Wikiask:What is Wikiask?

2023 © Wikiask
Short answer:

Wikiask is a free Q&A website that anyone can edit.

A single answer written by the community for each question

Each question on Wikiask has a single, wiki-style answer.

In contrast to other platforms where users compete on answering, Wikiaskers collaborate on a single answer, aiming to be the best source of truth on the question.

What questions to ask

Wikiask aims to answer complex questions, where the answers are not a single word or number, something that Google or an AI can easily find.

Examples of great questions

Questions to avoid

  • Who is Person X? (Wikipedia answers this.)
  • How tall is Person X? (This answer is a simple number that Google can verify.)

High-quality reference-based neutral answers

Our answers should follow two main principles:

  1. Reference-based and evidence-based: Our answers must reference primary sources of evidence or publications that are highly reputable and have a history of producing factual content.
  2. Neutrality: Our answers must present the most significant views on a matter in a neutral, fair manner.

Reference-based and evidence-based

Wikiask's policy on verifiability mandates inline citations for any content contested or likely to be challenged, as well as for all quotes, wherever they appear in an answer. By referencing sources for Wikiask material, you help people to verify that the information is backed by credible sources, thus enhancing Wikiask's reputation and authority of answer on the page.

Particularly when the claims are disputed or possibly defamatory, citations are desired for statements regarding corporations and actual people. According to the guideline, this sort of unsourced content is likely to be deleted immediately.

Examples of Citations

The information shown below is often included in an in-text citation or generic reference; however, more material may be included as needed.

  • Books
  • Journal articles
  • Newspaper articles
  • Web pages
  • Sound recordings
  • Video recordings
  • Personal opinion websites, like blogs or Quora. For example, we can reference some expert's answer on Quora or Twitter and say: "According to John Smith, XXX."
    • Anyone with a Wikipedia page or a university professor or researcher can be a reference.

Neutrality

Wikiask requires that when individuals publish answers, they do it from a neutral standpoint. The primary focus of an answer should be on those points on which most people agree.

When many individuals edit an answer, it typically represents the majority opinion, a consensus. The topics on which individuals differ and the dispute must also be discussed. Significant problems or disputes must be presented in a manner that does not excessively favor one side. Strange or uncommon views might be presented as side topics with information on who holds them. If they are too peculiar, they may be eliminated.

Neutrality does not fix all issues. For instance, many things that most people think are false - consensus is not truth. The truth must be verified. Sincere individuals differ on complicated matters. A Wikiasker's perspective and conception of neutral may differ from that of another Wikiask contributor.

See also

References
https://wikiask.org/Wikiask:What_is_Wikiask%3F
wikiask.org
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