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What is the appropriate tone for feedback on questions and answers?
When giving feedback (comments, edits, reactions) what is the appropriate tone?
In other words, how should you phrase your feedback?
- Should you assume knowledge of all site rules?
- Should you assume knowledge of only "main" site rules but not all?
- How friendly should you be? Is it okay to sound angry when you're angry at new users breaking the rules? Do you have to sound friendly and helpful even though you don't genuinely feel that way?
- Should you give feedback in a negative tone? Meaning chastising the poster for breaking a rule.
Note, I am not asking about the substance of the feedback. For this question, let's assume whatever you are giving feedback on is something the recipient genuinely did wrong (ie. against the site rules).
1 answer
- Should you assume knowledge of all site rules?
- Should you assume knowledge of only "main" site rules but not all?
I'm not sure what distinction you are trying to make here between "all site rules" and "only main site rules". In general I think it's reasonable to assume familiarity with rules but also allow for that someone might simply have missed something, might not realize the implications of something they posted (most people on Earth don't have English as their first language, and nuances can be difficult to get right in addition to being culturally dependent), and so on.
In general, assume good intent.
- How friendly should you be? Is it okay to sound angry when you're angry at new users breaking the rules? Do you have to sound friendly and helpful even though you don't genuinely feel that way?
If you can't be friendly and helpful (or nice and respectful) in guiding someone, I really recommend that you don't even try. Raise a moderator flag instead and go on with your day. That's what moderator flags are for. In the words of the code of conduct, always be constructive.
- Should you give feedback in a negative tone? Meaning chastising the poster for breaking a rule.
Absolutely not. Borrowing from the code of conduct: be nice; be respectful; always be constructive.
Chastising a user, even if you feel that the user this is directed at somehow "deserves" it, would certainly be valid reason for someone else (that user or another person) to raise a moderator flag regarding that content.
If you see a moderator doing it, raise that with the Codidact team. See the "contact us" link in the page footer.
The Codidact code of conduct really isn't long or complicated, and is intended to lay the land for interactions across the network. If for any reason you feel you can't follow it in posting something, please refrain from that post. It will save everyone grief.
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