What does it mean when you say we have to follow the question-and-answer format?
We ask that community members follow the question-and-answer format because Yahoo! Answers is a question-and-answer community. This means when you post a question, it must be written in the form of a question. When you post an answer, it must attempt to answer the question being asked.
- It is possible that a question could be considered a “rant”, even if it is formatted correctly. Avoid posting questions that are more about declaring your opinions than seeking knowledge.
- When posting jokes or riddles, be sure to format it correctly. A story joke that ends in a punchline is not a question, and therefore in violation. Jokes or riddles that include the punchline are ok if there is a knowledge-seeking purpose to them, i.e. "Would this be a good joke to tell coworkers?" Just make sure the joke itself doesn't violate other parts of the guidelines.
- “Fill in the blank” and "pop quiz" questions are not considered questions and are considered violations of the Q&A format.
- “Yes” or “no” answers are OK, but only if the question calls for a “yes” or “no” answer.
Read more about this topic in our Q&A Format, "When is an answer not an answer?", and "When is a question not a question?" blog posts.