What should you do if you find an answer or reply that is wrong?

Answer 1

Please delete it, or add your own correct answer. USE CAUTION - many "wrong" answers are valid opinions. Scientists believe differently about many things, and especially in religion and politics, something that seems obviously wrong to you may seem right to someone else. If you need help, especially concerning spam or an obscene answer, e-mail us at WASupport @ answers.com. (Remove Spaces) ____ The original poster believes he/she is correct, just as you do. There is a chance you may be erasing the correct answer and inserting the wrong one! A better solution, I believe, is to post your answer and explain why it is correct. This way the asker has two points of view, and you don't alienate the other users by erasing the contributions they took the time to enter. If you know an answer is wrong, post the correct one! Bearing in mind that there are no ''right'' answers to some questions (such as questions in which someone is ''really'' asking for advice rather a definitive answer), many questions on this site ''do'' have a correct answer and by allowing wrong answers to go unchallenged or uncorrected we are doing a disservice not only to people who need answers but to this site itself. It's frustrating to post a question only to get conflicting answers or wrong information. If you can't figure out which, if any, of multiple answers is correct, most likely you'll end up having to turn elsewhere for the answer you need. Or you could easily end up embarrassed or looking like a fool if you ever need or decide to use the wrong information. Also keep in mind that in a worst case scenario bad information can even be dangerous. Would you continue using a resource if you never get a straight answer from it or trust a contributor if he provides you with incorrect information? Probably not. This is why it is in everyone's best interests to correct errors and provide the most accurate information possible. So if you know the correct answer to a posted question, post your answer. And I highly recommend including sources that support your position. Post useful websites in the "Related Links" section found on the right side of every answer page. In your post you can cite books, articles, studies, and other sources with all the information someone would need to find these sources: titles, publications, ISBNs, authors, publishers, dates, page numbers, whatever you can provide. Then, when someone is looking for an answer and reads ''your'' he can easily check its validity, if he so chooses, by checking the sources you've been generous enough to provide. Obviously, someone who is wrong won't have proof to back up his answer. By doing this, you'll earn credibility for yourself as a contributor and in turn this site will benefit. People will feel confident that they can come ''here'' when they need an answer and get accurate information rather than a mess of best guesses, opinions, misinformation, half truths, and misconceptions. If you do happen to find dangerous or socially irresponsible misinformation, by all means, delete it. Or if you feel uncomfortable deleting another person's answer even if it is dangerous, contact this site's administrator and report it so he can fix it. And last but not least, do not indulge in rude criticism, insults or name calling because someone posted the wrong answer. It's poor "Netiquette" for one thing. And, it reflects poorly on you.

Answer 2

Click on the Edit button above the answer. You can then add your answer underneath the current answer and provide an explanation of why you think the answer is incorrect or needs further details.