5
$\begingroup$

This is related to the discussion for this question, which asks what happens after Recommend for Deletion is clicked.

When reviewing answers automatically flagged as low-quality based on length and content, sometimes one comes across answers that are downvoted a few times. The answers seem to be low-quality, but perhaps not in the intended sense. Sometimes they just answer not quite what the OP wanted, or sometimes they're just wrong.

The downvotes seem to be sufficient in regards to communicating the wrongness or inappropriateness of the answer.

Nevertheless, clicking "Looks Good" doesn't feel right! The answer definitely does not "look good." Should I then recommend for deletion? If so, why? Is the downvote process insufficient? Should older (6+ month) -1 or -2 rated low-quality answers be deleted to restore reputation to the downvoters, as the message of the downvote has been communicated? Would deleting the bad answer damage the integrity of the self-regulating community?

In short,

What do I do???

$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for reposting this as a question instead of an answer. I deleted the other copy. $\endgroup$
    – Eric Naslund
    Aug 30, 2012 at 4:33

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
4
$\begingroup$

I usually click on "looks good" in that case and the customary translation of "looks good" seems to be "I might be able to endure this post."

I tend to make exceptions for bad answers by users whose accounts don't exist anymore or who have been inactive for a very long time. In that case, I prefer to recommend deletion.

$\endgroup$
5
  • $\begingroup$ The way I read the "customary translation" is that "looks good" seems to mean "I don't think deletion is the right way to handle this post", and nothing more than that. $\endgroup$
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Aug 30, 2012 at 15:42
  • $\begingroup$ @Henning Enduring the post may include downvoting it. Are there other options? $\endgroup$
    – Michael Greinecker
    Aug 30, 2012 at 15:44
  • $\begingroup$ Closing it and migrating it, for example, if the post is a question. But my point is just that "able to endure" sounds like a higher bar to clear to me than the one the posters on the MSO question appear to advocate as the right meaning of "looks good". $\endgroup$
    – hmakholm left over Monica
    Aug 30, 2012 at 15:48
  • $\begingroup$ @MichaelGreinecker Often times, though, one encounters older (6+ months) answers, which have a downvote or two. In such a case, what purpose does a downvote serve, and is it really worth the small loss of rep for almost no true value-add? $\endgroup$
    – Emily
    Aug 31, 2012 at 15:56
  • $\begingroup$ @EdGorcenski If the poster has been reasonably active sice then, I would trust the poster to make the decison whether to delete the post herself or not. But I do not mind deleting homeless posts of no value. $\endgroup$
    – Michael Greinecker
    Aug 31, 2012 at 18:23

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .