# How is "TOP topics" list calculated?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-is-top-topics-list-calculated/33752
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 25, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-is-top-topics-list-calculated/33752 "2015-09-25T16:23:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@meglio](https://meta.discourse.org/u/meglio)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-is-top-topics-list-calculated/33752/1 "2015-09-25T16:23:03Z")
I tried to search for but could not find any overview of the algorithm to display `/top/xxx` topics , e.g. `/top/monthly`.
At least, what variables are considered and with what weight? What is more important and what is less? I need this to explain to my users which will participate in “top topic of the month” contest.
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### Author:  [@zogstrip](https://meta.discourse.org/u/zogstrip)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-is-top-topics-list-calculated/33752/2 "2015-09-25T16:24:53Z")
Have a look at the [`top_topic.rb`](https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/app/models/top_topic.rb) file 😉
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### Author:  [@John\_Lehmann](https://meta.discourse.org/u/John_Lehmann)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2019, 11:55am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-is-top-topics-list-calculated/33752/3 "2019-05-23T11:55:54Z")
It would seem natural to me for this score value to come back in the top topics API response objects. Is that present somewhere that I’m overlooking?
Because I am accumulating top posts over time, I want to have a way to compare how “top” they are relative to one another. Therefore, I’m using this formula as a starting point.
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2024, 12:37pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-is-top-topics-list-calculated/33752/4 "2024-06-08T12:37:08Z")
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