Separate multiple answers to the same question?

Question

Should we separate multiple answers to the same question based on idea? For example, if there is a user that has a problem with connecting to their central administration, should we list points of what it may be and how to do it, or should we separate it out into separate answers to explain the procedure for each one?

I can tell that most users on SharePoint Exchange would agree to list the points, but would there be any case that multiple answers would fit in a given scenario?

I'm not calling @Alexander out on this, but it just sparked an idea on how one would handle answering a very vague, but multi-answer question. The question is here: Automatically/Dynamically Create Links to All Files in a Folder?

Answer 1

IMHO, I would combine the answers. If you answered something last week and feel you have another answer today, why wouldn't you just edit the original answer to include both? If you're afraid the user asking the question won't see your changes, leave a comment stating you've updated your answer so they'll get a notification. There are multiple ways to tackle some problems and your answer is more thorough if you provide options. Additionally, it empowers the user asking the question to choose the best resolution specific to their needs.

From a perspective of earning points from up-votes, having two separate answers or two answers in one would likely be similar or the same. Users up-vote when they recognize a good answer, whether it's separate or not. If anything, splitting your answers would probably result in less points as it could lead to doubt in your credibility. Also, higher point answers are more likely to receive extra up-votes due to the psychological impact of other users supporting and approving of the proposed solution... but I don't think it would vary greatly either way.

It is cleaner to have just one answer, but it's also cleaner not to leave comments hanging out there that simply say "I've updated my answer".

And I can't think of any specific examples that would necessitate multiple answers...