado intensities''', {{w|enhanced Fujita scale}} (ordinarily categorized from 0 to 5)
 
:: EF-5
 
:: EF-5
 
: '''Credit (and other) ratings'''
 
: '''Credit (and other) ratings'''
 
:: A, AA, AAA
 
:: A, AA, AAA
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:: Credit rating agencies will rank businesses and governments based on their likely ability to pay back their creditors' interest ratings. The very highest are rated AAA, and then (in Standard & Poor's scheme) AA+, AA, AA-, A+, and so on. (Note that Randall's scale rates A+ as better than AA, indicating that it's the "A+" from school grades rather than the one from Standard & Poor's list.)
 
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:: This could also be a reference to battery sizes. This would imply that AAA is better than AA, which is not necessarily true, but funny to think about.
 
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:: Alternatively, this could be a reference to sports tier divisions; where AA and AAA basketball for example promote age and skill appropriate competition.
 
  
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The title text suggests that the scale as shown here is incomplete, by referencing further gradings that are not shown in the table. {{w|Critically endangered}} and {{w|Extinct in the wild}} are real conservation status categories recognized by the IUCN, although it's not clear what "Critically endangered/extinct in the wild" would mean - perhaps the "possibly extinct in the wild" designation, abbreviated CR(PEW). It would presumably fit on the table somewhere between "Extinct" and "Critical", although its ordering relative to "tall", "2" and "G" is unclear.
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==Transcript==
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{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
  
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The title text suggests that a score at this level had been {{w|Grading on a curve|graded on a curve}}, which bumped its rating up to "Venti", which is on the table, two steps below "Least concern". This would be an extraordinary example of such a curve, pushing the score from approximately 2/10 to almost 8/10. This could only happen if the exam was extremely difficult, meaning most results were significantly below 2/10.
 
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==Transcript==
 
 
: [Caption above the frame:]
 
: [Caption above the frame:]
 
: Universal Rating Scale
 
: Universal Rating Scale
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:
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: [A vertical scale, with 45 gradations, labelled. These are the grades:]
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: [A vertical scale, with 45 gradations, labeled]
 
: 0
 
: 0
 
: 1
 
: 1

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