Should I reevaluate my mental model for closing broad questions?

Question

I originally voted to close a question asking for things to do on a trip to Quepos, Costa Rica, with teenagers. There were some general ideas, and it had tags, but nothing was really detailed or specific, so I felt it was too broad. This is the question. Based on the comments to the question the core reason it was reopened was summarized in this comment (emphasis mine):

I agree with @PaulPaulsen. We have many questions very much like this one. If we closed or migrated our "travel-recommendation" type questions, we'd lose much of our popular content. Many are broad and opinion-based, but that's part of our culture here. Admittedly there's some confusion if you look at this type of question over the years, some get closed, some don't. This one may have an issue because OP hasn't been back yet to give more detail, but I don't think it invalidates the type of question. As always, that's just my opinion! Thank you for listening.

I'm not asking for this question to be reclosed (I think it should) as much as I'm asking should I adjust how I vote to close in the future.

In general I won't vote to close if the question is broad but I feel like a "best" answer is reasonably likely. In my mind the Quepos question fails this test because there are so many options and the OP hasn't given us a real indication of their preferences that I don't know how "best" is reasonably defined. Unless the OP tries every suggestion and then says "I accept this answer because I enjoyed it the most." Additionally this question is absolutely a list question. Since they are essentially asking, "What is fun to do outside at insert city name?" the potential answers are nearly boundless. For example I can think of lots of different answers just based on the whitewater-rafting tag: go kayaking, rafting, canoeing, cata-rafting, tubing, for each of the multiple rivers not to mention the potential fishing suggestions a willingness to be on the river(s) opens up. We also don't know the experience/fitness level of the group in general, or in jungle environments. Since "off the beaten path" is mentioned I might recommend finding a local guide to cross Los Quetzales National Park on foot. Is this appropriate or were they just trying to avoid tourist traps?

Those were the kinds of thoughts I was thinking when I voted to close. I think "travel-recommendation" (to use the term in the comment) type questions can be on topic here but I also think they need to be much more specific than the Quepos question. In my opinion closing a question that needs significant clarification is beneficial for everyone, including the OP. How should I adjust my thinking?

Answer 1

I wasn't really involved in this particular case, as I tend to stay clear of discussions about topics I don't care about/don't have any expertise. I don't want to make my answer about whether it should be closed or not, however I do believe the question has room for improvement. I need this premise to make my point, so I hope we can agree on that. If you don't, never mind, just assume it's about another question where it applies ;)

Sue quickly requested additional information in a comment on the question. What I believe to be the problem here is how the OP, a new user, perceived what happened in the following: Sue's comment was drowned in arguments about whether or not to close this question and for what reason. It should be obvious how this can deter a new user. While an experienced user knows, that a closed question is not done for, that is what it looks like to a new user (I don't know any other community where closing is not de facto final).

It is key to guide a new user who posted a question that does not meet our standards, but is not completely rubbish. Meaning ask for the relevant information and if you want to go ahead with closing (and you should when it is appropriate), make a very prominent and clear point that a question can and should be salvaged, which will result in it being reopened. Don't make it a discussion about how this question is bad, i.e. close-worthy, but a discussion about how this should be improved - you still make your point about closing but it is an entirely different signal to the OP.

Answer 2

I agree that the question needed clarification. Two days ago, Sue listed information that the OP could have responded to, but has not. However, I think someone who knew the town they asked about could have given a good answer.

If someone had asked exactly the same question (but including time of year) about Yosemite National Park, I would have answered, with hiking options that took into account outdoors experience and energy levels and a few caveats if one or more of the teenagers were young. I would have recommended a few things that I do not have first hand experience on for them to research (rock climbing classes, float trips down the Merced). That is, I would have used imagination in answering.

I think, to some degree, we have to use imagination in dealing with questions from first time users. They might not know what they want, and insistence on clarification is just going to shut them off.

I don't think a cut and paste job from references that are very easily found on-line is the way to answer this question -- (although I am not against cut-and-paste answers on all questions.)

My conclusion is that this question is (a) marginally OK, but (b) that there is no one among our users who can give an answer based on first hand experience (or they would have done so already) and that therefore (c) it should be migrated to travel.

Answer 3

I would say that the question is too broad because of how broad the possible answers would be.

For instance if you plug the question into Google you will get results like this,

• Things-To-Do-In-Quepos
• 50 Awesome Things to do in Costa Rica
• 7 Off-the-Beaten-Path Things to Do Near Manuel Antonio

There is no way I am going to write 50 different things that a person could possibly do. We don't know what the experience levels or how in or out of shape the people are and that would all effect it.

I think I lot of the reopening was driven by sympathy for a new user. If I wrote that question, it would probably be downvoted into oblivion and closed right away.