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The question, Properties of MLE (minimal sufficient and complete) on a restricted parameter space was, per the comment, already posted on the math site. Moreover, people have been voting to close it (review queue page). I think it belongs here (seems to be statistics, pretty clearly). But then it should be closed on the math site here. I'm not sure what to do here.

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  • $\begingroup$ This has already been asked on Meta main: Is cross-posting a question on multiple Stack Exchange sites permitted if the question is on-topic for each site?. With (currently) 346 votes for the question and the top answer scoring 172 (with 46 down) it is asked and answered. If it appears that it's a duplicate question, even from a different user, a comment referring to the other post can be helpful. With cross-site issues check main Meta 1st. $\endgroup$
    – Rob
    Sep 25, 2018 at 4:58
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    $\begingroup$ That is about whether it is permitted. My question is about what to do. $\endgroup$
    – Peter Flom
    Sep 25, 2018 at 10:41
  • $\begingroup$ The second highest voted answer contains a comment that it's a condensed version of the top answer, perhaps it is better: "If you might have slightly better odds of getting an answer by posting it on two sites, well, by gum, why not maximize your odds by posting it on twenty sites! There are some questions which fall into grey areas between sites, and I think it's OK to ask and delete, then re-ask if you feel you have asked on the wrong site. But as a general rule, do not cross-post questions, please. Pick a site and go with it." --- So comment and ask, or in your case DIY. $\endgroup$
    – Rob
    Sep 25, 2018 at 12:32

5 Answers 5

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If the question's on-topic here I most usually comment, adding a link to the cross-post & asking the OP to decide which site they want the question on. I don't close it, partly because we don't have a relevant close reason, partly because that makes for more work later if the OP removes the cross-post & wants it re-opening here, but mostly because it seems to me a heavy-handed response to a minor transgression. Once the questions are linked the worst that can happen is that the OP neglects to delete one of them, & other users make the informed choice to provide similar (or different) answers on both sites. The more important thing is to explain what the rule is so that the OP can abide by it in future.

Sometimes I just delete the question; if it's unanswered, has been here a while, & if the cross-post already has an answer. Rarely I suggest splitting it or tailoring it into two questions, each more suited for one or the other site.

There are so many SE sites now, & so much overlap, that it doesn't seem worthwhile to spend time researching whether the question's on-topic both here & on the site of the cross-post— though if I do happen to know enough to have an opinion on the most appropriate site I might share it. (I believe Mathematical Statistics is on-topic at the Maths site, for what it's worth.)

Deliberately & persistently flouting the rules is another matter, of course.

† There's an "Other" close reason, as @gung suggests using, but the boilerplate reads

This question does not appear to be about statistics within the scope defined in the help center. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

, which comes across a bit oddly. And what do you do if the question already has an answer?

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    $\begingroup$ To clarify: you are saying that we should not close such a Q here? Peter linked to a review queue and it seems there are already 4 votes to close. $\endgroup$
    – amoeba
    Sep 17, 2018 at 12:12
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    $\begingroup$ @amoeba: The votes to close in this case are as unclear; we don't have a cross-posted close reason. Deleting would be the appropriate action, if any action's to be taken. $\endgroup$ Sep 17, 2018 at 14:02
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It's a common issue with the current way Stack Exchange is designed, and it's even getting worse with the creation of the AI and DS websites, which largely overlap with CV. I think the best solution is Build and strengthen the Stack Exchange community with "crossover questions" between sites.

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When I come across such a question, I close it. I leave a comment along with closing, asking the OP to decide which site they prefer and delete the other version. They could then have this version reopened, if they preferred. I don't usually downvote. As @Scortchi notes, these OPs are usually new and simply unfamiliar with the SE system.

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    $\begingroup$ You close it with what reason? As Scortchi wrote, "we don't have a cross-posted close reason". $\endgroup$
    – amoeba
    Sep 17, 2018 at 20:28
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    $\begingroup$ @amoeba, we have an open ended off topic reason, where you leave a comment explaining what the issue is. I close as off topic because it's cross posted. $\endgroup$ Sep 18, 2018 at 0:56
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    $\begingroup$ This feels wrong to me because an on-topic Q that was cross-posted is (by definition) not off-topic. $\endgroup$
    – amoeba
    Sep 18, 2018 at 7:28
  • $\begingroup$ @amoeba, the phrase "off-topic" is a little bit ambiguous: it can be literally about a different topic, or it can generally mean that the question is outside of the defined limits for questions on the site in some way. Note that people commonly say things like, 'this is off topic because it's opinion based [unclear, too broad, etc]'. They aren't saying that it's about a different topic from statistics because it asks for opinions, just that it needs to be closed. $\endgroup$ Sep 18, 2018 at 12:11
  • $\begingroup$ We don't, & can't, have prelisted close options for every possible reason. There needs to be a fill-in-the-blank option. We do have that, it just happens to be nested under off topic. We could edit the starter text from, "I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because", to "I'm voting to close this question as outside the defined limits for questions on this site because", or something like that, but that seems like a hassle to me, & doesn't really seem necessary in context. $\endgroup$ Sep 18, 2018 at 12:14
  • $\begingroup$ Another possibility is deleting, but these are typically new users, & it's hard for non-mods (& new users especially) to find their deleted Q's & figure out what happened & why. The close mechanism is a lighter touch; it'll be easier for new users to understand, & it's easier to modify & reopen those threads. $\endgroup$ Sep 18, 2018 at 12:19
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We can close questions as duplicate and refer to an existing question on stats.stackexchange, we should be able to do the same when there is a similar (cross-posted or not) question already existing on another stackexchange website (currently it is only possible to deal with this in the comments and you see this for instance a lot between math-overflow and math.stackexchange).

The current way how the question has been closed is confusing. I would say that it is not off-topic, but the off-topic category has just been (ab)used in order to close it.

Sure, the way that it is handled is ok, and the clarification in the comments explains sufficiently why it has been closed. Also Gung explains well how this category can be used more ambiguously.

But for an average user that encounters this situation again and wonders how to deal with closing a cross-posted question, it will be unlikely that he/she is aware of this meta-question or is gonna find it quickly.

If cross-posting is a good reason to close a question then this solution should be more clearly available in the options to close a question (instead of currently being ambiguously contained in the off-topic section, while not strictly being off-topic).

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If it is on-topic on both sites but the sites do not liaise and it gets closed on both sites it is difficult to feel too much sympathy for the OP since we should not be encouraging cross-posting which potentially wastes people's time. In this case the OP has a clear message in the comments about why people have closed it so knows what to do if they want an answer.

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    $\begingroup$ I add the link to the cross-post to avoid peoples' time being wasted. Many incidents of cross-posting are from new users, unfamiliar with SE rules; so if someone posts the same question here & on another site, then comes back later on to find it closed/deleted on both - it does give an impression of heavy-handed officiousness, I feel. (-1) $\endgroup$ Sep 17, 2018 at 14:28
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    $\begingroup$ @Scortchi In his answer, gung also suggests closing cross-posted questions. Do you feel gung's answer is more reasonable than mdewey's or would you -1 it too? $\endgroup$
    – amoeba
    Sep 18, 2018 at 7:31
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    $\begingroup$ I think this is a bit harsh, especially for new users. $\endgroup$
    – Peter Flom
    Sep 18, 2018 at 9:59
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    $\begingroup$ @amoeba: They're both reasonable, but a little too strict, in my opinion. -1 too. But I think we should be consistent, & of course I'd be willing to change what I currently do if people want that. $\endgroup$ Sep 18, 2018 at 12:56

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