How can one improve his BA % in this forum?

If you are interested only in BA% it requires monitoring your Q&A:

Give thoughtful answers (i.e. actually have the best answer) to people who actually select for best answers. This avoids voting.

Avoid redundancy. Answer questions that other people can't. Delete any of your answers if they become redundant. For example, if someone asks what is 2*2 and there are 37 answers saying "4", you have only a 1/37 chance of getting best answer.

Likewise, if someone gives a better answer than yours, be kind enough to delete your answer.

In the worst case scenario that the question goes to voting, vote for your own answer.

In philosophy and religious sections, most people aren't looking for answers or meaningful dialogue. They are looking for the quick ego fix of reifying their beliefs. In that case, formulate the answer that aligns the most with their point of view and you will be selected as best answer.

Sir Quality answers and sound knowledge in your desired category alone will improves your BA% ... . :)

Improving best answer percentage in yahoo answers forum:

To give more answers meaningfully.

1. Reading: Question should be read thoroughly.

2. Understanding: The Answering member should understand the question. The answering member can answer a question after full understanding.

3. Giving answer to the question: First reading the question, then understanding the question. Now the answerer is ready to answer.

a) It is the answerer to decide on creepy, weird,stupid and insulting questions.

b) Religious Questions are to be elaborated in details. Sometimes authority is needed to some questions.

c)Philosophy questions are also in the same of Religious questions.

d) Yahoo answer questions will be about yahoo answers. There is no need for authority but an experience in yahoo answers will be sufficient.

e) The other category questions will be similar to philosophy except Politics.

The answers should be neatly typed in small paragraphs (like Haritaji answers). The answers should not be in long paragraphs. The gap between two paragraphs should be within 2 lines and should not exceed 2 lines.

Every answer should have head-lines. This will be liked by every asker.

Above all there should be care not exceeding the community guidelines. The answer should be to the question alone and should not cross the limitations.

The answerer should not comment other answers. Should not say good, bad, weird, worthless etc.,The answering community should not comment about the asker. The answering members should not make displeasure about commenting the question.

Besides the above, there should be honesty, patience,humility and truthfulness in answers.

If the answerers give more answers keeping the above points in mind, they can get more best answers. More best answers will increase the percentage of BA.

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Trisha

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Well, I leave it to the reader. Many a times vey simple questions are asked. A few times the questions are really good. I feel myself happy and satisfied when I solve a really challenging problem. Whether my answer is selected as BA or not, I always mention to the akser about the quality of question and I myself decide BQ without waiting for someone to say my answer is Best. Voting sometimes is a lengthy process. Now I am getting few emails of BA to Q which I amswered almost almost 3 years ago. So my A is B or not I keep on answering. As it is we donot do this for financial gain.

Apt detail in answering the Q. It should be short, informative and effective to the future readers with references as given in Community Guidelines. On the same time it should clarify the asker doubts. This is useful way get to improve BA %.

Other ways are answering the Queations which will lead for Voting. And you can Vote and win BAs.

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Kind Kid

Hi Madhukarji,

When I first started out in yahoo answers some years or so back, my aim was to help and to be in the 95% BA category or higher (I was in job-search mode for sometime and in a library, it helped spend the time, feel helpful and keep the self-worth-level high).

My focus areas were questions that no one or very few would answer, sorting for questions that remained unanswered for 2-4 days, so that they may still be relevant to the questioner. I would try to cover as many subjects as possible (Math, Chemistry, Literature, Engineering, Computer software queries, religion etc etc.) and only answer if I felt that my answer made a difference. Many a time Google or yahoo search would come to the rescue - and I would post links that were really relevant.

Lastly, if I knew or really felt that my response was right and better or equivalent to the best answerer, I would follow up with the questioner to make sure that any BA ties were resolved in my favor.

Later on, I lost focus on the BA percentage and now have below 90, but still a healthy BA percentage. Nowadays even if the BA is already selected, if I feel that I can give a fresh perspective, I try to put those views in the comments or follow-up section.

Answering further per your sub-question:

Actually you hit the nail on the head. Religious and personal questions many a time have biased questioners who look up at the answerer to buttress their point of view.

Some "top-level" answerers are highly motivated to get BA using whatever means, I call them the BA-bots, difficult to compete with that breed and anyway who would want to?

For close answers, if you frequently follow up, you could go for the personal touch. If you interact with the asker soon after answering about any relevant thing you could have covered, you could incline him toward your answer by the dedication you show. I have had questioners personally asking me additional questions from then on and automatically tagging mine as the BA whether I deserved it or not.

Hi Madhukar Ji :)

That's not a big thing.. Just answer as many questions you can.. :)

You have to have a lot of your answers chosen as best answer.

i would think with that background you would stand a pretty good chance of selection...with your experience they will look less at what you did in college, at least as far as activities, sports, etc. (sorry mrsjvb, it's just the truth) and more at grades and work experience...as far as any of this having any effect on "additional promotion potential"...ZERO...the only thing that counts once you are in and commissioned is performance, period...that's it...but i would say go for it...and good luck.