Writing a better help page on "How do I write a good answer" [updated]

Question

New users often give answers that are too short or that have other problems that may cause them to be considered "very low quality" (which means they are often flagged for deletion). People can leave comments about this, but sometimes it's hard to figure out the right way to explain what a "good" answer should include, and it takes some effort to compose a comment. It would be nice if we had a linkable, easy-to-find page on this site that lays out the expectations for answers.

A new user might expect to find this information at the Help Center page "How do I write a good answer?," but in fact it doesn't really say much about how to write an answer that will be considered "good" by the members of this site.

That page seems more like it gives a basic explanation of what "answers" are supposed to be on a Stack Exchange site. It tells people not to write "thanks," to answer the actual question posed, to be civil, to not just post a link, and to avoid answering unclear or otherwise unsuitable questions. I would say this is an explanation of how to write an acceptable answer, not a "good" answer.

As far as I can see, it does not tell people that a good answer should be more than a single line, and should include an explanation of why the answer is correct. The main hint about this is the line "Links to external resources are encouraged"—the word "encouraged" indicates that links are not in fact a requirement.

It also says

Any answer that gets the asker going in the right direction is helpful, but do try to mention any limitations, assumptions or simplifications in your answer. Brevity is acceptable, but fuller explanations are better.

I realize that different people will have slightly different opinions about how short a good answer can be, but I really don't think the quoted portion gives a clear, accurate representation of what most active high-rep users on this site judge as "acceptable" for an answer. See the following Meta question and its responses: On deleting low quality single-word-request answers

Could we have another Help center page that actually explains how to write a good answer? (Or edit this one so that it does?) By "good" I don't mean anything fancy. I mean "an answer that is not likely to be deleted for being low-quality."

I know it's unrealistic to expect users will read the Help Center before posting, but I think we have a responsibility not to mislead the few who do. It would also be useful to be able to link to a page that explains the general expectations of high-rep users.

There is a brief mention of the need for research and/or details in the pop-up shown to new users:

Your Answer

Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!

• Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

But avoid …

• Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
• Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.

To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.

But it doesn't go into any depth, and you can't actually learn more about how to do research in the tips for writing "great" answers.

Examples

Here are some examples of the types of things I am talking about. I am not saying that we should tell new users that every answer needs to have an elaborate explanation or a linked citation. I am saying we should tell them that some kind of explanation is necessary.

The following are real posts I saw in the "low quality posts" queue:

It seems correct, but you could also ask "Have you been to the cinema recently?"

This is brief, which the Help Center says is acceptable. It tries to get the OP going in the right direction: the Help Center says this is useful.

Evacuate

During the operation field A is evacuated.

Again, it's brief, but it gives a definite suggestion and so it's quite likely that the poster thinks it will "get the asker going in the right direction." If we're just going by the Help Center's explanation, it's easy to conclude this is a helpful answer.

Someone left a comment below:

Welcome to English Language and Usage. We are looking for longer answers that include references and citations. If you need assistance in framing an answer, please visit our Help Page on "How to write an answer"

Edit March 11

I'm posting some answers to try out the community wiki drafting process mentioned in 200_success's comment. Here is the way it works:

post a Community Wiki "answer" containing the original text of the page. Please try to reproduce the markup as faithfully as you can. Then, everyone can start editing it! (Be sure not to edit your own post within the first five minutes, else your modifications will be incorporated into Rev 1.)

Please vote for any answer you feel is an improvement, and post your own if you have your own idea for what should be on the Help Center page.

Answer 1

How do I write a good answer?

Thanks for taking the time to contribute an answer. It’s because of helpful peers like yourself that we’re able to learn together as a community. Here are a few tips on how to make your answer great:

Pay it forward

Saying “thanks” is appreciated, but it doesn’t answer the question. Instead, vote up the answers that helped you the most! If these answers were helpful to you, please consider saying thank you in a more constructive way – by contributing your own answers to questions your peers have asked here.

Have the same problem?

Still no answer to the question, and you have the same problem? Help us find a solution by researching the problem, then contribute the results of your research and anything additional you’ve tried as a partial answer. That way, even if we can’t figure it out, the next person has more to go on. You can also vote up the question or set a bounty on it so the question gets more attention.

Answer the question

Read the question carefully. What, specifically, is the question asking for? Make sure your answer provides that – or a viable alternative. The answer can be “don’t do that”, but it should also include “try this instead”. You are encouraged to cite references such as dictionaries, experts and style guides: a good answer is not just based on opinion or personal biases. If your post includes a quote, be sure to include the name of the source in your post. Do try to mention any limitations, assumptions or simplifications in your answer.

Provide context for links

Links to external resources are encouraged, but please add context around the link so your fellow users will have some idea what it is and why it’s there. Always quote the most relevant part of an important link, in case the target site is unreachable or goes permanently offline.

Write to the best of your ability

We don't expect every answer to be perfect, but answers with correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar are easier to read. They also tend to get upvoted more frequently. Remember, you can always go back at any time and edit your answer to improve it.

Answer well-asked questions

Not all questions can or should be answered here. Save yourself some frustration and avoid trying to answer questions which...

• ...are unclear or lacking specific details that can uniquely identify the problem.
• ...solicit opinions rather than facts.
• ...have already been asked and answered many times before.
• ...require too much guidance for you to answer in full, or request answers to multiple questions.
• ...are not about English language and usage as defined in the help center.

Don't forget that you can edit the question you're answering to improve the clarity and focus - this can reduce the chances of the question being closed or deleted.

Always be polite and have fun

It’s fine to disagree and express concern, but please be civil. There’s a real human being on the other end of that network connection, however misguided they may appear to be. We’re here to learn from our peers, not yell at each other.

Answer 2

How do I write a good answer?

Thanks for taking the time to contribute an answer. It’s because of helpful peers like yourself that we’re able to learn together as a community. Here are a few tips on how to make your answer great:

Pay it forward

Saying “thanks” is appreciated, but it doesn’t answer the question. Instead, vote up the answers that helped you the most! If these answers were helpful to you, please consider saying thank you in a more constructive way – by contributing your own answers to questions your peers have asked here.

Have the same problem?

Still no answer to the question, and you have the same problem? Help us find a solution by researching the problem, then contribute the results of your research and anything additional you’ve tried as a partial answer. That way, even if we can’t figure it out, the next person has more to go on. You can also vote up the question or set a bounty on it so the question gets more attention.

Answer the question

Read the question carefully. What, specifically, is the question asking for? Make sure your answer provides that – or a viable alternative. The answer can be “don’t do that”, but it should also include “try this instead”. Any answer that gets the asker going in the right direction is helpful, but do try to mention any limitations, assumptions or simplifications in your answer. Brevity is acceptable, but fuller explanations are better.

Provide context for links

Links to external resources are encouraged, but please add context around the link so your fellow users will have some idea what it is and why it’s there. Always quote the most relevant part of an important link, in case the target site is unreachable or goes permanently offline.

Write to the best of your ability

We don't expect every answer to be perfect, but answers with correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar are easier to read. They also tend to get upvoted more frequently. Remember, you can always go back at any time and edit your answer to improve it.

Answer well-asked questions

Not all questions can or should be answered here. Save yourself some frustration and avoid trying to answer questions which...

• ...are unclear or lacking specific details that can uniquely identify the problem.
• ...solicit opinions rather than facts.
• ...have already been asked and answered many times before.
• ...require too much guidance for you to answer in full, or request answers to multiple questions.
• ...are not about English language and usage as defined in the help center.

Don't forget that you can edit the question you're answering to improve the clarity and focus - this can reduce the chances of the question being closed or deleted.

Always be polite and have fun

It’s fine to disagree and express concern, but please be civil. There’s a real human being on the other end of that network connection, however misguided they may appear to be. We’re here to learn from our peers, not yell at each other.

Answer 3

How do I write a good answer?

Thanks for taking the time to contribute an answer. It’s because of helpful peers like yourself that we’re able to learn together as a community.

Before writing an answer...

Use votes to "pay it forward"

Saying “thanks” is appreciated, but it doesn’t answer the question. Instead, vote up the answers that helped you the most! If these answers were helpful to you, please consider saying thank you in a more constructive way – by contributing your own answers to questions your peers have asked here.

Answer well-asked questions

Not all questions can or should be answered here. Save yourself some frustration and avoid trying to answer questions which...

• ...are unclear or lacking specific details that can uniquely identify the problem.
• ...solicit opinions rather than facts.
• ...have already been asked and answered many times before.
• ...require too much guidance for you to answer in full, or request answers to multiple questions.
• ...are not about English language and usage as defined in the help center.

Don't forget that you can edit the question you're answering to improve the clarity and focus - this can reduce the chances of the question being closed or deleted.

Have the same problem?

Still no answer to the question, and you have the same problem? Help us find a solution by researching the problem, then contribute the results of your research and anything additional you’ve tried as a partial answer. That way, even if we can’t figure it out, the next person has more to go on. You can also vote up the question or set a bounty on it so the question gets more attention.

While writing an answer...

Read the question carefully

What, specifically, is the question asking for? Make sure your answer provides that – or a viable alternative. It's valid to say “don’t do that,” but a good answer should also include “do this instead”.

Explain your answer

A good answer should be based on evidence. This can be as simple as your own experience, but often it will be more helpful to cite a reference such as a dictionary, or to give examples from the works of respected writers. You should clearly indicate the origin of the evidence you choose to include: give some context if it is from your experience ("As an Australian English speaker, I've heard people say..."), and name the sources of any quotations you use (as well as linking to the source if it is online). Do try to mention any limitations, assumptions or simplifications in your answer.

Provide context for links

Links to external resources are encouraged, but please add context around the link so your fellow users will have some idea what it is and why it’s there. Always quote the most relevant part of an important link, in case the target site is unreachable or goes permanently offline.

Write to the best of your ability

We don't expect every answer to be perfect, but answers with correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar are easier to read. They also tend to get upvoted more frequently. Remember, you can always go back at any time and edit your answer to improve it.

Always be polite and have fun

It’s fine to disagree and express concern, but please be civil. There’s a real human being on the other end of that network connection, however misguided they may appear to be. We’re here to learn from our peers, not yell at each other.