Do people know how to search for an answer AND assess if it's from a good source?
2007-09-22 16:00:50 · 12 answers · asked by Greywolf 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
I think some do and some don't. I used to work in an elementary school library and know how to tell if a site is a good source or just some kid's web page where they put something together for a class. Some people think that if it ends in .org it's a good site. This is not always true. Anyone can have a .org website. I have one for genealogy and while we research carefully and document everything we put on the site, our information is only as good as the record keepers of the documents we use and some of the transcriptions are terrible on those genealogy websites.
I recently had a marriage certificate that had a totally unlegible name on it. I could see most of the letters but they didn't make sense. I put it on flikr and then linked it to a question about it and got an answer that made sense.
The one thing that really makes me scratch my head is when people ask questions here when all they have to do is put the same thing in a google search to get their answer. How difficult is it to enter something into google or even yahoo? It's just as easy to do that as it is to ask a question here and it's faster.
2007-09-22 16:17:03 · answer #1 · answered by kcpaull 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
On some topics the answers make perfect sense and might be a great solution you never thought of. So if the reply makes sense to you go with it.
On opinion questions like P&S it is not the facts that count - it is the fun of seeing how creative Yahoo people can be. So if you want entertainment that is a great idea for getting it.
If the answer contains a link to a valid site (not Wiki) you can go there and verify the truth of it. That answer with a link can be valid.
If you have misspelled the key phrase so badly that you can't search for it on the web and the answerer knows enough to point you in the correct direction that is a good use of Answers.
However if the answerer only has a self-serving reply like "No don't fix it yourself. Hiring a craftsman like my husband is the only way to get it repaired" I would toss that answer out immediately.
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2007-09-22 16:10:36 · answer #2 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OMG yes!!! I have always gotten really good answers for any question I have ever asked here.
You just have to ignore the few idiots who leave you vulgar, rude, and racist answers. They really don't matter.
Sometimes you'll get several slightly different correct answers. I always try to consider all those answers and then do a little further research to get an exact answer, like looking thru the Answer archives or another website. Sometimes if people don't have the exact answer, they will at least point you in the right direction to find it.
2007-09-22 16:06:54 · answer #3 · answered by Princess Leia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as reliablity goes, I would never use it as my sole source of information. There is sometimes some great advice on here, but at the same time, there is some really bad advice as well. The best thing to do is to use it as a way to point you in the right direction. Ask a question and then use the answers to do your own research.
2007-09-22 16:10:56 · answer #4 · answered by Banana Slug 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the question. Usually I ask questions because I enjoy reading other people's opinions. On the other hand, If I really need help and I can't locate the answer on my own I ask for help because I know that there are lots of intelligent and smart people on this site especially when it comes to asking questions about computers. Sometimes I ask fun questions just to get a good laugh because laughter is good for the soul and spirit.
2007-09-23 01:59:08 · answer #5 · answered by Spirit Dancer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Considering there are perhaps millions of users on Y!A the odds are a person will get at least one correct answer out of all that are submitted. It still perturbs me a bit the many users who could google most anything they want to know anything about but don't. Y!A is also a forum for friendship and fun for those who use it properly. So enjoy using Y!A for whatever reason knowledge or fun the choice is yours. God bless!
2007-09-22 16:53:34 · answer #6 · answered by Emissary 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are people who can, and some of those are willing to take the time to do so for serious questions. It's a good way to get answers. Sometimes the answers are good or correct. For matters of fact, the good answers include references.
2007-09-22 18:50:40 · answer #7 · answered by Frank N 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
YOUR SOURCE OF INFORMATION IS WORLD WIDE!! I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET A WIDE VARIETY OF ANSWERS. EFFECTIVE!! YES, YOUR ABILITY TO ASSESS, IS BASED ON HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ANSWERS YOU RECIEVE, GOOD SOURCE, I BELIEVE IT IS. I FIND ALOT OF ENJOYMENT IN THE DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE APPROACH EACH QUESTION, I HAVE LEARNED FOR THE MOST PART, THERE ARE ALOT OF CARING PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD, AND THAT ALONE MEANS OUR WORLD IS NOT AS BAD AS WE THINK IT IS. THANKS FOR ASKING!! BEST WISHES!!
2007-09-22 16:11:37 · answer #8 · answered by mother of 4! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes - depends if its a good question or a BS question. Most of the time you can tell the difference
2007-09-22 16:15:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
New to this, and was very surprised on how quick the response time was.. and all answers seem consistent..
2007-09-22 16:04:07 · answer #10 · answered by John P 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋