Bumps? Votes? Credits? What is all this stuff?

[CafeMom Team]

Answers is very easy to use, but it does have some of its own lingo. Here's a quick guide:

Credits: These are used to reward positive contributions to the community as well as to penalize "bad" behavior. Learn more here!

Levels: As you earn more Credits, you'll reach new levels. As you reach higher levels, you'll unlock new features and be able to contribute even more. Learn more here!

Bumps: Bumping a good question can help it get answers and also earn both you and the question asker Credits. You only have a certain number of Bumps to give each day, based on your level.

Voting: Each answer has a plus and minus sign next to it. Voting up good answers and voting down unhelpful or incorrect answers helps to highlight the best ones. Doing so can also earn both you and the answerer Credits. You only have a certain number of up and down votes each day, based on your level. New users can only vote up answers.  Only veteran and trusted members of the Answers community will be able to unlock the right to vote down answers.

Best Answer: The asker of each question can select the answer that she found to be the most helpful. The answerer receives Extra Credit for her help, and the question is closed.

Status Box: This is the area on the right of each Answers page that shows your total number of Credits, your progress through your current level, etc.

Answers Profile: Each contributor has a special Answers Profile page (separate from their normal CafeMom profile) that shows the questions they've asked and answered along with their current Credits total and level. Answers Profiles also include a Transcript (see below). You can reach your own Answers Profile by clicking on the My Groups tab.

Transcript: The part of Answers Profiles pages that displays entries for all the Credits that the user has earned or lost. The ability to see your own Transcript is unlocked when you reach a certain level.

Anonymous: If you're not comfortable revealing your screen name to ask or answer a very personal question, you can do anonymously. While anyone can ask an anonymous question, the ability to answer anonymously is locked until you reach a certain level. You will not receive Credits for anonymous contributions and they will not display to visitors to your Answers Profile. Please make sure all your questions and answers (particularly anonymous ones) are friendly, honest, and respectful.

Comments: If you reply to your own question (to clarify something, for example), it is considered a "comment" and displayed differently from answers. You will not receive any Credits for posting comments.

Help Icons (): Point your mouse over these icons to see more information about whatever you're looking at.

---The CafeMom Team