Questions

Good vs. Bad Questions

August 11, 2015

Bad Questions?

Being a teacher, I feel a little contradictory saying that there are such things as bad questions. So instead of emphasizing on what a not so great question looks like, I'll outline some attributes that great questions include!

Good Questions:

Some helpful guidelines to formulate a good question:

  1. Make the title count! The title should be:
    • Specific
    • Concise
    • Interesting
    • Captivating
    The general rule of thumb here is, pretend like you're asking someone who is really really busy
  2. Make sure there are no spelling errors! We all like to make fun of that guy/girl who can't even spell the question correctly and then think to ourselves "sweetheart you've got a lot bigger problems than this question"
  3. Don't include ALL of your code- no one wants to dig through it to find your question. In fact, include as little code as possible, and even then- be careful of posting your employers code on public forums
  4. The general rule of thumb to all things in life: KISS Keep It Simple Stupid. If someone is going out of their way to help you answer a question, make their life as easy as possible!
  5. Respond to comments! Make sure people know your appreciate their help
  6. ALWAYS proofread your question and try to answer it yourself with a fresh set of eyes after drafting your post.

Happy Questioning!