should we look down on copy and paste answers from encyclopedia definitions of answers?

Question

i understand the information gained from links to the encyclopedia, but shouldnt they just be only in the 'sources' box? since the people can just look it up as the questionaire can do the same. i think this site should be a place where you can get the opinion of people under their own thinking. you would be suprised of what people can observe without knowing.

by questionnaire i mean the person asking the question.

Answer 1

No because some people dont know where to look, most people google it before asking, and if they dont then its because they dont have much time and want different answers to see what most people recommend, I don't think Yahoo! minds either because it makes their site more popular.

Answer 2

I think you should look at both, the copy and pasted answer and the link. It's easier to just read the info at once, rather than to go to the link and then find the relevant info for yourself. But if you're not sure if it's totally correct or not, then you can check on the link. (So people should put the link in the sources box too)

Answer 3

I think I prefer to see or use website links for those cases.

I would argue that more understanding is gleaned by learning how a variety of people will express knowledge around a similar issue. Some of the questions that are very straight forward, also generate some very different responses that illustrate the nuances and differences in mental processing that each of us does.

I also think the door should remain open for original thinking. What is believed by the majority is not necessarily truth but may be intersubjectivity. "Outside of the box" thinking is something worth keeping.

Answer 4

I agree that some of the questions put into this catagory would definitely be asking for opinions or interrpretations. Some of the questions that I have come across also seem to be asked because kids don't want to do their homework for school. Yahoo answers is still evolving so it may be in a different form that will help ellimate thesedifficulties.

Answer 5

i would say no, not if the question, as many are, is more fact based. some people either do not know how to look up the basic info on a certain subject, or else they found confusing info.
if it asks for an opinion, then you should give your own, not include a copy/paste , unless it backs up your opinion, and is used as an addition

Answer 6

Amen! I completely agree with you! its easy to open up an encyclopedia, but its interesting to hear people answer from the heart.

Answer 7

No. People are asking for answers. Correct answers. What should be looked down upon are baseless opinions and utterly bogus responses.

Answer 8

I agree completely, it drives me crazy when people do that. It just shows that they are too lazy or stupid
(possibly both) to answer the question.

Answer 9

i dont know

Answer 10

yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes I wrote this all myself!