Writing instructions

  1. Why instructions are important
  2. Creating instructions
  3. HTML markup
  4. Editing the instructions

When selecting a task, the performer is first shown the instructions that you wrote. Describe what needs to be done and give examples in them.

Why instructions are important

Good instructions help the performer complete the task correctly. The clarity and completeness of the instructions affect the response quality and the project rating. Unclear or overly complex instructions, on the contrary, will scare off performers.

If the performer completed the task according to the instructions, and you rejected it, they can file an appeal. It is important to make the instructions both clear and accurate.

Learn more about how to write simple and clear instructions on the Toloka website.

Creating instructions

Write text, format it, and insert pictures, links and tables in the visual editor or using HTML markup. To switch modes, click .

To expand the editor to full screen, click .

To view the instructions as seen by the performer, click .

HTML markup

The HTML markup mode allows you to create user-friendly instructions. Declare and apply CSS styles and use allowed HTML tags.

CSS styles
Declare styles in the style container or use the style attribute in tags to assign a style.
Note. The style container can be placed at the beginning or at the end of the instructions.
Supported HTML tags
The HTML markup supports basic tags:
  • Headers from h1 to h6.
  • Paragraph p and the div, pre, and blockquote blocks.
  • The ol, ul, and dl lists.
  • The table tag for tables.
  • The a tag for links.
  • The img and map pictures.
  • Text layout. For example: span, strong, em.
Full list of supported tags
  • a
  • b
  • big
  • blockquote
  • br
  • center
  • cite
  • code
  • col
  • colgroup
  • dd
  • div
  • dl
  • dt
  • em
  • font
  • h1
  • h2
  • h3
  • h4
  • h5
  • h6
  • hr
  • i
  • img
  • li
  • map
  • ol
  • p
  • pre
  • samp
  • small
  • span
  • strike
  • strong
  • style
  • sub
  • sup
  • table
  • tbody
  • td
  • tfoot
  • th
  • thead
  • tr
  • u
  • ul
  • a
  • b
  • big
  • blockquote
  • br
  • center
  • cite
  • code
  • col
  • colgroup
  • dd
  • div
  • dl
  • dt
  • em
  • font
  • h1
  • h2
  • h3
  • h4
  • h5
  • h6
  • hr
  • i
  • img
  • li
  • map
  • ol
  • p
  • pre
  • samp
  • small
  • span
  • strike
  • strong
  • style
  • sub
  • sup
  • table
  • tbody
  • td
  • tfoot
  • th
  • thead
  • tr
  • u
  • ul
Unsupported HTML tags
You can't insert the following in the instructions:
  • Scripts.
  • Frames.
  • Objects, audio players, or video players (the object, audio and video elements).
    Tip. You can provide links to audio and video.
Tags that are not supported are removed from the instructions when saving the project.

Editing the instructions

To change the instructions, go to project editing, make changes and save the project.
Note. If you edit instructions in a project that already has completed tasks, you should notify performers.

Troubleshooting

How do I show my instructions to the performer inside the task so that they don't need to open or close it?
There are three options:
  • Put your instructions inside the task, but make sure that it doesn't clutter the interface.
  • Use a side window for your instructions so that the user can quickly expand or collapse them.
  • Hide the instructions in an expandable section or add hints for the individual interface elements.
For best results, we recommend that you pre-select the performers that meet your requirements and set up the quality control rules.
Can I add a video player or audio player to my instructions?
No, but you can add links to them.
Some tags disappear after I save the instructions.
You can't use unsupported tags because they are deleted when you save the project. List of supported tags.
How do I create different instructions for the training pool and main pools?
By default, the project instructions are displayed in the training pool. To use separate instructions for the training pool, deselect Use project instructions. Don't forget to update the training instructions if you change something in the main task instructions.
How do I make a voice recording of a text in a single audio file, but use about 1000 people to record it?

You need to break down your task for Toloka. If you have a 30-minute task intended for one person and containing all the phrases, the best approach is to divide it into individual phrases, which you can give to different performers. The template for voice recording tasks doesn't require that the user installs a separate voice recorder app.

Refer to our step-by-step guide for creating a voice recording task.

In the input data, you can pass the phrase for the performer to record ("enable navigation"), and the speech speed (normal speed). This is the data you need to save in the TSV file. See the Guide to learn about creating a TSV file and its structure.

The preview contains 4 tasks per suite by default. You can specify the number of tasks for your project when you upload the task file. Learn more about the preview.

For example, if you want one person to say the same phrase 10 times, create 10 tasks in a suite. The cost is specified per task suite. To define how many people should say a particular phrase, use the overlap in the pool. By the way, don't forget to set up filters in your pool. This way you can select only the performers who speak a certain language and use mobile devices: client = mobile Toloka.

You can delegate review of the voice recordings to other performers by creating a separate project. Find brief instructions on how to do this here.