Question

Why do some answers have several edits by the same person?

I've noticed that some people on this site will give an answer and then edit it several times. I'm curious if there's a specific reason as to why people do this, because I have no idea.

Answer 1

I often make several edits because I like to fuss with the formatting.

Explanation:

I like elements of an answer to line up exactly, for example.

Or I might want to use a couple of different ways to show emphasis or sections, like these

`"S"` `"ection One"`

Section One

Section One

• Section One

Answer 2

To satisfy my obsessive-compulsive drive to correct mistakes and, where possible, to improve the clarity of explanations.

Explanation:

In the world of maths, this virtuous cycle of proof-reading and editing until that nebulous state of "I can't see any mistakes and the supporting text is sufficiently clear" is reached must be regarded as a good thing, surely?
just now ·

Answer 3

Fix many mistakes, add auxiliary information, etc.

Explanation:

Personally, the moment is embarrassing when someone notices a mistake I made in answering a question- so I go through my answers with a fine-toothed comb, making sure I offer an accurate answer.

Another thing is that sometimes I edit my answers a few times to make sure it is the best answer I can give. I don't know the education level of whoever asks the question, so I have to break down topics in Layman's terms so everyone can understand it. Sometimes, I have to be more specific, or even delete a confusing part.

Hope this helps!