Ask a Question on the Internet and Get It Answered
Have you tried asking a question online, only to be scorned and scoffed at, or completely ignored? Asking questions from anonymous community members is much more of an art form people realize. You can't just ask your question and expect to get it answered; you have to put a little work in on your part. See Step 1 below to start learning how to ask questions in a way that will get you the answers you need.
Contents
Steps
Searching for the Answer
- Perform a web search for your question. Before you start asking others about your question, try a Google search to see what kind of results you get. You can even formulate your search in the form of a question, or you can just search for the keywords.
- Searching on your own before asking is very important. If the solution to your question is easily searchable, you will receive scorn from the people that you ask the question to.
- If you want to search a particular site for information, add "site:example.com" to the end of your search phrase. Google will only return results from the site you specify.
- Assume that the question has been asked before. The internet is a huge place, and chances are you're not the first person to have the problem that you're experiencing. Take some time and hunt down potential answers that already exist. This can save you a lot of time and headaches down the road.
- Check for FAQs. Many products and services have FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) lists on their web pages. These can provide quick answers for common questions about that product. Try to find the FAQ for the topic that concerns you, if one exists.
- Make note of partial answers. If you've found some resources that help but don't completely solve your problem, make note of them. You can use these when you formulate your question to show others that you have already done your own research and to help them narrow down their responses.
Finding the Right Place to Ask
- Examine your question. Determine what the general field of knowledge you will require to get it answered. For example, if you have a question about your computer, you will want tech experts to help. If your question is related to home improvement, you will want information from contractors.
- Break down the general field into a specific niche. Once you know the general field, look at your question and figure out what niche you fit into. In every general category, there are a variety of sub-fields. For example, if your tech question is about using Windows, you'll want to focus on Windows experts. If your question is about a specific program in Windows, such as Photoshop, you'll want to find Photoshop experts as opposed to Windows experts.
- Search for forums related to the field you need. Enter in the category you need into a Google search and add the word "forum". For example, if you need to ask Photoshop questions, search for "Photoshop forum".
- Almost all forums will require you to register for a free account before you can post.
- Find a chat room dedicated to your topic. beyond forums, you may be able to find more immediate responses by joining a chat room dedicated to your topic. The most popular chat room network is Internet Relay Chat (IRC), which contains a staggering number of chat rooms for just about any topic imaginable. For more information on using and navigating IRC, see Get-Started-with-IRC-(Internet-Relay-Chat).
- Use popular question-asking sites. There are several sites that allow you to post any question in the hopes that you will get it answered. These sites can be good for general questions, but you are less likely to get a quality answer from an expert in the field. Take all responses with a grain of salt. Popular sites include:
- Stack Exchange
- Ask.com
- Yahoo Answers
- Quora
- Wiki Answers
- Learn the culture of the forum. Every community on the internet has its own style and set of rules (both written and unwritten). Spend some time reading through other posts before making your own. This will help you learn the etiquette for that specific forum. Knowing how to ask your question in a way that fits in with that culture can really help you get the answers you need.
Formulating Your Question
- Make your title a succinct version of your question. When making a forum post for your question, try to make the title of the post as specific and clear as possible. You can use the post body to add details, but readers should be able to understand your question just from looking at the title.
- For example, "Windows won't start" is not a good title. Instead, get a little more specific with your problem: "Windows 7 will not start, computer turns on fine but I receive the following error message: <insert error snippet>".
- Go into detail in the body of the message. After writing the title, explain the details in the body. List specific problems and what you have tried so far. Note any resources you have already looked at. The more specific you are, the more useful the replies to your question will be.
- If you are asking technical questions, be sure to give proper information about what you are using. For example, for computer-related questions, list your operating system, Check-Computer-Specifications, and any error messages you are getting. For car questions, make sure to note the make and model, as well as what part of the car you are working on.
- Write politely and clearly. You will get far more responses if your post is written with good grammar and clear writing. Avoid overusing exclamation points, and try not to swear (even if you're really frustrated!). If the language of the board is not your first language, let the readers know and apologize for any spelling and grammar errors.
- Avoid internet shorthand and slang. For example, don't replace "you" with "u", and don't type IN ALL CAPS, as this is perceived as shouting.
- Ask one question at a time. Even if you are experiencing multiple problems, limit each post to one question. This will help the responders focus on the issue and provide clear advice. If a reader sees your question, but then opens your post and sees five more questions, he or she will likely not respond at all.
- Keep an open mind. There's a chance that you won't like the answer you receive. There's also a chance that the answer that you don't like is the only available option. Make sure to keep an open mind about your responses, and try to avoid getting defensive.
- Thank your responders. If one of the responders has solved your question, make sure to thank them and note that the problem has been solved. This will help other people with the same problem quickly see what you had to do to fix it, and the gratitude gives the responder reason to continue answering questions for others.
- Don't give up. If you don't receive any responses, or the responses are not satisfactory, take some time to examine your question. Was it specific enough? Did you ask too many questions? Was the answer easily obtained through a web search? Is the question even answerable? Rework your question and ask it again, either in the same place or a new one.
- Never believe that you are entitled to an answer. Responders volunteer their time to help out other users. No one owes you an answer, so you should avoid acting like they do.
Tips
- Don't worry if your question is not answered. Just follow the same steps and use a different search engine, answering website or forum.
Warnings
- Never abuse anyone who gives you a suggestion or provides constructive criticism.
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