Hi Redosam ~
You have just asked a good question!
I suspect from the wording on your question that you have already had
a chance to look at Google's "How to get a better answer to your
question."
- http://answers.google.com/answers/help.html
The pricing suggestions are in "Google Answers: How to price your
question"
- http://answers.google.com/answers/pricing.html
If you haven't, you are astute enough to realize some of the problems
Google Answers Researchers come across in attempting to provide a
professional answer to a customer's question.
Referring to Google's suggestions and drawing on my own experience,
I'll try to address your concerns:
1. You asked,
"-What is the best way to form a question to get the best answers?
Please give some tips on how to form a qusetion."
It's not always easy to communicate what you are seeking. This is
especially true if you're not sure exactly what it is you *ARE*
seeking. A good rule of thumb would be to give as much information as
you can in your question. This is always a help to the researcher
undertaking the answer to your question, and often gives them a place
to start - a "jumping off" spot, if you will.
For instance: If you were looking for a good Italian restaurant in
Seattle, but only asked for a "good restaurant", you'd get either a
lot of restaurants considered "good" or with a "good" rating, or you'd
get a Request for Clarification from a Google Answers Researcher as to
particular 'types' or even location preferences.
A better question to ask would be for a good Italian restaurant in
Seattle. Even then, you might get a list of Italian restaurants which
are rated "good" or "great" by a number of reputable sources like
Conde Nast, Fodor's, American Express, etc. If such an answer is
acceptable, then you've gotten a good answer.
If you really wanted a quiet little neighborhood retaurant with
checkered tablecloths, a decent jug wine and a warm, friendly
atmosphere, that would be better than any 'list' you could be
presented ... provided, of course, that you asked for it. So don't be
afraid to state what you are looking for, if you know.
Don't be afraid to state what you don't want, either, especially if
it's hard to state what you 'do' want. The important thing in asking a
question is getting across what it is you are seeking.
If you don't, be prepared for the back and forth of the Request for
Clarification function of Google Answers. I can state that it is as
disappointing for a researcher to to put in considerable time on an
answer only to find out afterwards that the information we've gathered
and put together is NOT what the customer wanted at all, but that s/he
was really looking for ... I think you get the picture.
=====================
2. You asked,
"-When posting my question, could I ask the researchers to summarize
their answers and give recommendations."
Of course you can, and please do. When you get a lengthy answer citing
several sources, it never hurts to supply a summary. If you want one,
then ask for it.
Ask for the answerer's opinion, too, if you don't mind getting an
opinion that may differ with your own. At least you get a different
perspective, which is food for thought!
=====================
3. You asked,
"-What is the best way to price my question to be fare?"
Now that is a totally subjective question - but let's go with Google's
recommendations under "How to Price Your Question".
- http://answers.google.com/answers/pricing.html
"Above all - try to pay what the information is worth to you, not what
you think you can get it for ..."
I think the guidelines are fair. A customer shouldn't be disappointed
if s/he gets a reference or two and a shorter answer for a $2
question, and in-depth searching and well written information with
lots of good resources for a $200 question.
Some of the Google Answers Researchers have admitted they rely on
their fees for their livelihood, but I can state from personal
knowledge that most of the researchers that I know dedicate the same
standards of professionalism when answering a $2 question as they do
when answering a $200 question. This is especially true when the
subject of the question is either intriguing or something a particular
researcher has expertise in.
In other words, Google's suggestions are reasonable, but the quality
of professionalism the researchers bring to any answer usually gives
far more value than that suggested by the guidelines - as a "bonus" to
the customer! As a rule, most of the answers you may see are of far
more value in time and energy put into them than Google's Pricing
Guidelines suggest.
Obversely, I doubt any researcher would be willing to tackle an
extremely comprehensive question requiring hours of extensive research
asking for 'all' or 'several' sources if the customer feels that
information is only worth $2.
As you can see, it's very subjective on the part of both the customer
and the particular researcher who undertakes answering the question.
The one truth is that you will usually get your money's worth in any
answer - even if it may not be the answer you were seeking.
=====================
4. You asked,
"-If I am willing to pay (for example $60) for a question, should I
place the whole amount in to one question or would it be better if I
post three questions each for $20 to get more opinions? Since only one
answer is allowed per question, if you want more than one answer or
opinion, it would be best to split them up or to repeat the same
question more than once.
A word of advice, though: if you do ask the same question more than
once because you do want more than one opinion or answer, make sure
you indicate you are doing so deliberately. Even Google hiccups
occasionally, and Google Answers Researchers are usually aware of
duplicate questions from one customer and will respectfully refrain
from answering the duplicates.
By the nature of the system, there is no way to split a fee among
multiple Google Answers Researchers, so you are going to be restricted
to one answer unless you specify otherwise.
So far as multi-part questions, there have been occasions in which a
question becomes impossible to answer because one of its parts can't
be answered for whatever reason. In those cases, you may see a
Researcher suggest breaking the question into separate questions and
pricing them accordingly. By doing so, you at least get part of the
questions answered.
=====================
Google Answers is a great tool which provides conscientious
researchers who strive to give value for your money. Sometimes there's
a breakdown in the communication process, but on the whole, the system
works pretty well.
As a customer, asking your question with as much clarity saves both
you and the researcher time in finding the answer to your question.
As a Google Answers Researcher, I can tell you that there is nothing
quite so disheartening than to spend time and energy coming up with a
good answer to a question, only to discover that the information we've
supplied isn't really what the customer wanted. Then there are two
unhappy people.
Google is correct in that the higher priced questions are more likely
to get faster answers. After all, if the same conscientious effort
goes into answering a $2 question and a $20 question, which would you
be inclined to answer first?
=====================
Summary
=====================
Bear in mind that both the price of your question and the way you ask
your question have a bearing on how fast, if ever, the question gets
answered.
I have no doubt you've noticed that some questions do not get answered
directly, if at all. The reasons usually not so much about price as
about the nature of the question and whether or not any researcher
feels he can answer it adequately. And there are some questions for
which there realistically are no answers, at least as they're stated.
If you want an answer to your own question, try to consider it from a
researcher's point of view and whether or not the question *is*
answerable as written.
Finally, price your question fairly. If you are seeking comprehensive
information, that takes time, sometimes many days, to track down the
information you are looking for. For the quality of the answers you
have come to expect from Google Answers, make it worth the effort any
researcher puts in. Remember, Google gets its share of every fee. for
a $2 question, the researcher gets $1.50, and you have to admit that
even the worst answers are worth at least that much. The quality
answers you get from most of the researchers prove that you get value
for every dollar spent.
Search Strategies
=====================
We usually provide our search strategies when we answer a question in
order to assist the customers in finding their own sources. In this
case, I used the information I knew was available on Google Answers as
well as my own opinions, rather than searching for an answer.
Thanks again for asking this question. It gave me a chance to examine
my own criteria for choosing which questions to answer and to examine
many outstanding answers by my fellow researchers.
Regards,
Serenata
Google Answers Researcher |
