Do you vote for best answers to Y! A questions?

Question

If so, how do you choose the questions that prompt you to cast a vote for a best answer? How do you access these questions?

I generally answer questions in one only category (this one), and I would be delighted (and knowledgeable) to vote on answers in this category, but I rarely do, because it's too hard to locate them.

When I do, however, I often notice that I am the ONLY voter, or one of a very few, and that some of the voters seem to vote simply for the points--the first answer, the briefest answer, even a stupid or satiric answer. One answerer said that the secret Tom Sawyer was keeping from Huck was that his Pap was homo. It actually got a vote for Best Answer, and for a period was tied with three other serious answers.

So how do you decide when to vote? And how do you find questions that you are knowledgeable about and interested in?

I love answering questions, but I often wonder if anybody ever really reads my answers, including the asker.

I understand, but how do you find questions that are up for a vote in a particular category?

I don't have a lot of time to spend on this, so I answer maybe two or three interesting questions each day, usually those that not many others have responded to or that don't have very good answers.

Then I would be glad to vote on a few in the same category. The Y!A page, at least on my computer, has headings for open questions and resolved questions, but not for those "in voting." How do I find those?

Answer 1

I think most have answered your question - there should be a tab saying "unresolved questions" in each category where you can vote.

I do vote when I have time. There seem to be a lot of questions floating around for weeks (sometimes even months) where either there is a tie, or nobody at all has voted. If people have taken the time and trouble to answer, then I can take the time to vote.

I select questions about which I know something, obviously in the categories I choose anyway; then what I think Best Answer gets the vote. I don't vote for silliest answer, nor funniest. After that, I don't vote for an answer which has just copied and pasted reams from Wikipedia, etc, unless that is the only answer which has actually given the facts. A short, to-the-point answer is good, but also if someone has given some extra information which might not be found elsewhere. Also, if someone has given links to support or add information, such as perhaps pictures. If some answers are almost identical, eg names, dates, etc, call me anal, but I will vote for the one written with the best grammar, capital letters, etc. Usually, it's the one who has taken the most time and trouble, and gone that little bit further!

Answer 2

Yes I do, whenever I feel I’ve answered a sufficient amount of questions for a particular session.

Also gives me an opportunity to see some intelligent, informative or at other times some rather tasteless, rude and downright silly replies (and even questions). But the fact remains that you are allowed to rate them all (questions and answers), so what’s keeping you from doing just that?

The idea is (am sure you spend as much or more time reading your replies as you’re writing your question – judging from the detail you’ve gone into) to deliberate on the reply in context with the question. It needs to be direct, not be verbose, unless really required – in most cases short replies also win ‘Best Answers’. So I usually prefer the ones that come straight to the point and not dilly-dally. Also some degree of politeness never goes unnoticed. Most people who write in are not exactly in line to win the Booker or Nobel prize for English. Some degree of patience is required to deal with such queries – not insult them outright, which unfortunately you find most people doing. The internet is a great medium for people to learn and I don’t think insulting them works wonders for their egos.

When you click on any category on the lefthand side, it throws up 3 lines of questions to your right, related to that very category. One long list of questions seeking answers, another with unresolved questions and a third that allows you to rate the answers.

Believe me – not only the asker but a whole lot of other people do go through your answers including the Yahoo answers team (they check for any objectionable material!).
Finally its all about the personal satisfaction it gives you – there are no rewards for the ratings, yet it is a popular place to be. Do you really care, as long as you’re happy with what you’re doing?!

Happy answering, questioning and rating!

Answer 3

You should be seeing three categories on your books and authors page...Answer (open questions), Discover (resolved questions), Vote (undecided questions). The voting category has all the books and authors questions in the 'in voting' stage of the process.

If for some reason your computer isn't able to see that my suggestion would be to as you're browsing through questions and answering questions that if you see a particular question (and read the answers) and want to vote on the best answer later on that you go ahead and "add to your watchlist" so you can access the question later on from your homepage (Q&A page) under "watchlist."

Answer 4

Usually the asker knows what is best suited amongst the answers. There a few categories, where it is better to put the answers to vote.
For such categories, people who are better knowledgeable, have to volunteer, and browse questions put for voting, and if they are clear about the question, and reasonably sure of the better of the answers, must vote.
Since all this is voluntary, all that we can do is to make this process known through various forums, blog etc..

Answer 5

On the home page, at the top, are 3 tabs...1 is for undecided questions. You can access these and browse for the ones you feel are worthy of your vote or not. You can even vote for no best answer. I spend time going through questions in what ever category I'm into at the time and if they are stupid I don't hesitate to vote no best answer. I don't get points for that but I'm not prepared to vote for someone who couldn't take the time to think their answer through.

Answer 6

I usually just go through the ones in my answers list, (I don't always vote for myself). If there is one that I like better then mine, I will vote for that one. For ones I was just having fun with I let others make the decision, because I am unconcerned with getting the 1 point for casting the vote, and I want my best answers to be exactly that... It is not a matter of how many points you have, it is a matter of quality within your words.
CyberNara

Answer 7

I've gone into questions with answer and saw that it already had been answered. I'm that far into the process I do take the time then to vote for whom I think is the best answer. The only other time I even bother is when people are answering my questions. They all deserve a vote if they took the time to answer my question.

Answer 8

Like you, I love to answer, but I cruise all categories. I get bored in the same one! I never vote because I think the honour of choosing best answer should go to the asker, if they even care!

Answer 9

Yes, I vote for what seems to be the best answer.Either logically,
or just makes the most sense. Then sometimes I vote from knowledge or experience, but I tend to agree with you. I think some people just ask asinine questions and then give the points to their buds!

Answer 10

don't worry ,the asker will surely read your answers.also, i will regularly vote for many questions. i will vote "no best answer for many questions as i found no best answer for many questions.
but, what u have said is correct. some people will vote only to gain points. without seeing the answer they will blindly vote for one which is in the first column or some times they vote for a big answer. funny...