The expected answer is "Yes" ?

[Martin]

Not so. I rather think the expected response to a declarative sentence followed by question-mark is denial.

 

Example:

Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, was a Martian?

 

Answer:

No, he was from Ohio.

 

Journalists use this ploy: A declarative headline with a question mark is often an invitation to contradiction or challenge.

 

This is in the Suggestions, Comments and Support section because it contains a Suggestion. Namely when a SFN member starts a thread with a patently false declaration followed by "?" that we consider the possibility that he or she is doing something constructive for us. Opening a discussion, eliciting a counterargument.

 

If there are enough question marks showing, it could even be supposed that the person disbelieves the statement and wants to see it shot down. We've all had highschool teachers that used that didactic strategy.

[swansont]

We do try to remember to amend the title to include [Answered: Yes/No] to help clarify things to the casual reader.

[CaptainPanic]

IMHO, the [answered Yes/No] is very uninviting for a casual reader. It shows that the discussion is finished.

[The Bear's Key]

IMHO, the [answered Yes/No] is very uninviting for a casual reader.

Seconded. Although we're unlikely to see a "No" anyhow

[the tree]

Meh, sometimes I like to read a completed discussion. Also, just because the OP is answered doesn't mean that there wont be more to discuss in the thread - there's always room for expansion or whatever.