What to do after you ask a question on Google Answers
by Christopher Wu
I wrote up this guide as a question initially on Google Answers, but though it would do well to stand alone just in case. The original question and answer is here:
https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=114187
My sample question and answer is here:
https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=114194
Here's a quick table of contents for this guide:
My Account:
First click on "My Account" at the top of the page, this should bring you to the default page, which is "Showing Complete List of Questions". Look for the question you want to modify or clarify. It should be in the list, with Status, Subject of Question, Last Updated, Researcher (one who answers it), and Price. Click on the question subject of the question you wish to view/edit.
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How To Clarify Your Question:
You'll notice a couple buttons at the top depending on whether or not the question is locked by a researcher at the moment. If it's locked (or currently being edited) you cannot change the price, or modify it otherwise, but you can add a clarification by clicking the button at the top marked "Clarify Question". This is how you have a pre-answer dialogue between you and the researchers, in order to better explain the details of your question, or to address any specific concerns that the researchers currently have.
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If it's not locked you have a couple options, but we'll stick with clarifying first.
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Upon clicking on "Clarify Question" you'll get a dialog box to type a clarification.
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If all goes well with your clarification, the page will be updated with your clarification. You can view the clarification I made on my sample question at the link provided at the bottom of this guide.
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Responding To a Clarification:
In my sample question, missy-ga was nice enough to ask a clarification on whether or not it was okay to answer the question. Upon signing into my account, and going back to the "My Account" page, I had a little "Needs Attention" note next to my question notifying me I had a clarification request.
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Upon clicking the subject of the question again, I have a red notice stating "Please respond to the clarification request." From here, I can click on "Clarify Question" again and get the same text box as before to respond to the researcher's request.
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Changing the Question Catagory Or Price:
If the question is unlocked, and only if it is unlocked (meaning nobody's working on an answer), you can change the catagory or price of your question. You can't change the wording (that's what the clarifications are for) but you can raise the price to spark interest if you see that nobody seems to be working on your question and it's been a couple days. To do this, just open up your question and while it's unlocked click the "Edit Question Parameters" button.
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This will open the box below.
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From this box you can select a different catagory to place it in, or raise the price.
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What To Do Once the Question's Answered:
If everything went well, and a couple exchanges have taken place between you and answerer, there's probably an answer waiting for you to rate. If you go back to the "My Account" screen, you'll see a different "Needs Attention" notice. If you notice below, there is a researcher name in the Researcher column which means your question has been answered by that researcher.
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By clicking on the subject of the question again, you'll be taken to your question, this time with a red notice stating, "Please add a rating to this question." This doesn't mean the answering's over though. Read through the answer, and scroll down to the bottom of the answer, and if you're unsatisfied with the answer given, or would like a little more detail, just click on "Request Answer Clarification" again and ask the researcher how he can further add to their existing answer to make it a better answer for you.
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If you think the researcher has done a satisfactory job though, then click on the "Rate Answer" button and the box below will pop up. From here you can give the researcher a rating and any comments you would like to share with the researcher. Remember, if you're looking for more information, request a clarification, do not put it in the comments box, because then the question is closed. Also, if the researcher has done a superb job, you may but are not required to leave a tip for the researcher, all of which will go directly to the researcher who answered your question. You cannot tip researchers who worked with you to clarify your question or commenters though.
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Once you've left a rating and comment, the question is finished but will remain online for you to reference later. Also, sometimes researchers go back to old questions to add updated info they find later, but aren't required to. Also, comments are still allowed to be left, so others browsing can add to the researcher's final answer.
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How To Close a Question Before It's Answered:
Sometimes you want to just close a question, so it can't be answered, and you don't get charged for the answer (except for the listing fee of course). You may have found the answer yourself already, or the answer may no longer be needed by you. In this case, if the question is unlocked (it must be unlocked to be closed), you can just click the "Close Question" button, and you'll be prompted once more just in case if you really want to close the question. Once the question is closed, no more comments, or clarifications can be made, and the question is dead in the water. You will not be charged any more than the listing price you already paid to ask the question.
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All content & pictures are c2002 Christopher Wu
All Google stuff c2002 Google