What is a "Quality" post?

[Ken Leung]

Lately I've been thinking about the quality of the Chief Delphi Forum. Many have commented the quality of posts has gone down hill since a few years ago. I've been reading a book recently and that inspired the following question I want to ask to all of you CD forum posters:

What is a "Quality" post?

What do you consider "Quality"? Why is some post better than others? How can you tell?

Like many of the questiosn I posted, I ask you to reply with thoughtful, insightful posts instead of the normal 2 sentence quick replies I see quite a bit now a days.

Lets see where this discussion lead us. :-)

[JoeXIII'007]

Quality? A short and simple post like this that doesn't take a whole page to read and is straight to the point. Now that's a quality post.

Though you know, that if one eloborates on his or her subject with even greater detail, more facts, etc. etc. then you have a real quality post. It has to be very descriptive, simple, "modularly complex" if you get what I mean. Everything sort of comes together.

[Jay H 237]

My idea of a quality post is one that is clear, concise and helpful. I don't mind seeing a little humor but when posts go off on "tangents" or have nothing to do with the discussion or thread at hand they seem to lack the "quality". A quality post will add and carry the discussion along and not sidetrack it. If a thread has to deal with a problem/issue or someone is looking for an answer to a question a "quality" post should answer the question or give information or suggestions to deal with the problem/issue. Providing facts or formulas to how you came about the answer is helpful too.

[Lisa Perez]

Another quality post is one that does not repeat the words of its predecessors. If a person asks for help in a thread, the answer or answers only need be stated once so that said person can find what is needed right away without having to search through the different posts as much.

Also, a post that doesn't point out what another has said in a negative way is quality. I really don't like to see any tension here on the forums.

[Michael Leicht]

A quality post is the persons thoughts that make you think and make a point.

[MikeDubreuil]

This would be an example of a poor post:

I don't know maybe we should ask Brandon what a good post is.

Poor quality posts are made by people who respond to questions or make suggestions offering little beneficial advice. Essentially just posting so they can get their name in the thread.

[Rafi A]

Originally Posted by Lisa Perez

Another quality post is one that does not repeat the words of its predecessors.

Also, posts shouldn't be redundant.

But seriously, posts that offer factual information, not just speculation or an opinion (unless asked for) are high-quality

[Mike Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Lisa Perez

Another quality post is one that does not repeat the words of its predecessors.

Originally Posted by Rafi A

Also, posts shouldn't be redundant.

Originally Posted by Ben Lauer

- Oh yeah, and non repetitive.

Originally Posted by Aignam

• Not repetetive, unless that repetition serves to reinforce an uncertainty

I really read through these and laughed....

btw this is probobly a perfect example of a poor post
or is it
I am making a point
I am providing clear and accurate information
and i am presenting it in a manor that (hopfully) doesnt offend or upset anyone

i dont know what makes a quality post, quality but i know that things like one word replies that involve just agreeing with someone, w/o adding to the conversation are examples of poor posts

[miketwalker]

Personally, I think it is good when someone makes a post (especially if the thread is someone asking for help about something, or asking a question such as this one) by bringing a different view-point in... although not always helpful, it can sometimes allow the thread-starter to get kick-started into finding the solution if people just giving simple answers aren't enough. Whether it be in the form of reading material that could help, or by going far over-and-beyond what the question is to help the person not only find the answer they're looking for... but also understand why that is the answer and/or how it works.

[Aignam]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

I really read through these and laughed....

It's an uncertain and opinionated question, therefore illiciting uncertain and opinionated responses. Repetition is bad, in forms of certainty, as I attempted (albeit poorly, as the case may be) in my first post. In certain situations, however, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

[MrToast]

This is.



MrToast

[Jeff Waegelin]

In my opinion, a "quality" post is most of what has been said (non-repetitive, few or no errors, no incorrect info, etc.). In every post, though, you should ask yourself one question: is this post contributing to the discussion? If the answer is no, then don't post. I use it as my benchmark for every post, both when making my own posts, and reading others' posts. If you can honestly say that your post is contributing something new and valuable to the discussion, you can't go wrong.

[Mike Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Aignam

It's an uncertain and opinionated question, therefore illiciting uncertain and opinionated responses. Repetition is bad, in forms of certainty, as I attempted (albeit poorly, as the case may be) in my first post. In certain situations, however, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I honestly dont see the differnece in the "okayness" of repetition in this thread or in a thread discussing Gear ratios or wiring methods, or anything else for that matter.

[Steve W]

Great question! I recently started a thread that I thought had become stale and unproductive. After a couple of slaps on the wrist (well deserved I might add) I sat back to look at the thread again. Sometimes what one person sees as a quality post and helpful, another finds useless. I think that every post should be looked at from more than one set of eyes and at different angles to tell whether or not it is a quality post. Even the state of mind that we have when we read something can alter our view of the post.

What is quality? My feeling is that a quality post is one that has been thought out and expressed with a sincere positive thought process.

[jonathan lall]

The way I see it, your role as a poster is to provide interesting material for others to read, such that they read it through. If they want to read it through, chances are that it's contributed to the discussion in a positive way. Using this basic test, one can determine whether or not a post is worth reading in its entirety (because that's what this is really about):

A quality post shows the poster's insight toward the topic.

Basically what this means is that (assuming a poster has any insight at all) if he can articulate his insight to readers, and demonstrate his intelligence, he has succeeded in making a good post. The fact of the matter is that good logical reasoning, reading, and writing, are what lead to a good post, and are even more important than actual knowledge of the topic. An intelligent poster knows when and what to post. The lesson we should learn from this is that these skills are the things we should be thinking about when we make a post. Am I really making sense? Am I being helpful? Someone who can CAD with the best of them is useless at helping a rookie to CAD if he can't make a readable post, and it really can be as simple as that.

Ken asked "How can you tell," and that's what I'll go into for a second here. Let me explain my reasoning: First of all, we need to admit that there are posters out there that we really like to listen to, and conversely, those whose posts we couldn't care less about, based on experience from reading their previous stuff. I personally triage posts for skimming based on a few points:

• Going off-topic without good cause does not show insight. If you can't show your ability to reason or develop an idea, save me the trouble of reading the rest your post.
• Agreeing, disagreeing, or saying that you don't know is useless. Nobody cares what you have to say unless you're actually offering something useful or helpful.
• The inability to spell or form coherent phrases does not show insight, and serves as a way for me to skim and decide whether reading a post is really worth my time. Much as we hate to admit it, this is the best indicator of whether a post is not worth reading through.
• An argument is always good, but unfortunately, many of the people on this forum are not mature enough to participate intelligently in one. This makes threads get out of hand, or results in people trying to lock perfectly good ones. So while argumentative posts are not bad per se, they can mess up threads, making them pseudo-bad-quality.
• As it turns out, expository essay skills really help. If you can state your position and then support it later if anyone cares to read, you've made a good post. As such, there's nothing necessarily wrong with "the normal 2 sentence quick replies" we are seeing. In fact, chances are I'll read them, which, as I theorized at the start, is the whole point.
• A new problem in this forum is what I call rep-bait. These are fluffy posts meant to appease one or more individuals in order to garner rep points. My stance on rep has always been that it holds little water in reality, but since not everyone shares my enlightened view, a lower quality reply is more and more likely these days.
• Rep-bait is closely linked to all the esoteric discussion and inside jokes that go on between a few individuals on the forum. They actually ruin the experience for everyone else. "But Jon," you say. "Those people have lots of rep points." Yes they do, but they're having their own little party on the forums. Do you think everyone knows what a JVN is? Edit: I should note that this isn't a shot at anyone, and that I've probably done this a few times too, before someone takes it the wrong way. Pfft.

Anyway, think about your audience and try to get them to read your whole post. If you do that, you've probably made a quality one.