How should the question be phrased...?

Statements like:

"What do you think about the candidates stands on x"

"How do you feel the debate went"

where the question is very short, and the person answering is given free range to answer as they choose work very well in avoiding answers that launch into a tirade about what the answerer thinks you think.

Getting people to stick to facts is harder, because there is no guarantee people answering will be in possession of any.

Posting "How do you react to this article" then quoting and referencing a passage gives a good chance that people will at least comment directly on the information you provide without necessarily assuming it to be your views. It helps if you state that you read it and want to know what others think.

Another way is to ask in a really pompous and hardassed way. Please provide factual and referenced answers, I am not interested in rants and theories unless they are backed up with evidence. I've done this a few times, and you tend to get a couple of one word trolls and 3-4 good answers, usually from your friends network.

On the whole, intelligent questions will attract intelligent answers.

The 5 millionth "did Obama pwn McCain hahahahah" from you isn't going to get a better response than the 4,999,999th time that the last random idiot to ask it got.

On the other hand "Who tackled taxation better in last nghts debate?"

details - can anyone help me understand what each candidates stance is, based on having viewed the debate?

Which candidate put across their views in a manner most likely to win votes?

Do you think the American public understands the difference between the platforms?

is likely to get some better replies.

The last thing is, to improve your quality of replies, you can block totally without mercy. Random fools who post trite answers discourage serious posters from keeping company with your questions. If someone shows willful and consistent stupidity, then block them without regret. It makes for a better experience for everyone else.

That is a chance that you take when you ask anyone ANY question.

The only thing that you can control is the question...you can't do anything about how people will answer.

Someone here is thinking "..then give the answer a thumbs down.."

another is saying "..report it, if you feel it's offensive or whatever.."

and those are good solutions, but it does not change that you can't control the answers, that's the idea of the open forum.

Now, If your question can be interpreted as insulting, you take the chance it being deleted (I see many questions that SHOULD have been deleted that are still here).

Don't use profane language, keep the question simple but get to the point.

Limit the scope of the question to help limit the emotions of the responders. Fortunately (for Americans and people who post on Yahoo) there is some freedom of speech. If your question evokes polite but emotional responses, you will have to put up with the responses as a price for getting an answer. I believe it's a small price to pay. Good luck with the answer. If they are rants, or insults, report the answer. You might put the fact rude answers will be reported in the details of your question.

'Facts' has become a dispute in this election. If you know anything about Max Weber, he too thought value free social inquiry was possible, but he was wrong. The massaging of 'facts' and the blind ignorance of those who refuse to acknowledge them makes it always a war of crudely stated issues.

Until people actually read tax breakdowns and reports, watch something other than the mainstream media news and take their heads out of their @sses, no' facts' will come into play.

Pretending to be non-partisan and good-humoured is also idiotic. I don't jump for joy over Obama, but I believe that McCain is plain wrong on policy for 90%, so why should I bother to say worthy things about him? And why should I cross swords intellectually with people who refuse to read 'facts' and learn to think outside the orthodox crap that is fed to them?

What "facts"? There are many sides to many stories. No one knows for certain whether something is "fact" or not. We simply discuss issues here. Nothing is based on "fact". In fact, there are those who believe in CNN as opposed to Fox 5, MSNBC as opposed to Channel 7 as opposed to this and that, here and there, now and then.

Just ask questions. Sooner or later you will find answers, some good, some bad, some liberal, some conservative, some intellectual, some stupid.

In an unmoderated user-run forum, you can't. It doesn't matter how it's phrased, you'll get spammers, trolls, and people who just like being rude. Remeber that every "answer" gets 2 points, and a lot of people here are more interested in getting points than helping others. If you're looking for facts, and not opinion, don't use Y!A. Sad, but true.

It's impossible. I'm sorry, I understand your frustration, but you're not going to get answers that are completely without emotionally charged rants. Not at this time of year, and not in this section.

It sucks, but people on both sides are looking for any opening to launch their own agenda.

Simply asked people to quote where they got their facts or don't answer the question.

I am sure some will still give you an emotional rant but those with some intelligence will give you sources.

Good luck. weve all been trying to find that key for a long time, be the only i can think of, would be to put an age verification on Y!A sign in... 25 up

Impossible.