Granting "Best Answer" status when only one answer has been given and subsequent answers not given attention.
It has come to my attention, that recently questions have been asked, then an answer given, and immediately the "Best Answer" badge is granted--and this when subsequent answers are coming forth, some of which may be even "better" than the one granted "Best Answer" status or at least offering something equally informative.
As I work, and don't get home sometimes till late in the evening, many of my answers aren't even viewed by the OP who may be a newbie and doesn't know that many members like to contribute, and who usually offer answers that compliment each other or offer alternatives to what may have been said in the first answer.
To overcome this situation, I have had to (on several occasions) send a PM to an questioner when I felt that my answer would be of significant help to him/her. Otherwise they would have never come back to see if there were any other answers.
I don't know how to solve this, but I know that someone here, maybe many who do know.
What do you think?
6 Answers
This is a great thread , I rarely get "best answer" on the " question and answer
but I did recently ,which embarrassed me for this very thing that Dani said
There is only one reason that I got best answer and that was because I was first
cab off the rank, this may be nervousness on the part on a newbie and I doubt
that we can stop this except to make a comment to the newbie to this effect.
Please do not give best answer immediately, wait until all the answers have
been given, or perhaps wait until the thread is off "page ( 1 ) ".
I will add this to the message to new members.
If any member has any better ideas I am open to suggestions. ,
The best answer is up to the OP entirely. This may not seem fair and perhaps it isn't, but it doesn't really matter to most of us. As for newbies, most of the time they don't even come back to say thank you. Like Annie said, "It probably evens things out in the long run". I agree.
It's always nice to receive votes, but everyone is not going to vote and that's ok too. The thing that I like to see is when members say, "thank you." All members, not just newbies. This is not something we can control, so it does no good to worry about it. Just be happy for the votes you do receive and have a good time learning and teaching Spanish/English.
This is not directed at anyone in particular, but to all of us and I include myself as well.
I also would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone here for their contributions and their corrections. Without you, we wouldn't have a free site like this one to learn and get to know one another and of course, enjoy learning together. Thanks to all of you for taking your time and talents and helping everyone here at SD.
I think newcomers to the site just click best answer, delighted to have had an answer. When I first came on site I did too, I didn't realize that if you wait people on the other side of the Earth might wake up and write a better answer. Actually, I had no way of knowing if the answer was good or not!
I don't know how this can be solved, however I would say it is a minor problem, because those that stay on site soon learn how it works and how international this site is Overall, I take the view that sometimes one gets an undeserved ' best answer', but at other times a thread is deleted, when you have written a really good answer, perhaps, or the person just doesn't hand out ' best answers'. It probably evens out in the long run. And remember Dani, sadly the points are unsaleable , even on E-bay.
To Dani, Ray, Annie and Amber (and anyone else who chimes in later):
You are always the best in my mind as co-learners and teachers. The fact that we long time members can discuss issues like this on the forum is yet another indication of the quality of this site. For myself I'll say that when I help with Spanish, I never expect best answer, and I always know that whoever answers is probably giving their best. Sometimes people have take umbrage with my suggestions, but that's okay because if I need to apologize I will. But I won't apologize for asking people to use correct spelling and grammar.
After reading all the great answers to this problem, I just wish to reiterate, that it's not the votes or the participation points for getting the "Best Answer" badge. I exceed the number of points available every day just by the sheer number of posts that I do.
What I am concerned about is the teaching aspect of the problem. I don't care who the OP elects as "Best Answerer" Did he/she come back and see the answers from other members?
I am about as hard to discourage as a pit bull. If I want to answer, I will answer. But some are easily discouraged when the see the "green" of the Best Answer color decorating the answer.
These things are what I am concerned about and I think that Ray may have come up with the solution-to just add something about coming back to see further answers-and add it to the rules and guidelines. Now all we have to do is get the newcomers to read the guidelines. 
(Shall I mark mine as best answer??---Just kidding!)
I didn't even realize it is the questioner who decides on the best answer! I thought it was some moderator committee. I sincerely apologize for all those who answered my questions for not having picked a best answer. Actually they're usually all so good, I still might not pick a best answer!!
