How to Ask, and Actually Get Answers
22 Jan 2024
How to Ask, and Actually Get Answers
Reading How to Ask Questions the Smart Way made me realize how important it is to ask technical questions clearly and respectfully. The guide emphasizes that before seeking help, I should first attempt to solve the problem by searching online, reading documentation, and testing different solutions. When asking a question, I need to be specific and provide enough details so others can understand the issue without unnecessary effort. I also found it interesting that while politeness is valuable, what truly matters is demonstrating effort and respecting others’ time. This guide reinforced that asking good questions isn’t just about getting quick answers—it’s about being part of a community that values learning and problem-solving.
Clarity is Key
For example, I examined a question on Stack Overflow that followed many of these best practices. The question, titled “Mouse Click and Drag Scrolling Behavior and CSS Scroll-Snap,” was well-structured and provided a clear explanation of the goal—adding a drag feature to a scroll-snap slider. The author described the challenges they faced, included working examples, and detailed what they had already tried, demonstrating significant effort. Additionally, the question avoided unnecessary urgency, which aligns with proper etiquette. However, the author could have been more specific about what kind of help they needed—whether they sought a workaround, a tool recommendation, or a deeper understanding of how touch events affect scroll-snap. While the question was well-written, making the request clearer could have led to more precise and helpful answers.
Question in Poverty
I was unable to find bad questions on Stack Overflow due to their strict guidelines, so I created an example of a poorly framed question:
“I’m trying to make a scroll animation with CSS scroll-snap, but it’s not working. I added some JavaScript to update scrollLeft, but now the smooth scrolling is broken. I don’t know why. Can someone tell me what’s wrong and how to fix it? Urgent!!!”
This question violates several best practices from How to Ask Questions the Smart Way. First, the urgency (“Urgent!!!”) is unnecessary and may discourage responses. The question lacks detail and effort—the author does not explain what they have tried, what specifically isn’t working, or provide any code or examples. Additionally, they fail to describe the expected behavior versus what is actually happening, making it difficult for others to diagnose the issue. A better question would include specific troubleshooting steps, a clear description of the problem, and a request for guidance rather than a vague plea for help.
Experience With Poor Questions
I frequently encounter poorly framed questions in my job as an ITS Help Desk consultant at UH, where we handle a wide range of technical support questions every day. A significant portion of these questions lack clarity or essential details, making it difficult to provide immediate and accurate assistance. As a result, we often have to engage in a lengthy back-and-forth with clients, asking follow-up questions to clarify their issues before we can offer a solution. When I saw the question that ChatGPT generated, it immediately reminded me of the types of vague or incomplete questions we receive at work, which often slow down the troubleshooting process and cause frustration for both me and the client.
AI was used to check grammar, help organize thoughts into an essay, and generate a poor question.