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Sometimes I have a question and have an idea how to answer it. I'm pretty sure (see edit 1) the idea is correct but not so sure (see edit 1). However, I do want to be so sure (see edit 1), so I ask online. When there are no answers even after a bounty, may I just transfer my idea from the post to an answer? Of course the answer is not necessarily correct, but I think it's a good way to attract attention ASSUMING it's not against the rules. (Of course there's always going to overflow.)

One thing to note is that if I delete the idea from the question post instead of just copying the idea to answer, then question post becomes shorter and therefore hopefully gives more incentive to answer (or comment on my answer).

Edit 1: Sureness is relative. This is of course the whole idea of hypothesis testing in statistics. How sure must I be to answer my own question in this regard? 95%? 99%?

Edit 2: Thank you just_floating for introducing me to this term: Cunningham's Law.

Edit 3: Jonas Meyer says

If you have worked out an answer to your question, you can also post it as an answer. If you're not yet sure it's correct, you could start with a disclaimer to that effect, and ask for feedback.

Edit 4: Does it make any difference if I do community wiki?

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    $\begingroup$ That seems to be an attempt to "get around" rules, or game the system, for the purpose of "attracting attention". I would not advise doing so. You can offer a bounty again, if you offer a higher bounty than you may have previously offered. No one should post any "maybe this might work?" questions as answers. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 18:40
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy thanks for commenting. Actually something I didn't really clear up in the post initially is that sureness is relative. This is of course the whole idea of hypothesis testing in statistics. How sure must I be to answer my own question in this regard? 95%? 99%? I'll now edit my post in this regard $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 18:58
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    $\begingroup$ This is - to some extent - related: How to grab users' attention on an old question? And you might also be interested in some of the other posts linked there. $\endgroup$
    – Martin Sleziak
    Jun 17, 2020 at 18:59
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    $\begingroup$ If you are asking a question, and seek verification, use the solution-verification tag, after stating the problem and posting you solution. Answer fields are not intended for others to evaluate. That's the purpose of the solution-verification/proof-verification tag: you post a proposed solution in the question, and ask if it is correct, and if not, where did you go wrong. Do not use answer fields for others to have to evaluate. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 19:03
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy Thanks! Do you disagree with Jonas Meyer? 'If you have worked out an answer to your question, you can also post it as an answer. If you're not yet sure it's correct, you could start with a disclaimer to that effect, and ask for feedback.' $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 19:17
  • $\begingroup$ You need to stop posting multiple questions in the multiple questions that you post: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, about the same question, in each of which you post multiple questions. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:33
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    $\begingroup$ I think the third edit from 'Jonas Meyer' doesn't answer the question at all. The question talks about moving attempted solution to an answer from the initial post. The comment from 'Jonas Meyer' talks about the case in which 'you have worked out an answer to your question'. I think this should be clarified, because the two situations have different answers. $\endgroup$
    – just_floating
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:47
  • $\begingroup$ @just_floating It sounds like you're focusing on the first sentence of the quote. What about the second sentence of the quote? 'If you're not yet sure it's correct, you could start with a disclaimer to that effect, and ask for feedback.' What's the difference between the 2 situations? $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:52
  • $\begingroup$ @JohnSmithKyon You expressed your motivation in the title of your question: you are seeking to gain attention to your unfocused questions, and answering when you are so unsure, just to bump the post: therein lies the problem. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:55
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy I am not so unsure. That would be wrong. I'm asking when I am not so sure. Absence of evidence vs evidence of absence. I am not 99.99% sure, but I am 99% sure. Can I post an answer for 99% sure? How about 98%? 95%? I already clarified this part of sureness in 'Edit 1' $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:57
  • $\begingroup$ You have made it clear you are going to do what you want to do, regardless of input from users to your particular questions, @John. I'll speak not further here with you, because I think you did not ask this question in good faith. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:59
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy Eh. 'It's either legal or it isn't.' to quote a character from an episode of the TV series hustle $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 21:01
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy Well it's the jonas meyer answer that imnsho answers my question, but in your opinion it doesn't answer my question. Shall you take this as a no? $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 22:20
  • $\begingroup$ Jonas Meyer says > If you have worked out an answer to your question, you can also post it as an answer. If you're not yet sure it's correct, you could start with a disclaimer to that effect, and ask for feedback. $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 22:21
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    $\begingroup$ I see you made an minor update to a fairly complicated 6 month old closed question, and that bumped it to the top and got my attention. Stop that. $\endgroup$
    – JonathanZ
    Nov 22, 2020 at 13:23

1 Answer 1

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I don't think that you should answer your own question if you aren't sure if you are correct (without stating that it could be wrong). I also don't think that you should delete your question because someone could be in the middle of typing it or stumble upon the problem and use your previously done work to help them.

I think if you want to attract attention you should use the reputation bounty. I'm not sure what to do if no one does the bounty.

This is an application of Cunningham's law but I think this acts to the detriment of other users.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you just_floating for introducing me to this term: Cunningham's Law. $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 18:53
  • $\begingroup$ Oh I didn't say delete question. I said delete the idea from the question post i.e. cut and paste into the answer post instead of copy and paste into the answer post. $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 18:54
  • $\begingroup$ Anyway thanks for answering. Actually something I didn't really clear up in the post initially is that sureness is relative. This is of course the whole idea of hypothesis testing in statistics. How sure must I be to answer my own question in this regard? 95%? 99%? I'll now edit my post in this regard $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 18:56
  • $\begingroup$ Do you disagree with Jonas Meyer? 'If you have worked out an answer to your question, you can also post it as an answer. If you're not yet sure it's correct, you could start with a disclaimer to that effect, and ask for feedback.' $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 19:17
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    $\begingroup$ I think that is fine if you explain that it isn't necessarily correct. $\endgroup$
    – just_floating
    Jun 17, 2020 at 19:28
  • $\begingroup$ Wait seriously, that's it? This one tiny thing that is completely reasonable and agreeable turns your answer 360? ok.... $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 19:29
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    $\begingroup$ I misunderstood the premise. Your work on an answer that may be wrong could help a lot a future user without confusing them by them thinking it is definitely correct. $\endgroup$
    – just_floating
    Jun 17, 2020 at 19:31
  • $\begingroup$ The premise is stated in the title. Answering one's own posts to attract attention is not a valid reason for answering one's own posts. And Adding only the words "not really sure..." does not make a guess at an answer okay, in order to seek feedback. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:38
  • $\begingroup$ You didn't answer my question. @amWhy Do you disagree with Jonas Meyer? $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:50
  • $\begingroup$ I think this question needs a rewrite. If progress has been made and someone could help then it is in a way a different question as the context has changed although whether this warrants attention is hard to judge without an example. Attracting attention when nothing has changed is not appropriate. $\endgroup$
    – just_floating
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:50
  • $\begingroup$ No, I think you are taking Jonas's answer out of context. At any rate, I do not agree with his answer as you seem to interpret it, not when you are as unsure of your answers as you were on the two of your multiple-questions-in-one-posts $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:53
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy But you agree with Jonas Meyer's answer in your interpretation? $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:54
  • $\begingroup$ just_floating and cc @amWhy: 'Attracting attention when nothing has changed is not appropriate. ' Then why don't I just not include an idea at all, even if I have one, at first and then later add an idea so that the edit will bump the post? I mean theoretically, I may just not have had the idea in the first place. $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:55
  • $\begingroup$ Then edit the question! And start by asking only one question per post, instead of multiple questions in each post. $\endgroup$
    – amWhy
    Jun 17, 2020 at 20:57
  • $\begingroup$ @amWhy wait what? but pointless minor edits just for the sake of bumping is really the one against the rules right? $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Jun 17, 2020 at 21:15

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