I have a genuine problem and I am quite upset.
I have encountered many questions that are of the following type:
(a) Is this correct? (b) Which is correct and why? (c) Please help correct this.
These questions (the ones I am particularly talking about) do not mention what research they have done to solve their problem. They provide no context either. They don't say why google was not helpful, or even why similar questions in ELL or ELU were not helpful.
My problem is not with the questions or the "askers". It is reasonable for new users to ask such questions (I did too); they are not as well-informed about the help center rules as regular users are.
When I see such questions, I write comments such as the following:
(i) What do you think? (ii) Which do you think is correct and why? (iii) Did you try a dictionary? What did you find?
Note that many respected users leave comments like this too - that is how I learnt to do the same.
My intention is to get them to think. I want them to go and do some research and put some effort to try and solve their problem. I don't want to just give an answer to "Which one is correct?" or "Is this correct?" - that would be spoon-feeding!
My problem is that some users will, within minutes of OP posting the question, answer them. They can see that someone has left a comment asking OP "Which do you think is the correct answer?". This should tell the "answerer" that there is a reason why they left a comment like that and did not post an answer. Their answer completely renders these comments (or similar comments) useless and weightless. OP will not care. Its like a race - questions are answered immediately.
If we give them the answers so easily, they will not educate themselves. They will never learn to actually go and do some research on their own.
There has to be consistency. If some of us are going to maintain that "askers" need to do some research - and based on that we continue to make such comments - then other users should at least avoid posting an answer until the "asker" provides more details in the comments or edit their question to include their research effort.
This post is also a reminder to myself to not jump and answer such questions. I just found out I have done so a few times too.
Oh, well, sorry for the rant.