Merit is given when you make a quality post, if am to pick from your options OP, it's given by chance not making lengthy article, it doesn't count. If you're making lengthy article it most be a quality and reasonable post. That what count the knowledge you are sharing not writing shit or making off comments.
Why I choose chance is because most at times one can make a quality post but not merited because the reader wasn't at time having the feeling or need to, we can see that even if we make quality post it's subjective to the reader. We can sight example to the Wall Street Observer section, you see how post that isn't suppose to be merited are given. There is little or no lengthy post there but merits are just given based on chanced and how the reader see the need for.
This can't be overstretched in a simple word make quality post,worthy of sharing and remove your mind from getting merits on every post.
Not all good post will be merited that’s something you should consider, that doesn’t mean the post isn’t quality enough. A good post of course when reviewed will be merited, the merit serve as a someone buying into your idea or maybe the post is informative and useful to the forum. I just feel like if you’re posting just to get merit, you may end up doing too much thereby putting yourself at risk of making shit post instead, here in the forum you don’t have to be uptight and it a forum of course and not an office where you answer to anybody. Of course we have to follow and abide to the rules of the forum so as to keep the community organized. It’s a discussion community where we come to share idea and also be schooled too. We can’t know everything for sure, if we are too uptight here and just posting to gain merit I feel like we will forget the main ingredient of the forum and that is to also learn some new things too.
Of course merit is important that will help your profile grow, but have you ask yourself why those that post just few words get merit compared to the ones with lengthy paragraphs, i just feel like you have to understand the forum on your own part, study how other higher ranks in the forum construct their post. That will even make you a better writer. It not about your lengthy post, your lengthy post might mean a thing but you might still be saying same thing as the person who just constructed few write up, and the person is banging merit. It’s not that the person is special or anything it just how well constructed the post is. Before you make any post at least you have to have an idea so as to share your insight about the topic being discussed. It not about writing just to meet your quota, your posts is been seen by the thousands of people here in the forum. Now you see why information is powerful. Your information or idea can teach or enlighten the thousands of people here in the forum. Write to educate and not for merits.