Fluther: What counts as a poll question?

What counts as a poll question?

Asked by KatawaGrey (21483

) March 21st, 2009
18 responses
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If some asked what everybody’s favorite book or movie is, would that be considered a poll question? Are poll questions just questions that give two options and you have to pick one? I’m just curious because I have heard that the fluther guidelines have changed to exclude these.

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Topics: Fluther, questions, polls, guidelines

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poll questions are a list of questions, which include a bunch of in my opinion, idiotic and lame questions like your favorite color, your favorite movie, song list, favorite celebrity, and such. Poll questions are like those people put on their blog or their MySpace, FaceBook and other networking accounts. I don’t think a single question accounts for a poll, like they are talking about putting an end to. About time too, Fluther is too much of a great site to pollute with MySpace quality (ha, there’s a misnomer) garbage.

evelyns_pet_zebra (12923

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I may be wrong, but here is the assumption that I’m working under:

Poll questions are subjective – as opposed to questions asking for objective information. Something that asks for an opinion, or a personal “slice of life” story, that sort of thing.

Since I use Google for most information-based questions I need answered, it was when I needed “poll type” questions answered that I came to Fluther. Not being able to ask them makes Fluther significantly less useful to me, but I’ll still kick around here for a while.

Of course, I could be wrong, and if I’m wrong, I’d be delighted.

laureth (27199

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@evelyns_pet_zebra: So, essentially the kind of question I listed in the details section?

@laureth: I hope you’re wrong as well, because one of the reasons I like fluther so much is the connections we make with each other. A big way we connect is through the personal questions and I rather like those.

KatawaGrey (21483

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Does anyone know when the new guidelines will be posted? I am sure it will clarify this subject.

Dog (25152

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I think it’s one of the least enforced rules, because there’s a difference between bad poll questions, and fun ones just to have a conversation going.

casheroo (18111

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@KatawaGrey Someone on here that is now banned did a quiz-style question awhile back that had ten or so questions about various subjects. I’m assuming that is what they are trying to discourage. I could be wrong though, and it wouldn’t be the first time. :-)

evelyns_pet_zebra (12923

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@evelyns_pet_zebra: Well, I agree with you on that. Those kinds of questions just seem silly. However, some poll-type questions inspire interesting discussions which is why I wouldn’t want them to be banned.

KatawaGrey (21483

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I got great answers to my ‘which LSAT prep course is the best’ question, which could be considered a poll question, I guess. I would be very sad if fluther stopped allowing questions of that particular nature.

Although, I do think quiz-style questions are annoying.

bezdomnaya (1440

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Jak człowiek z nas trzeba czekać na scre w żarówka?

Blondesjon (33994

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@Blondesjon- hatway idday ouyay aysay? :)

cak (15863

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Nigdy zdarzają się

I am guessing @Blondesjon is asking a Pole question.

rancid (214

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<<groan>>

laureth (27199

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[mod says:] Andrew and Ben are working on the new guidelines. I cannot say for sure, but I think they are supposed to be out sometime this week. The final answer on poll questions will be on the guidelines, but I can shed some light on what the mods are identifying as poll Qs at the moment.

A poll Q is one that doesn’t require much thought to answer. For example: “Chocolate or Vanilla?” “What is your favorite ———?” etc. In a way, you can think of them as “quickies”; you put in one or two words down as your answer, and move on. We want Fluther members to have more interaction than that. That is more appropriate for chat room. And we do indeed have Qs like that in the chat room all the time. Everyone loves answering poll questions, because most of us are opinionated individuals, and like to share our thoughts with others Chocolate btw. But that doesn’t make it a quality discussion.

Few words about “quality”...

Certain Q&A sites have no standards Y! Answers, certain have really high standards MeFi and Fluther is somewhere in between that. As for some answers here that postulate that poll Qs mean no more “community” feeling or camaraderie, that is not the case or the intention. We still encourage all questions where you ask for help with some situation/dilemma, including help with choosing a city etc. A Q that asks “San Francisco, or LA? Which is your favorite?” might be removed, but a Q that says “I am thinking of moving to either San Fran or LA. Which do you prefer and why?” And if in the details, you add your personality, things you definitely want your city to have etc, then even better.

Often, the key to not being modded is just taking the extra minute to add details/add layers to your Q. Explain why you are asking the Q, that removes all doubt from everyone’s mind and saves mods time from having to remove, PM you asking you to edit, explain why etc etc. Win-Win, yes?

Also, when in doubt, PM one of the mods and just ask. Most of us don’t bite.

Disclaimer: This is our current opinion of poll Qs. As mentioned above, the final standard will be set in the guidelines. So later on, please don’t PM me to say “But YOU said bla bla bla. Ultimately, my opinion doesn’t matter. Only Ben&Andrew’s does.

jlm11f (12416

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Oops. Too late to edit. But I obviously meant that the latter Q of “I am thinking of moving to either San Fran or LA. Which do you prefer and why?” would not be removed.

jlm11f (12416

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