By definition
TL;DR, short for "too long; didn't read", is Internet slang to say that some text being replied to has been ignored because of its length. In slang it can also stand for "Too lazy; didn't read". It is also used as a signifier for a summary of an online post or news article.
Wikipedia
Usually the author of a long post gives a tl;dr, a summary of the what the post about in a short paragraph or sentence. This can be put before the post begins, or the after.
tl;dr We are asking you to start saving water and electricity for the sake of our environment.
Blahblahblah...
I've seen two types of people, who scrolls down to see the tl;dr, and those who looks for the summary on the top of the post. This makes me unsure where to put my post summary. If I were to write a post, a letter, etc. how can I decide which position is the most beneficial to me, i.e avoid people skipping my question entirely and getting the message across.
tl;dr How can I decide that putting my tl;dr at the top of the post, or bottom, will benefits me the most? What factors should I consider?
I'm thinking more about the types of the post: informational post might be better with bottom summary, while question better with top summary. What other factors affecting this?
Note: Some put a notification at top of the post, informing a tl;dr is available at the bottom of the post.
Answer
Where to put the a tl;dr or summary is going to vary depending on the piece.
For example, an email from I.T. warning about a change will include the most important information and what users need to do upfront, and then may include further details beneath that for those who are curious.
Having the tl;dr at the beginning means people are more likely to see it.
In other pieces of writing it makes more sense to have it at the end. For example, someone sharing a story might include the tl;dr at the end to avoid spoiling anything for someone reading the whole thing.
tl;dr If the tl;dr is important information, put it at the top. If it's for convenience, put it at the bottom.
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