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As an example, which does happen every now and again, this answer: https://aviation.stackexchange.com/a/72384/14897

It is a one-liner that was posted four hours after two back-to-back answers, and doesn't add anything new.

As of writing this, the review is a tie 2:2. And the score is +4/-4.

What are your thoughts on how such answers should be reviewed?

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  • $\begingroup$ The score is 1....... $\endgroup$
    – Abdullah is not an Amalekite
    Commented May 7, 2021 at 9:01
  • $\begingroup$ @Abdullah: +6/-5 since :D $\endgroup$
    – user14897
    Commented May 7, 2021 at 22:08

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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I checked MSE, and found two posts related to this issue, from which:

If someone leaves an identical answer on an old question (for some arbitrary definition of "old"), cast a deletion vote or flag with a custom explanation, and ask for deletion. (link)

and

Every additional answer adds noise.

The presence of many similar answers essentially all saying the same thing makes it harder for later answers that may contribute something new to be spotted. (link)

Given those points:

Looks OK is valid on the technicality of considering the post in isolation, but it should not be considered in isolation, as such answers do add noise and are no-effort. But how would the reviewer know if they didn't check the whole post?

Update: the new review UI now allows viewing the other answers from the same review window.

Therefore, if noted in a comment, as Federico ♦ has done for the given example, and as I and others have done in the past, IMO the review should be Delete / Recommend deletion. (Note: such posts go into the queue after one or more low-quality flags.)

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Delete.

I agree that answers can't be considered in isolation.

The only answer on a question, if not incorrect and not useless, should generally be kept upon meeting minimal criteria. In contrast, on a "hot question", many answers that would in isolation not even raise a flag, may well contain nothing that hasn't been covered already.

SE is not a platform for self-expression. Self-expression is not to be specifically restricted or removed, but it should never be the only value contributed by a question or answer post. Agreement with other posts is properly expressed by upvoting.

I'd consider this to apply retroactively to a limited extent, i.e. a very lazy but technically correct answer, that normally deserves removal, still deserves it even if it was the first, but has been superseded by high-quality answers.

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    $\begingroup$ RE retroactive deletion: What may come across as laziness (as the first to answer) may just be best effort. Here, simply upvoting the better answer is enough IMO. That being said, generally I agree to the principle if the older answer did not answer the question. $\endgroup$
    – user14897
    Commented Dec 10, 2019 at 21:48
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    $\begingroup$ @ymb1 I'm referring to no-effort one-liners such as "Yes" or "It's not profitable". $\endgroup$
    – Therac
    Commented Dec 11, 2019 at 4:55

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