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On the main site, a user wrote an answer with a note at the end on the following lines. This answer received several upvotes and is also accepted by OP.

Note: Some portions of this answer are compiled from various sources on the Internet. Consider this answer either partial or unsourced. As much as possible, I made an honest attempt to state the correct info. I will update my answer if better (i.e., more correct) translations are available...

Should we let users leave such disclaimers and promissory notes in their answers and get away from their obligation to cite proper sources right when the answers are posted?

Because in practice, we rarely find users coming back and updating their answers with the right sources...

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    Your question is good; but, this statement is not right: "get away from their obligation to cite proper sources". I could figure out which answer you are referring. The answerer is well reputed & rarely does so. We should account all such aspects. Some people have genuine intent to return.
    – iammilind
    Aug 18, 2018 at 1:29
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    Yes ,but i have also provided the reason in note "as there is no reliable english translation of Taittiriya Samhita (by indian author) is available widely." - hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/28593/5620
    – SwiftPushkar
    Aug 18, 2018 at 11:39
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    Lot's of time we get the sources we needed previously some time later on. So "I will update the answer" was my commitment to the answer. It wasn't written for an excuse or to impress somebody. :-)
    – SwiftPushkar
    Aug 18, 2018 at 11:52
  • Related: Moderators should give time & scope of discussion before deleting a post for active user
    – iammilind
    Aug 18, 2018 at 13:10
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    Should we let users leave such disclaimers and promissory notes in their answers and get away from their obligation to cite proper sources right when the answers are posted? --- Now all this is hypothetical right? Or do you have more such examples? This is only about a specific answer. Do you really think that if it's happening on a large scale and repeatedly it will be allowed? We all know that it won't be. And this is possibly the first time the answer provider has left such a note. For that straight away a Meta post or we need to wait and see if it's being repeated or not?
    – Rickross
    Aug 19, 2018 at 6:15
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    @Rickross When should we post? After 10 or 15 posts according to you? Discussions are healthy if done in advance & there are 1000's of them on MSE. There are always examples as such when one posts a meta. Even there's no such examples, it's fine because allowing one case will continue to follow the same showing escape in the first case. There are many partial answers like these which have sentences as such or meta commentaries like "I'm posting answer because I promised you in chat..blah blah" all these can parts be removed. They are unimportant.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 19, 2018 at 9:27

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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That's just plain noise and should be removed from the answer. See Ask questions, get answers, no distractions.

If there's any disclaimer, that is providing meta information to the post, it should be present as a comment. (If the disclaimer is providing information and minor clarifications, then it is fine to remain in the answer).

The correct answer here would be to

  1. Edit the post and remove the fluff from the answer.
  2. If there are no other valid sources cited, flag the answer for moderator attention in order to get the correct banner (citations needed) added.
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    Best example to show Stack Exchange Network wide policies are poorly received and not followed here. This is how editing is done on other sites. Such lines are equivalent to "I am writing answer from some XYZ book in some time. Wait till I answer" comment. I have flagged such comments in the past and were deleted. It doesn't matter who the user is as the answer remains same even such portions are deleted.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 18, 2018 at 18:11
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    The advantage is, we've now got a clear approval to add placeholder answers. Time to fill the site with those.
    – Bhargav Rao
    Aug 18, 2018 at 18:36
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    So, no citation banners.. No "cite your sources" in the answers.. less job for moderators. More job to editors..is it? Because many users are posting 2 or more questions or answers daily. Also many users have posted many answers and contributed very much have rep under their name. We can't ask them too. So, less job for reviewers too. We should just ask sources, flag, be strict and put banners on new users where entire network is welcoming and friendly on newbies. It is very good for our site. Isn't it?
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 18, 2018 at 19:14
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Let's not treat less participating & more participating user under the same lenses. More the participation more likely to touch on such caveats.
For this case, it should be taken with subjective criteria.

We should see how often such statements are added & is done by whom.

  • No: If user is often doing in their answers and doesn't return too often, then should be flagged for banner. The user should be notified by Mods not to indulge in such practices; I have not witnessed personally such event so far
  • Yes: If user rarely does so, and references right scripture/source in other answers then let us respect their note. They probably don't want a banner and are conscious about it.

Mods & community is experienced enough to decide on "often" & "rare".
Sometimes we may not even require a policy, due to lack of events.

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    Our site has reached to a stage where users are saying everything i.e., voting, reviewing, editing has become subjective. While following policies to run site, user's opinion and subjectivity shouldn't matter much. Users should use their sense, experience and understand site. Everything is not subjective. There are clear guidelines what is not. We can't go forward saying subjective every time.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 18, 2018 at 3:54
  • I actually wanted the additional citations needed banner myself .And yes you are right I have also provided the reason in answer.
    – SwiftPushkar
    Aug 18, 2018 at 11:35
  • chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/38640?m=46133229#46133229.
    – SwiftPushkar
    Aug 18, 2018 at 11:38
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    @SwiftPushkar, it's perfectly fine to not quote sources in unavoidable cases & not wanting a banner as well. You don't have to provide too many justifications either. Everyone understands somewhere inside that how valuable active participants are for this site. :-)
    – iammilind
    Aug 18, 2018 at 13:08
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I think depends on context and what is the other answer they have added besides these placeholders. Sometimes, they don't add exact verse number or chapter number but give story or own interpretation in the answer for the time being.

I remember reading similar discussion on Meta Stack Exchange a while ago. Till I search that answer and add that link here, consider this is a partial or unsourced answer. I wrote this answer to add my opinion on this issue. I will definitely update the answer when I found from Meta Stack Exchange.

Note: Don't you believe me that I won't update this answer? I am the most active participant on Meta. So you can't treat me like a newbie and downvote and flag the answer.

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    If you have understood what you mean and the humour in the answer, you will know what to do and judge these type of answers. You can't downvote this answer because it is meta. There should be equal judgement to the answers.. i.e., based on the merit of the answer and not who posts it and main and meta. We should not DV randomly because there is no rep involved here. If such half answers are ok, then we have to go with it. You can't just DV one answer and upvote another answer which say the same.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 18, 2018 at 19:05
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    "There should be equal judgement to the answers.. i.e., based on the merit of the answer and not who posts it and main and meta." - you hit the nail on its head.
    – Say No To Censorship
    Aug 18, 2018 at 20:07
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    -1 for, posting answer as comment and comment as answer. Misleading for voters & OP (@sv.), what to consider. Flagged for Mod attention.
    – iammilind
    Aug 19, 2018 at 5:58
  • @iammilind Flagged as what. I never said I am posting comment as an answer and answer as comment. Did I? I am just saying what you are saying in your answer. You say that active users answers should not be flagged for citation or given more time. Don't you? It is not misleading to users or the OP i.e., sv. Understood what I mean. Comment is comment and answer is answer.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 19, 2018 at 9:02
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    "I am just saying what you are saying in your answer." --- then what purpose does your answer serve. You can upvote my answer and collaborate in improving it. Instead you are answering to my answer in sarcastic way. This point should be also noted for why I flagged as "not an answer".
    – iammilind
    Aug 19, 2018 at 9:31
  • @iammilind "Not An Answer" flag is not for that. I have my opinion and right to express it. So, I wrote it. There are answers which give similar inputs bu in a different way. That doesn't guarantee deletion. Read my answer carefully and the paragraph. Sarcasm? You are finding so much sarcasm in my answers and messages which I don't mean at all. There's humour which is different from sarcasm. I'm answering to the question and OP knows that too. I'm free to upvote, DV, accept, unaccept any answer I like. I read it in some comment and it's deleted now.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 19, 2018 at 9:39

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