Martial art recommendation answer guidelines

Question

Questions for martial art recommendation are likely to have answers skewed by what the answerer is familiar with.

This is inevitable, so it's best to structure the answer in a positive way, that avoids the "my style is better than yours" pitfall.

What should the community's guidelines for a good martial art recommendation answer be?

Answer 1

A useful answer could recommend at least one style, but possibly more as long as each is backed up by references/evidence that said art meets the question's goals.

So, each recommendation should be supported by an explanation on how each goal is met (or isn't).

It can also include relevant things to take in account when making a decision. Most of the time these would be things to look for or ask when choosing a school or instructor.

Keep in mind that the answer is not for the particular person asking, but rather for the group of people facing similar preferences or constraints.

Answer 2

This is mainly just to codify @Daniel Ries' excellent answer.

A good recommendation answer should:

1. Address the specific goals of the person asking the question (It does no good to recommend aikido if the person is looking for a striking art)
2. How does the recommended art(s) fit the persons goals?
3. What should a prospective student look for in a school?

For reference, you can also visit How to spot a McDojo for possible danger signals. (Please note, that there are some very fine martial arts schools that employ such things as contracts, not all of these are instant red flags).