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I was reading up on the scope of the site again, and I read this,

Avoid poorly-written questions. Posting a well-written answer under a poorly-written question just makes your answer look worse. Also become familiar with what's on-topic here - and avoid answering questions on topics that aren't well-regarded.

However, I know there is a badge called reversal that says,

Provide an answer of +20 score to a question of -5 score

Isn't it a little bit strange that we say we discourage answers to poorly written questions, then have a reward for doing that very thing? It just kind of seemed strange to me, and I was curious as to what the reasoning behind it could be.

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    $\begingroup$ That's the reversal badge, not the revival. And you'll note that no one did get it here on WB. And downvotes are not only a consequence of poorly written. It could simply be deemed not useful. Or not sufficiently researched. In any case, that's a general SE thing... so meta.SE might be a better place to ask... $\endgroup$ Mar 29, 2016 at 8:54
  • $\begingroup$ @bilbo_pingouin Okay, I was just wondering. Anyway, that was an autocorrect problem. I meant to say reversal. I didn't know that badges were a general SE thing. Can this question be migrated there? (Because I don't like to make accounts for just one question) $\endgroup$ Mar 29, 2016 at 13:26
  • $\begingroup$ You don't have to make a new account, you just have to join that community with your SE account. It can probably be migrated there, but then you would not be notified of any answer, etc. Furthermore, have you look it up? The question was maybe already asked. $\endgroup$ Mar 29, 2016 at 13:29
  • $\begingroup$ Where is that first quote from. Aside from being wrong it is poorly written. $\endgroup$
    – James
    Mar 29, 2016 at 15:13
  • $\begingroup$ @James Here worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/help/promotion $\endgroup$ Mar 29, 2016 at 15:34

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Where is that first quote from?

Aside from being wrong it is poorly written.

  • Who defines poorly regarded topics?
  • You can most certainly give a good answer to a poorly written question. As an example, it could be argued that my periodic table question was poorly conceived, but the answer I got explained that to me and was very well received.
  • Why would we want to negatively judge someone for writing a good answer to a poor question?

Obviously in the case of a poor question be that in quality or taste there are always the options of closing/modifying.

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    $\begingroup$ Off topic questions should not be answered. However questions can be on topic but still bad questions. Writing a good answer to one of those questions is hard work so is rewarded with a badge. There has been some discussion of making the badge still apply even if the answer gets upvotes having been negative then improved. I don't know if that ever happened. $\endgroup$
    – Tim B
    Mar 29, 2016 at 21:12

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