6

When reviewing low-quality answers - particularly to [single-word-requests] - you will come across an answer which does more or less answer the question, but just lacks in detail. Currently the closest review option to "please add more detail" is the one for link-only answers.

Example:

Question: What is a word for __________?

Answer: This [word] and this [word].

The answer is not low quality per se because it suggests two valid words; however, it does not contain definitions. This is where we need an option such as:

Not enough detail

While the information you have included attempts to answer the question, more detail needs to be provided. Consider adding definitions or references to help improve your answer.

3

I don't see why OP wants the option of voting to delete insufficiently-detailed answers. If they're not actually wrong, just don't upvote them.

If the lack of detail really bothers you, you can always downvote. If several people do this and the answer ends up with a significantly negative vote tally, higher-rep users will get the option to delete it without having to go through the moderators (and without having to give a reason either).

  • I suppose "Recommend Deletion" would have to be accompanied by "Suggest Improvement" then. – Dog Lover Aug 17 '15 at 4:47
  • Also, just to clarify, I don't at all want them deleted. That would be wasteful and unnecessary. – Dog Lover Aug 19 '15 at 11:58
  • @Dog Lover: In that case I think I've misunderstood the question. I thought you were talking about This is a link-only answer, which is the last of 5 possible "auto-generated comments" you can specify (as opposed to No comment needed) when you select Delete within the Low Quality Posts section of the review queue. If you don't actually want to delete the post, why would you be in that section in the first place? – FumbleFingers Aug 19 '15 at 12:39
1

I like the proposal, it should at least encourage "positive behaviour" in newcomers.

However, consider also the fact that there is a minimum number of characters before a user can post any answer. I believe it's thirty characters. This limit is supposed to overcome the one-word-answer and therefore prevent the lack of detail which the OP is referring to. But, admittedly, it's hardly foolproof.

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