Question Question asking etiquette - using paragraph labels helpful or no? (1 Viewer)

[DWayne]

I just read the thread suggesting how to ask questions the right way, and now I'm paranoid that the method I used is more trouble than it is helpful, so I want to run it by the forums

Generally, when a problem comes my way, I tend to search the web for a quick answer, then use MS Help (sadly, it normally is more efficient in this order), then search the forum for answers, and if I cannot find something which I can apply - not copy, mind you - I will try to write a question.

Generally, it follows this format:

**

Background
I tell what my current project is, what kind of detail I have, so potential helpers can get a grasp of what level I am at.

Goal
Here, I describe the more local goal, not so much of the entire program, but of the intended purpose where, as seen below, a problem occurs.

Problem
Simply put, this describes the problem.

Conclusion/Notes
This normally involves my own theories as to what may be wrong. It usually also includes what I have actively done to solve the problem within the program that is giving me trouble.

**

I mainly do this because it's easy to read and shows people in an ordered fashion what kind of situation it is, what kind of trouble I'm getting into and what kind of a hole I have potentially dug in trying to do/analyze things on my own. However, some people may not like this seemingly overly formal approach, so I figured I would check if this is okay in general before moving on with it.

Anyone who wants to contribute, please feel free to share your opinions. Thanks a lot!

 

[Atomic Shrimp]

Doesn't seem like it could harm. I quite like the idea - for some questions, people might look at the problem first and be able to go straight to the answer.

 

[HiTechCoach]

I think what you are doing is great! I like it. I wish more would follow your example.

 

[Atomic Shrimp]

Just thinking about it some more... what are the two first, biggest problems with posted questions?:

-Not enough detail or background
-Huge, unstructured waffle, from which it is hard to extract the question

Your suggestion - if properly followed - solves both of those.

 

[DWayne]

Thanks for the input. One of the most common things I've seen on forums is the questions which asks for a very specific answer to a frighteningly vague problem. This approach uses more of the high school science class lab report style which we've all been exposed to, so it shouldn't be anything new.

The extra little quirk is that people who are asking questions like this may sometimes find the answer through this manner of structuring -- in fact, this is what I use to solve problems when they don't come immediately. I can't tell you how many times I've written questions down and figured them out while typing them on the forum. I was a little surprised to see my number of posts so much smaller than I thought.

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The key to solutions is not problem solving, it is problem approaching.