When do you report macro F1 versus micro F1 versus weighted F1?
PICTURE THIS: DOM IS A TREE
Simple meaning
Macro F1 averages F1 per class equally, so rare classes count.
WHY — Metrics instead of guessing?
Why interviewers care about Metrics:
contrast on Metrics, not two memorised paragraphs.
the developer, then one case where picking wrong hurts.
Name the idea, why it exists, then one short example.
End with when you use it and one common pitfall.
STEPS — What happens step by step?
Before you speak the answer, walk the interviewer through these steps:
- 1Macro F1 averages F1
per class equally, so rare classes count.
- 2Micro F1 pools decisions
and tracks overall accuracy-like performance.
- 3How it works
Weighted F1 averages by support
- 4use macro when every
class is a stakeholder and micro when overall volume dominates.
- 5Common mistake
What juniors usually get wrong.
- 6Close
When you pick this over the alternative.
EXAMPLE — See it in action
Here's a short line you can speak, broken into clear beats:
Note: Adapt this scaffold to your own project — keep it under 60–90 seconds.
Key takeaway
Macro F1 averages F1 per class equally, so rare classes count. Micro F1 pools decisions and tracks overall accuracy-like performance.