| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Selecting best answer in Kudoz Thread poster: Susie Rawson
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Susie Rawson 
Argentina
Member (2014)
Spanish to English
+ ...
What should one do when none of the answers to a Kudoz question are what you were looking for? I am prompted to choose the best answer, but to be honest, I would be going for the "less bad" one. I even have a case where there is just one answer, and I don't totally agree with it. Do I just ignore it? I feel bad for the people who were kind enough to participate, but at the same time it doesn't seem honest to just pick one for the sake of it. Wouldn't it be best if there was an option of picking ... See more What should one do when none of the answers to a Kudoz question are what you were looking for? I am prompted to choose the best answer, but to be honest, I would be going for the "less bad" one. I even have a case where there is just one answer, and I don't totally agree with it. Do I just ignore it? I feel bad for the people who were kind enough to participate, but at the same time it doesn't seem honest to just pick one for the sake of it. Wouldn't it be best if there was an option of picking "none of the above"? ▲ Collapse
| | | | DLyons
Ireland
Local time: 21:29
Spanish to English
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| You can choose the "most useful" | Apr 27, 2014 |
Susie Rawson wrote:
What should one do when none of the answers to a Kudoz question are what you were looking for? I am prompted to choose the best answer, but to be honest, I would be going for the "less bad" one. I even have a case where there is just one answer, and I don't totally agree with it. Do I just ignore it? I feel bad for the people who were kind enough to participate, but at the same time it doesn't seem honest to just pick one for the sake of it. Wouldn't it be best if there was an option of picking "none of the above"?
Why not give points to one of them - what does it cost you? You don't have to award 4 points if you don't completely agree but again, what does it cost you?
You don't have to enter the answer in the Glossary if you think it would be misleading.
If you really have a problem, you can just close the question with "Answer found elsewhere" but answerers are human and it helps to encourage them
| | | | Natalie
Poland
Local time: 22:29
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...
MODERATOR SITE LOCALIZER
Susie Rawson wrote:
Wouldn't it be best if there was an option of picking "none of the above"?
Susie, in case none of the answers is useful, click the "Close w/o grading" button, and you are done.
HTH,
Natalia
| | | | | Various options | Apr 27, 2014 |
Natalie wrote:
Susie, in case none of the answers is useful, click the "Close w/o grading" button, and you are done.
You then have the possibility to choose a reason for not grading, including the reason that none of the answers suited. You can also decide to award less than the full four points; another option is a personal message to any answerer ("Note to answerer") link,and/ or a more general one to anyone who has participated in a discussion about your question. Here's an example, FWIW: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/french_to_english/art_arts_crafts_painting/5500996-finesse.html
(Edited to remove a full stop which made the link inaccessible.)
[Edited at 2014-04-27 14:44 GMT]
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Susie, in case none of the answers is useful, click the "Close w/o grading" button, and you are done.
HTH,
Natalia
I had to do this a few minutes ago, because the most useful answer was given in discussion and not in a regular answer. I asked the poster to enter an answer instead, in vain. So I closed it, to my regret...
| | | | | Answer found elsewhere | Apr 27, 2014 |
If you choose that option, always be sure to let your helpers know what you found.
| | | | SirReaL
Germany
Local time: 22:29
English to Russian
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| Not a good idea | Apr 27, 2014 |
Natalie wrote: Susie Rawson wrote:
Wouldn't it be best if there was an option of picking "none of the above"? Susie, in case none of the answers is useful, click the "Close w/o grading" button, and you are done. HTH, Natalia
So it cost you nothing to assign even 1 point to ANY answer, but you chose not to. I fail to see the rationale here.
I would think twice before answering your questions again if I participated in your language pair -- even if I weren't in the shoes of the answerer you snubbed but only just a passerby of the question you closed without grading.
[Edited at 2014-04-27 18:51 GMT]
| | | | Susie Rawson
Argentina
Member (2014)
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Please don't get angry | Apr 27, 2014 |
Please don’t get angry at me Mikhail. What I’m trying to say is that the selection of an answer as most helpful should be honest, and by honest I mean it’s not about just giving points to peers in order to favor them. I have answered quite a few questions myself and I’m very happy when my answer is chosen and very grateful for the points, but that’s not the point (excuse the redundancy). I believe the option Close without grading is what I’m looking for, but I wouldn’t use it unles... See more Please don’t get angry at me Mikhail. What I’m trying to say is that the selection of an answer as most helpful should be honest, and by honest I mean it’s not about just giving points to peers in order to favor them. I have answered quite a few questions myself and I’m very happy when my answer is chosen and very grateful for the points, but that’s not the point (excuse the redundancy). I believe the option Close without grading is what I’m looking for, but I wouldn’t use it unless I really feel none of the answers were helpful in that particular case and context. Maybe the same answerers will come up with useful replies to other questions, and then yes, of course, I will happily award them what they deserve.
So, Mikhail, if you ever run into any question of mine and you think you have the answer, please don’t hesitate to post it.
Thank you everyone for your valuable inputs. ▲ Collapse
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| be sure to let your helpers know what you found | Apr 28, 2014 |
Kim Metzger wrote:
If you choose that option, always be sure to let your helpers know what you found.
Kim, I'm a newcomer, how may I do this?
Thanks in advance.
| | | | | Answer found elsewhere | Apr 28, 2014 |
Hi Susana - I would just enter the solution I found elsewhere in the discussion box and thank everyone for their efforts. I haven't been using KudoZ much anymore, so there might be a better way. I'm also not sure if you can enter the solution you found in the KudoZ glossary.
| | | | | It's perfectly OK to say "no suitable answer" | Apr 28, 2014 |
But you HAVE to thank the people who responded. It's basic courtesy, and I hate it when people close questions without doing so.
| | | | | Courtesy rules KudoZ | Apr 28, 2014 |
philgoddard wrote:
But you HAVE to thank the people who responded. It's basic courtesy, and I hate it when people close questions without doing so.
You do right to stress that Phil. One of the reasons I stopped disinterestedly answering KudoZ questions is that I was fed up with all those uneducated people that would either ask questions without saying hello/please/thanks (just pasting their segments like robots) or chose not to award any points (their right, fine!) but not thanking people (not even collectively), or, in some cases, did award points but chose an answer that was dubious (or sometimes plainly wrong!) and said nothing to others as if they were miserable good-for-nothings...
If no answer is acceptable (which sometimes happens when only point-grabbing birdbrains 'try their luck'), you can close with this option, but you should inform them, at least collectively. If at least one answer is acceptable, even if it's not compelling, why not awarding KudoZ like said Mikhail and DLyons? I doesn't cost you to dish out one KudoZ...
In any case, the good manners are to be honest and respectful... just like in real life! Askers who act like I mentioned above will eventually lead people, even 'big hearts' like me, to disgust, making them realize askers are not colleagues but competitors and they have zero incentive to spend the tiniest bit of time or effort to help them. And KudoZ will become (more) rubbish...
Sorry it was a big long, wasn't it?  - it's not all for you Susie! It's more like a lil rant against the lack of respect in the KudoZ arena... I won't say I 'feel bad' about not answering KudoZ questions anymore (on the contrary), but I think that ProZ management should feel bad that kind and educated people tend to flee because of that...
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Susie Rawson
Argentina
Member (2014)
Spanish to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Comes without saying | Apr 28, 2014 |
Well thanks again to everyone who participated in this forum. I fully agree with the courtesy rule. I see the Kudoz section as a big community where we're all there to help each other, not just for the points. So yes, of course, a thank you note is a MUST. Especially because I am truly grateful for all answers, more or less useful; all are well intended. I had not thought of the possibility of using the space to share with the rest the solution I may have found elsewhere, but will certainly do s... See more Well thanks again to everyone who participated in this forum. I fully agree with the courtesy rule. I see the Kudoz section as a big community where we're all there to help each other, not just for the points. So yes, of course, a thank you note is a MUST. Especially because I am truly grateful for all answers, more or less useful; all are well intended. I had not thought of the possibility of using the space to share with the rest the solution I may have found elsewhere, but will certainly do so in future. ▲ Collapse
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Kim Metzger wrote:
Hi Susana - I would just enter the solution I found elsewhere in the discussion box and thank everyone for their efforts. I haven't been using KudoZ much anymore, so there might be a better way. I'm also not sure if you can enter the solution you found in the KudoZ glossary.
Thank you very much, Kim.
| | | | rtransr
United States
Local time: 15:29
Russian to English
+ ...
| Sorry for being too late - but do believe that my "five cents" matter | Apr 30, 2014 |
Susie,
I apologize for being too late to participate in the discussion, but I do feel that yet another input might be helpful...
I wholeheartedly agree with Mikhail on this one and please let me reiterate: whether you found an exact answer to your question or someone's suggestion nudged you towards the right version that you came to all on your own, participants should be rewarded one way or the other. Awarding points does not cost you anything, and even giving one point to the most... See more Susie,
I apologize for being too late to participate in the discussion, but I do feel that yet another input might be helpful...
I wholeheartedly agree with Mikhail on this one and please let me reiterate: whether you found an exact answer to your question or someone's suggestion nudged you towards the right version that you came to all on your own, participants should be rewarded one way or the other. Awarding points does not cost you anything, and even giving one point to the most helpful answerer compensates for the time that he/she spent on helping you.
I personally dislike when an asker keeps the question opened for several days, has several people answer the question, and then closes it with no grading or with the comment that no grading is awarded either due to no suitable answer or due to an answer found somewhere else. In my opinion, it's a complete bull! Obviously, something was helpful either in a discussion or in provided answers to keep the question opened for over 24 hour mandatory period and in asking the question in the first place. So, please reward people for their time and input.
Not even considering the fact that it skews translators' success ratio (of accepted answers). Translation is a business, the points help - no other way around it.
I have blacklisted some of the askers due to their unwillingness to award points (and the points don't even have to be awarded to me!).
[Edited at 2014-04-30 06:39 GMT]
[Edited at 2014-04-30 06:44 GMT]
[Edited at 2014-04-30 06:45 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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