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I've recently asked a question. After a day I thought I found an answer to my question, though I wasn't sure. Therefore, I posted it as an answer in the hope that I would get feedback from the community whether it was correct or not. But I don't think many people have seen my answer. What is the best way to proceed now?

I don't think offering a bounty will do any good, because if my answer is correct, then I will accept my own answer. Should I completely delete the question, and ask it as a new question where I show my own solution. If subsequently no one provides me with feedback, then I can offer a bounty. Would this be in agreement with the policy of this forum?

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    $\begingroup$ You should maybe have edited your question, saying (at the very beginning) that your own answer needed to be reviewed. I doubt people will scroll down the page otherwise. $\endgroup$ Mar 25, 2014 at 17:27
  • $\begingroup$ @GabrielR. ok thanks, I've updated my question. But I'm worried people might not even look at it, because it is an "old" question. $\endgroup$
    – Hunter
    Mar 26, 2014 at 2:07
  • $\begingroup$ You wrote: But I'm worried people might not even look at it, because it is an "old" question. When you edited your question, it was bumped and it got on the front page again (for the users who sort the questions by recent activity, when browsing the site). So you definitely got a few new views by that. $\endgroup$ Mar 26, 2014 at 7:11
  • $\begingroup$ Also mentioning the question on meta could bring a few users to it; but this is not an approach which should be used in similar cases. (Meta is for discussions, not for bringing attention to particular question. But in this case it was ok, since you only posted link to show an example of what you are talking about.) $\endgroup$ Mar 26, 2014 at 7:12

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In this particular case you probably brought attention of some people to your answer by mentioning your post in this question on meta. And now, when you edited your question, the question was bumped and it got on the front page again (for the users who sort the questions by recent activity, when browsing the site). This also get the question a few more views.

But this is not solution in general - using this frequently for this purpose would be kind of misuse of meta and of editing. (It is perfectly fine to link some question on meta to show an example of problem you are asking about. It is ok to editing question, when an edit improves it. But neither of these two should be used as a guise for bringing attention to a particular question.)


The suggestions which I can think of are the following:

  • You could mention your question in chat. Maybe you will be lucky enough to find there someone who notices your message and will be willing to have a look at your answer. (But the chat room is quite lively, so it is relatively easy that you message will go unnoticed among many messages that are posted there. Apart from the main chat room it is possible to try a room specific to area of mathematics where your question belongs - if such room exists. These rooms are typically much less active than the main chat room. But as a trade-off, lower activity means that your message will be longer visible among the most recent messages in the room.)
  • I think offering a bounty is also a reasonable idea. Notice that you can add custom message when offering a bounty. You should explain there, that you are looking for comments on your solution. And that if someone posts an answer with explanation what can be improved in your solution, if such an answer is helpful, you will award bounty to that answer. (Again, there is a lot of bounties on this site, so it is quite possible that your bounty will go unnoticed. It is also possible that some people, who are attracted by the bounty, will not notice the custom message.)

This is an unusual type of bounty, so let us wait and see what other members of our community think about this approach. But since I was not able to think of some better solution, I suggested these two possibilities. Of the two, I personally like mentioning the post in chat better.


In any case you seem to have followed advice given here: Best way of asking "check my proof" questions (Post a question, mention that you want people to check your solution, post your solution as an answer.) So I do not think there is much more you can do here.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank for your reply. Do you happen to know why there is no "start a bounty" button on my question? I only have a "question eligible for bounty since 18 hours ago" button? $\endgroup$
    – Hunter
    Mar 26, 2014 at 13:40
  • $\begingroup$ I do not know. Based on help and detailed FAQ it seems that anyone with at least 75 reputation points should be able to offer a bounty. $\endgroup$ Mar 26, 2014 at 13:44
  • $\begingroup$ Ok, I've asked it as a separate question. Thanks again for your reply. $\endgroup$
    – Hunter
    Mar 26, 2014 at 13:53
  • $\begingroup$ I don't see why editing specifically to bump a question whose intent has changed is a bad thing. That's what the "bump on edit" feature is for - to draw attention to questions when they change in a way that may mean they warrant another look. $\endgroup$
    – Jack M
    Apr 7, 2014 at 8:23
  • $\begingroup$ @JackM This is the important part of your comment: change in a way that may mean they warrant another look. If an OP has defaced their post, it is useful that more eyes may notice it. If there was substantial addition or genuine correction to the question, the bump is perfectly ok. But making some minor edit such that the only purpose is to get the question bumped is misuse of this system. I think this comment expresses more-or-less the same sentiment. $\endgroup$ Apr 7, 2014 at 8:38
  • $\begingroup$ This discussion is also (to some extent) relevant to what you asked in your comment, @JackM. $\endgroup$ Apr 7, 2014 at 8:39
  • $\begingroup$ @MartinSleziak But if the OP answers their question, and now wants a peer review of the answer, then the question has changed in a way that warrants attention. Maybe the not the literal content of the question, but the intent. That's not an edit that serves only to bump the question. $\endgroup$
    – Jack M
    Apr 7, 2014 at 9:25
  • $\begingroup$ @JackM I am not against bumping in this particular situation. But I was answering a general question: How to bring attention to some post? $\endgroup$ Apr 7, 2014 at 9:40

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