Is it better to criticize the wording of a question, or just try to answer it the best you can?
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YARNLADY is happy everyday
ANSWERS: 45
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Why choose one when you can do both?!?
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I would criticize the wording. Because improperly worded questions can be ambiguous. And you arent doing them any favors by answering it based on your interpretation, when they mean it by theirs. Its a waste of everyones time, for one. And two, it just communicates false information inappropriate for the question... which they may base their actions on your answers. So yes, its important to know whats being asked. If I have to criticize, then so be it. Its not insulting... its constructive. Far better than letting them continue about their lives unable to communicate.
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I try to answer the question as best I can, assuming it's something I have an opinion or information about. If I feel the question is ambiguous, I try to make sure that my answer includes my interpretation of what I think they were asking. However, where a question makes no sense at all, or it's not even a question, then my policy is just to give it a negative score as these sorts of pseudo-questions just waste people's time.
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There's nothing wrong with pointing out errors, esp. in spelling and/or if the wording makes it difficult to understand the question, as long as it's done an a gentle, constructive way...Be nice, not nasty!
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A: Suggest they work on their wording. B: Give them my translation of what they are asking. C: Give them an answer to the best of my ability.
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I criticize it if it doesn't make sense
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I dont usually critizes, I will make a joke, if it is a typical Am I pregnet? or Will I pass the drug test, questions. If it is a serious question, I do not say anything about their wording, I just answer the question the best I can.
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Sometimes I know that the asker's first language is NOT English, and I can't fault them for that. Others have such horrible spelling and grammar, that I sometimes do...tactfully and constructively correct their spelling. But some folks make so little sense with their question, I don't even know what they are asking and have to ask what they are talking about. Those who talk all in text speak are really annoying.
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Any answer that simply critiques the question is nonsense. If the question is nonsense, flag it and move on. If you can't provide a helpful answer, move on. That's my take on it.
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I would not want someone to criticize my wording, when I ask a question. So I would not do it to another. If I feel the need to belittle or judge another I have a mirror and a whole list of things I can use to tell my self off.
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I don't criticize the wording of a question, but sometimes I do clarify some things, so that I would not be giving a wrong answer. I try to answer it the best that I can because after all, we are here to help, not to criticize the spelling or grammar of other users.
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I personally don't criticise it. And I will answer the question if I can. If I find I can't make head nor tail of it, I will ignore it and move on.
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I don't normally criticize the wording. If the wording makes the intent of the question unclesr, then my answer might be a "feeding back" of I think the question "might be". Then, with a clarifying comment back, I can perhaps offer a helpful answer - and to the question they intended. ---- If the wording isn't the best, but the intent is still pretty clear, then I just go ahead and answer if I have one.
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Don't criticize... rather suggest. And give your best answer. After all, this is "answerbag" and not a question bag - your answer should be right, not necessarily the question if it gives the expected meaning.
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This question would sound better if it ended: "or just try to answer as best you can?"
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It depends if the question doesn't make sense.
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Both. I really hate it when people run all the sentences together. Its just laziness. Some questions require the services of a detective to unravel the meaning behind the words.
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people don't like being criticized, so, i try to avoid doing that. answering it the best i can gives me an A for effort even if i didn't get the interpretation of the question right. what i try to do is say something like, "hi bubba! i got confused reading your question. as i figure it, it might've meant either of two things. one ... two ... let me know if this answered your question and if not, could you clarify it for me?"
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If you criticised every mistake here on AB you'd never stop. Those questions that are too obvious mistakes I just ignore. Those that I am interested in I decipher and answer. But far be it from me to criticise. Its s and not z though ah ah.
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The best is not better than everything. Follow your wit and heart together!
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Answer as best you can, sometimes it is hard to put into words what you are trying to ask.
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If I can decipher what the questioner is asking I will do my best to answer. I try to remember that there are a lot of people for whom English is not a first language.
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I tend to answer it as bet I can because I dont really like to offend others or say something that may :)
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It is better to answer the question the best you can... but I often do correct the person on the wording because I'm a teacher and I just can't help it.
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I try to answer the question the best that i can.
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I think it's better to answer a question in the best way that you can. If someone clicks on a question with the intent to criticize, if would make me think that they were know-it-alls that were trying to show everyone how smart that they think they are.
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better to answer i think, unless you just can't even read it
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Critizicing the wording have no sense... if I decide to answer a question I do it and give my best at it.
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I usually just answer the question because there have been times I have mistyped, etc. But there are times that the spelling, grammar or even content is so bad that I just can't ignore it. So I point it out, not in a rude way, and then answer the question.
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It's better just to try and answer the question because criticizing a question just scares away other people who are potential answer givers.
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I'll answer the question, and if it's THAT bad, make suggestions about the wording ... But I try not to criticize.
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Always be nice and just answer the best you can. Unless it's really stupid and then a little fun sarcasm works. (wink)
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I am never in the business of criticizing but only to provide feedback when situations demand it. As long as the question can be understood, it would be fine for me. I will endeavor my best to provide the answer as I see fit.
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I think it depends on who it is. I think it's perfectly ok to tease but there are some people who take it personally. So be careful not to be unnecessary mean.
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I try to figure out what the person is really asking and then try to answer ... however, if I can't make sense of the question I just skip it. I don't criticize, it can be hurtful.
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just try to answer the best I can. We have to remember we only have so many spaces to formulate a question, so it can be very hard to descipher the question. Of course there are some questions that I've seen that make absolutely no sense at all. Rather than criticize I wait until someone else answers and see how they interpreted the question.
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If you understand the meaning, why criticize?
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I would say, 60% of us are not professors, genius's. No, just honest people trying to give honest answers, maybe we spell things wrong, or put words where they shouldn't be. Just look at our answers, decipher our mistakes and try to take what we are saying as our honest opinion.
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If the wording really had a problem but I understood it or thought I did, I would answer it and near the end I wouldn't criticize, but I would suggest some thing to maybe think about next time to make the question more understood or acceptable to others so it could gain more answers.
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if its just a simple error in spelling i dont say anything , that can happen even if the person is the best speller, maybe they were distracted or typing in the dark who knows, but if i notice a specific grammatical error then i (nicely and sweetly) point it out, maybe the person did not know they even made a mistake and they can learn something too. Thats why we are here right, to help.:)
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I just try to answer it the best I can.
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Use it. Syntax and spelling can tell you a lot about the asker such as young/old, American/foreign, grade school or college level. example: I wery often misspell words with a 'v' or 'w' in them. That means I come from a country where there is no discernible difference in the pronounciation of those two letters. That means the Germany/Scandinavia area. That means probably Lutheran-Protestant or Atheist. etc, etc, etc. And knowing that vill help you in phrasing your response in a way I can comprehend and learn from. regards JakobA
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make fun of them for being dumb. Nah, not really, depends on the question and the seriousness. I like to correct people and then answer. i expect to get corrected if i make a mistake.
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That depends. If the question is incomprehensible or (more common) comprehensible but very likely NOT what the question-asker meant to ask it is useful to comment on the question itself so that the question-asker will understand that there is a serious fault with the question itself.
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I criticize improper wording. Many questions on Answerbag are leading questions and traps, and by answering them or trying to - you might be giving credence to underlying, hidden premises or assumptions.
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