How do you know which answers to trust in Yahoo Answers?

Question

When you ask a question in Yahoo Answers, and you get a lot of responses, how do you know which ones to trust or believe?

Answer 1

It's true, there's a lot of BS out there. As certain reporters say, "If your mother says she loves you, check it out." If I were gathering information for something actually important I would never rely on Yahoo Answers.

I look for people who back up their answers with the source of the information. Of course, then you have to evaluate the reliability of the source.

In graduate school (I'm a librarian) we were taught how to select reference source material. Librarians' professional literature reviews reference works (including web sites) for different kinds of libraries. Each field of study has its own literature, too, and professionals review books and web sites.

When I answer I try to avoid sources that I think might be biased, or if I find myself using them I try to counter with a source that has the opposite point of view.

I like Wikipedia quite a bit. It's a good place to start investigating a topic. It has an astounding amount of information that you are unlikely to find elsewhere because enthusiasts of odd topics get a chance to explain their interests to the world. Entries are edited, and those that do not meet certain standards are flagged. Controversial material is also flagged. The best entries will lead you to other sources of information.

The downside of Wikipedia is that anyone can go in there and mess things up faster than the editors can catch them. If you are looking for disputed facts you have to be cautious.

I don't quite get it when people ask the world to solve their medical problems instead of going to the doctor or the ER. The same with legal problems. Or writing or typing so badly that you can't understand what they're asking. And then there are the questions that require a doctoral thesis to answer.

Answer 2

You can only use your own good sense and knowledge. There is a lot of fertilizer out there, but if you are discerning and take the time to investigate the answers provided, you should be able to determine which answers might be most helpful. In a public forum like this, with no manner in which to determine the legitimacy of the answerers, there really is no other way to determine what to trust or believe.

Take the time to do your own research. You will most likely develop an answer better than any provided.

Answer 3

Wow! it is a gr8 query! Well I've best requested a pair questions that werent rlly choice questions, simply technical aid. but if i reply (as with proper now) i attempt to consider of what that man or woman desires to listen to, or discover out. There's a few questions that simply want the information, others are for jokes, however there are the ones questions that want a well opinion centered reply. And i believe a few ppl. If any person used rlly unhealthy language (like swearing or some thing) then i would not quite appear on the reply on the grounds that its offenseive. however theres ppl right here who're truthfully looking to aid. now not simply get the 2 facets. Hope this solutions ur query!

Answer 4

You can only use your best judgement and common sense. Look at things this way. If you ask 5 of your close friends an identical question, chances are you'll get 5 different answers. Same goes here, except your friends are more inclined to give you help. Many people on here spout of garbage on issues they know NOTHING about. Take everything with a grain of salt, sort through what sounds right and what doesn't, then try googling and see what you come up with.

Answer 5

The best way to find out who to trust in yahoo answers is to start doing your own research. The people answering your questions can give you some avenues to take, it doesn't mean your question is answered totally. It's great to be able to ask questions and get answers from many other people, but it is also important to do your own research and come to your own conclusions.

Answer 6

I've only asked about 5 questions, usually I like to do the answering. But, I choose the answers that I think people actually took some time to think about and seem to sincerely care about answering. Yes, some people just want there answers to be picked best, but if you put in the time and energy to answer completely, I will probably pick you. I don't like when people just put links in their answers, but if they put some links, and then put in their own words, then that makes it better for me. I don't like answer that are rude. If you have a different opinion than me, that's fine, but you must back up your reasons.

Answer 7

If it's a matter of judgment, I pick the one that makes most sense to me.
If it's a matter of fact and I'm not sure which one is right, I take the clues they have given me and check them out. Some people write false answers as a joke, and some are mistaken.

Answer 8

You could email the person whose answer sounds the most right to you. Then can ask them more info or whatever you want. Some answerer's are on here alot and can see their profile by clicking their picture. See what percentage they have of best answers.

You have to use your better judgment also.

Answer 9

The answers are only some input to you that you may not have thought. Take those and rethink yourself and come to your own answer. Why pick any single answer as the correct one?

Answer 10

This is where critical thinking comes into play. Normally you can double check but if someone appears to have a lot of animosity or their own agenda to fill you avoid this. I find that there are a lot of zealots, racist, homophobes and others that feel quite comfortable defaming and slandering other groups that they don't feel are equal to their own. This happens a lot with men oppressing women.