How do I ask a good question?

The difference between getting a helpful answer to your question quickly and being mired in clarifications and follow ups can be as simple as phrasing your question well. To that end here is a guide on how to ask your questions in a way that maximizes your chances of getting a helpful answer!

The golden rule is to imagine trying to answer your own question - what would you need to do so? How can the person asking the question equip you to enable you to answer? Now apply those things to your question!

Here are some points to remember:

  1. Search first, search well
  2. Title, Title, Title
  3. Clearly understand and express your goal
  4. Include all relevant information 
  5. Keep it to text - mostly
  6. Label appropriately 
  7. Post in the right place
  8.  Stick around for follow ups

 

If you would like elaboration on any of these tips head to each of their own posts for more information!

Comments

This is a great guide... that somehow I wasn't aware of previously! So, I wonder what can be done to promote it, specially for first time "questioners".

Do you think that it would be possible to show a link to this material whenever one post a question? Like a link on the left side, not invasive.

Also, what about adding some new fields (optional fields) that might help people to "Include all relevant information"? Like DSS version, recipe used, engine, link to sample data, etc. Of course to be filled optionally, but might help us to remember to add all of this information if it is relevant. Also, it could help to filter the questions and answers based on this information.

Thanks!

MichaelG
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi @Ignacio_Toledo - thanks I'm glad you like it!

Thanks for the feedback, I agree it would be great if we could get more 'first timer' eyes on it. 

We have been looking into a few ways we might show content like this when people are starting out, no concrete plans just yet but once we have them I'll be sure to be reaching out for input! 

Optional fields are an interesting idea - I'll have a look into that one. 

Thanks.

Thanks to you @MichaelG !

kanyewestnewmer
Level 1

This is a fantastic resource that I somehow missed before! Therefore, I ponder what might be done to encourage it, particularly for new "questioners".

Do you believe displaying a link to this information would be feasible whenever a question is posted? Like a non-intrusive connection on the left.

What about including a few new fields that are optional and could assist users in "Including all relevant information," like the DSS version, the recipe used, the engine, the connection to the sample data, etc? Naturally, filling this out is optional, but it might help us recall to add all of this information if it's essential. Additionally, using this data to filter the questions and responses might be beneficial.

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Publication date:
03-05-2022 11:28 AM
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Last update:
‎05-28-2020 11:26 AM
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