https://www.proz.com/kudoz/english/marketing-market-research/1560734-second-guess.html
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"penis, schmenis, we're all people"
the will and the benediction of simple affection

Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

Second guess

English answer:

trying to anticipate the result

Added to glossary by Neil Mann
Sep 24, 2006 10:45
18 yrs ago
English term

Second guess

Non-PRO English Marketing Marketing marketing brochure
In this survey, You should avoid second-guessing or over analysing your responses.
Responses
4 +5 anticipating the result
5 +2 trying ot figure out why the queston is being asked so you can give an apropriate answer
4 +1 You can guess once but avoid doing it a second time; An educated guess is probably okay although...
5 extrapolating
4 +1 im Nachhinein in Frage stellen
3 +1 avoid guesswork

Responses

+5
7 mins
English term (edited): second guessing
Selected

anticipating the result

to 'second guess' is to try to think about what the result will be and to adapt your response in accordance. In a questionnaire if I know what they are looking for I may try to appear different from what I am in order to gain some prestige/interest/benefit etc.
Peer comment(s):
agree Caryl Swift
3 mins
thanks, Caryl
agree cmwilliams (X)
3 mins
thanks, CM
agree Suzan Hamer : to seek to anticipate or predict (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/second-guess). // Yes, I agree. I don't think I've ever heard or read "second-guess" used in the first sense.
6 mins
thanks, Suzan - a useful link -- I'd think the second definition is more common than the first, and not just here.
agree Peter Shortall
31 mins
thanks, Peter
agree David Moore (X) : Though I would write "avoid TRYING to anticipate the result or..."
1 hr
thanks, David -- a good point and I'd agree that it makes it clearer
neutral margarete : Apparently I am late, but I believe this reading is incorrect. See my answer below
2 hrs
It's a colloquial phrase that is not totally logical. See the dictionary entry mentioned above. Yes, it is about the response not the question: don't try to guess what signifcance we (the questioners) will give to this reply when we analyse the results.
agree Veronica Prpic Uhing
3 hrs
thank you.
disagree Tatiana Nero (X) : I agree with Arizne Mertz. It is looking for alternatives, not anticipating the result.
3 hrs
agree NancyLynn
17 hrs
thanks Nancy
disagree Olga Layer : I'm with Tatiana here. Second-guessing your own responses on the survey means questioning the correctness of those responses, thinking about changing them -- NOT anticipating or predicting. 1st definition given by Merriam-Webster is what fits here.
12 days
Logically 'second guessing' should mean going back over replies, but usage looks to the future - cf."second sight". M-W 1st def. only works once something is over. If the writer's non-native, then logic may apply over usage but not for a native speaker.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
+1
3 mins

You can guess once but avoid doing it a second time; An educated guess is probably okay although...

not indicated in the context given.

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Note added at 8 mins (2006-09-24 10:54:13 GMT)
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An educated guess is based on what you are fairly certain you know. Repeated guessing is not acceptable for this survey.
Peer comment(s):
agree Tatiana Nero (X)
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
7 mins

avoid guesswork

and give concrete, yes-or-no answers
Peer comment(s):
agree Veronica Prpic Uhing
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
8 mins

extrapolating

to infer an unknown from something that is known.
Something went wrong...
+1
2 hrs

im Nachhinein in Frage stellen

I actually disagree with the reading of the previous answers given.

This is about the response of the person taking the survey, not the questions in the survey.

The way I read it, you should not think too much about your own answers or go back over them and change them.

So I would try something like:
Sie sollten es vermeiden Ihre Antworten zu sehr zu analysieren oder im Nachhinein in Frage zu stellen.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Can Altinbay : No, actually the answers as given by airmailrpl and a coule of others are on track.
30 mins
agree Tatiana Nero (X) : exactly. Second-guessing smb's decision (incl. your own) is analyzing it again to look for alternative solutions. Antonym in law: defer to the previous decision.
1 hr
agree Olga Layer : You are absolutely right. Too bad the asker chose the wrong version.
12 days
Something went wrong...
+2
16 mins

trying ot figure out why the queston is being asked so you can give an apropriate answer

You should avoid second-guessing => trying ot figure out why the question is being asked so you can give an apropriate answer

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Note added at 7 hrs (2006-09-24 18:02:39 GMT) Post-grading
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correction:
trying TO figure out why the queston is being asked so you can give an apropriate answer
Peer comment(s):
agree NancyLynn
17 hrs
agree Veronica Prpic Uhing
1 day 16 hrs
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