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I've just checked the help page for privileges and it doesn't mention accepting answers. There was a discussion on meta about how to encourage newer users to accept answers when appropriate but the privileges page doesn't tell them they can accept answers. If it did then this might point them in the direction of finding out more about what it entails.

To make this a specific feature request I would like to recommend the following:

(1) On the Help Center > Privileges page the bottom line for reputation of 1 could be rewritten to indicate that accepting answers is part of the process.

(2) On the Help Center > Reputation & Moderation page the sentence in the first paragraph which now says "Basic use of the site, including asking questions, answering, and suggesting edits, does not require any reputation at all", could include "accepting answers".

I believe this would contribute to raising the profile of this important part of the process amongst newcomers and cannot see any down side to these suggested edits.

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  • $\begingroup$ I have removed the added support tag because I am not asking for support. I'm suggesting a way of improving our communication to new users about a certain existing feature of this site. So it's not really a feature-request either but the editor insists on a choice of one tag from a compulsory list of four. Feature request comes closest. I'm suggesting some edits to some help pages which I believe will give the accepted answer feature a higher and clearer profile. $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 7, 2014 at 9:37
  • $\begingroup$ After considering all the feedback my OP has been rewritten as a specific feature request. $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 9, 2014 at 0:56

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While there is no specific privilege for accepting answers, the following is from the description of the "create posts" privilege:

When you have decided which answer is the most helpful to you, mark it as the accepted answer by clicking on the check box outline to the left of the answer.

This at least implicitly indicates that users with the "create posts" privilege can also accept answers. Of course, this could be prominently displayed.

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  • $\begingroup$ "Of course, this could be prominently displayed." Agreed. Then, is this not a point worth making? Shouldn't we try to maximise our help for new users? How hard would it be to add accepting answers to the privileges page and how hard would it be to add accepting answers to the sentence I quote in my comment below? It seems to me this would do much more good than harm and I have no idea what harm it would do. $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 7, 2014 at 6:40
  • $\begingroup$ Are you saying it shouldn't be mentioned on the Help Center > Privileges page? $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 7, 2014 at 22:46
  • $\begingroup$ I have considered your feedback and I have edited the OP as a specific feature request and would much appreciate it if you would consider it as it now stands. $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 9, 2014 at 0:53
  • $\begingroup$ @GeoffPointer: I'm actually not certain what the best solution is. It may not hurt to have an "accept answer" privilege, as it would appear at the top of the screen for new users (this is something that I just thought of). Being cynical, I don't think that many users ever go through the privilege pages. I personally prefer the 2 minute tour that users are invited to take even before creating accounts. IMHO, it is a much better set-up for getting acquainted with the nuts-and-bolts of the SE framework. Of course, many users probably skip this, too. $\endgroup$
    – user642796
    Feb 9, 2014 at 4:52
  • $\begingroup$ Is a cynical attitude, (and I'm not saying I'm above this myself), or one's own personal preferences, the best thing to apply to the help system? Surely my suggestions are not complicated and would do no harm to the help system and would broaden it's scope? Even if they made only a negligible difference I can't see how my suggestions could turn out a bad thing in any way. $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 9, 2014 at 4:58
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    $\begingroup$ @Geoff: I have no control over the privileges pages whatsoever (or anything else from the back-end, for that matter), so my opinion is just an opinion, and I'm 99.995% certain that it won't matter one iota in the ultimate acceptance/denial of this request. $\endgroup$
    – user642796
    Feb 9, 2014 at 5:20
  • $\begingroup$ Who's opinion does matter? $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 9, 2014 at 6:38
  • $\begingroup$ @Geoff: Mostly, these people (well, at least those people listed as "Community Managers" and/or "Developers"). $\endgroup$
    – user642796
    Feb 9, 2014 at 6:56
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On this help page, I see

• answer is marked “accepted”: +15 (+2 to acceptor)
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    $\begingroup$ None the less (+2 to acceptor) doesn't say that someone with only 1 reputation can accept. In the body of that page it says "Basic use of the site, including asking questions, answering, and suggesting edits, does not require any reputation at all" could also say "accepting answers". And, to not be mentioned on the privileges page at all is an oversight in my opinion. $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 7, 2014 at 1:35
  • $\begingroup$ I have considered your feedback and I have edited the OP as a specific feature request and would much appreciate it if you would consider it as it now stands. $\endgroup$
    – Geoff Pointer
    Feb 9, 2014 at 0:53

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