Should we flag incorrect answers?
I was wondering if we should flag an answer to a thread if it is believed to be misleading or just completely wrong. I believe leaving these answers could be misleading to people who are just beginning to learn Spanish.
Any other ideas?
24 Answers
Normally incorrect answers are given by newbies. The flagging would demoralize, understandably. We cannot know everything!
While I think this is true, I would really appreciate if you, everybody, did flag incorrect "accepted" answers! This is important as these kind of accepted answers are definitely misleading to newbies.
This is a question I have been pondering too. Flagging to me seems it should be a punishment of sorts for misbehavior, rather than not knowing the answer.
However, the fact is that one of the 'flag' options is "Unclear or Inaccurate".
If we shouldn't flag someone for being wrong (Inaccurate) then why is that flag even there as an option?
I'd like to see that option removed from the flagging choice. Anyone else?
No, flagging incorrect answers won't do.
Normally incorrect answers are given by newbies. The flagging would demoralize, understandably. We cannot know everything!
well, only me of course, I am perfect
I have made many mistakes, often typos, and the way I have been corrected by members of this forum, has always made me feel positive about being corrected. I always thank that person who corrects me.
We are here to learn, if we knew it all, and were always correct, we would probably be elsewhere.
I am in favor of polite correction, which will be read by those who look at the thread, and nobody should go away misled. Just my humble opinion folks
We can all give incorrect answers at times and you can learn from incorrect answers, by all means challenge them by offering your own opinions but they shouldn't be flagged unless they are offensive or spammy etc. all posts are open for discussion and the more they are discussed the more knowledge the newbies will glean from them.
I like the commenting of the answer.
Once or twice I have seen a wrong answer. It was commented. Then I voted for a correct answer so the wrong one wasn't at the top.
I think the comment about the incorrectness of the answer should point to a correct answer. Maybe we should also post about why the other answer was wrong so we can all learn?
Chaparrito said
However, the fact is that one of the 'flag' options is "Unclear or Inaccurate".
Personally I have never liked this unclear or inaccurate flag and I would not use it unless the post is total rubbish. I think it is better to correct the member particularly as they have made some sort of effort. As an example someone recently tried to translate a thread title which began "some people". The member had looked up the word some and found "unos". They then looked up the noun "people" and found "la gente". It was therefore logical for this member to assume that, "some people" translates as "unos la gente". This answer was flagged as unclear or inaccurate. I might add there were other mistakes in the answer. I cannot leave the flag there since it must be cleared. Do I delete the answer or point out to the member that his answer was incorrect. I would prefer not to flag but point out the members mistake.
I'd hesitate to flag anyone. It is punishment and should be used on very rare occasions. And definitely not on unclear or inaccurate answers.
I've spent almost my entire life giving unclear and inaccurate "answers" - in my native English, for Pity's Sakes!
Generally an unfortunate situation. The label on the "flag" button suggests "incorrect or misleading". I see a huge difference between saying "your answer is mistaken/misleading" and saying "you are a complete, brainless idiot, don't ever post an answer again." The former is directed at the answer given not the person, while the latter is a personal attack (ad hominem) directed to the responder.
All of us (at one time or another) make mistakes (except Heidita, and, even she, has trouble typing) but objecting to an answer is not the same thing as objecting to the person that provided the answer.
I wonder, though, if it might be better to spend a few minutes to edit in a correction rather than to flag - then, to explain why the edit was necessary.
Mistakes are to be welcomed as prime teaching moments, opines this dad, grandpa, and former teacher of English and other subjects.
(And, yes, of course, of course! Some "incorrect answers" are not worthy of editing and may have been mischievously posted. But one can easily use judgement* on the very few that are.)
(*Please notice I used the British spelling! How about that?)
Whatever became of this? Is there a chance that the "Unclear or Inaccurate" flag option will be removed? Or do we just pretend it isn't there? 
Just adding on since it has pretty much been answered...most answers that are wrong will be called so by the "experienced" members and the native-spanish-speakers. So I think most the time, it's unnecessary to flag such answers that way, unless the question was posted by a new person and was only answered by new/newest members and is clearly off. That's my opinion.
I would think that somebody would maybe get confused if someone answered and they thought it was the best answer, yet I think that people should judge upon the most votes on that answer, and also the comments people put upon that answer, just to be sure.
I can't help adding to the mountain of opinion a point nobody has yet addressed. Flagging for inaccurate or misleading answers would open a can of worms because who would then flag the flaggers when they flag inappropriatly? Of course none of us on SpanishDict are like this! but what if...
1.Someone is flagged on an appropriate answer...there is just a difference of opinion.
2.A newbie is flagged by another newbie because they don't know any better.
3.There is a regional variance in word usage and someone is flagged for this knowledge.
Being free to flag over inaccuracies even with the best intentions would make this sight a nightmare to moderate.
Better to politely send a pm or leave a note in the comments section. I have been the recipient of such corrections many times and welcome them gratefully because of the respect offered me. I would very likely find it a lot harder to learn from my mistake if I had been flagged.
Why not correct in the comment section as it seems everyone flagging what may be incorrect or not would open a huge can of worms.Then the correct version (if it is correct) can be seen and evaluated.
