user63: A certain Hakase-type Tomato had a good idea of a floating checklist for identification request questions. I believe that this is a good idea, as many of the new users who use this site for id-requests seem to struggle with details to give.
I'd like to open suggestions to the community for a checklist to help new users better understand they should include in their question, so other users have something to go on when they make an attempt at find what they're looking for. This checklist is meant to be a reference guide, rather than a set of requirements, explaining to question posers what their question lacks, instead of merely telling them that there is "not enough detail to be answered."
This way we can more explicitly remind these users of what their id-request may be lacking. What comes after that is up to them.

user191: As I see it, we gotta compile a shortlist of bullet list items that would fit in one or very few lines in the side widget. We're dealing with lazy people here, so the longer each point, the more chance of tl;dr and we don't want that. In addition to the basic description, add a (?) button that shows a list of examples. Consider (the text within parentheses) as an example of that hint.
General:

Work type (anime, movie, ova, manga, text novel, game novel, etc.)
Genre (comedy, psychological, fighting, fantasy, horror, slice-of-life, etc.)
Year of production. If you don't know, try to guess.
When you first saw/read it
[image ID] Original image link − [in addition to the image uploaded to i.stack add the original link for a way to backtrack the source]
What other works are like this / commonly associated with − [this could help find it through recommendations and related/similar works on anime database sites]

Character description:

Human / animal / fantasy creature
Peculiar features (metal helmet, red shades, skull-themed accessories)
Hair style and color
Eye color (some characters have different colored eyes)
Clothes (uniform, suit, pajamas)
Apparent age (some characters are definitely young, in their teens or old, and sometimes they are thousands of years old, but look like kids)
Occupation (student, worker, teacher, detective, ninja, NEET)

Location:

Inside a building / on the street / in a vehicle
Sky color / interior decoration
City street / school / office / cafe / shopping mall

Story:

What was happening in the scene you remember
What else was happening


user274: If you posted an image or video clip request, try the following to get better answers and more upvotes!
First, try a simple Reverse Image Search and let us know if that didn't work!
If that didn't work, try to edit your question to include some of the following:

The image, video, GIF, etc. that you are asking about (duh!)
How you found this image: link us to the forum thread, the website, etc. that you found it on
Which search engines you've tried to find the source on


user274: If you posted a description request, try the following to get better answers and more upvotes!
These primary details will help us most; try to give at least one of:

A complete description of one significant character: Hair color, eye color, skin tone, clothes, etc.
A complete description of one significant location: Type of location (farm, house, etc.), style of location (colors, notable characteristics), etc.
A complete description of a plot point: Detailed information about a story arc, central theme of an episode, or concept focused on

AND
Some secondary details will help us a lot; try to give at least two of:

Character's name (approximations are fine)
Incomplete character descriptions: Gender, approximate hair style, etc.
Type of media: OVA, TV show, serialized manga, one-shot, doujin, etc.
Publisher, licensor, distributor, etc.

AND
And any additional details will help, too; try to give as many as possible of:

Year you saw it (and month, if possible)
Publication you read it in, or TV channel/network you saw it on
What language your read/saw it in
What kind of art style it has
Genre


63: <p>A certain <a href="http://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/24958867#24958867">Hakase-type Tomato</a> had a good idea of a floating checklist for identification request questions. I believe that this is a good idea, as many of the new users who use this site for id-requests seem to struggle with details to give.</p>

<p>I'd like to open suggestions to the community for a checklist to help new users better understand they should include in their question, so other users have something to go on when they make an attempt at find what they're looking for. This checklist is meant to be a reference guide, rather than a set of requirements, explaining to question posers what their question lacks, instead of merely telling them that there is "not enough detail to be answered."</p>

<p>This way we can more explicitly remind these users of what their id-request may be lacking. What comes after that is up to them.</p>
 191: <p>As I see it, we gotta compile a shortlist of bullet list items that would fit in one or very few lines in the side widget. We're dealing with lazy people here, so the longer each point, the more chance of tl;dr and we don't want that. In addition to the basic description, add a <code>(?)</code> button that shows a list of examples. Consider <em>(the text within parentheses)</em> as an example of that hint.</p>

<p>General:</p>

<ul>
<li>Work type (anime, movie, ova, manga, text novel, game novel, etc.)</li>
<li>Genre (comedy, psychological, fighting, fantasy, horror, slice-of-life, etc.)</li>
<li>Year of production. If you don't know, try to guess.</li>
<li>When you first saw/read it</li>
<li><em>[image ID]</em> Original image link <em>− [in addition to the image uploaded to i.stack add the original link for a way to backtrack the source]</em></li>
<li>What other works are like this / commonly associated with <em>− [this could help find it through recommendations and related/similar works on anime database sites]</em></li>
</ul>

<p>Character description:</p>

<ul>
<li>Human / animal / fantasy creature</li>
<li>Peculiar features (metal helmet, red shades, skull-themed accessories)</li>
<li>Hair style and color</li>
<li>Eye color (some characters have different colored eyes)</li>
<li>Clothes (uniform, suit, pajamas)</li>
<li>Apparent age (some characters are definitely young, in their teens or old, and sometimes they are thousands of years old, but look like kids)</li>
<li>Occupation (student, worker, teacher, detective, ninja, NEET)</li>
</ul>

<p>Location:</p>

<ul>
<li>Inside a building / on the street / in a vehicle</li>
<li>Sky color / interior decoration</li>
<li>City street / school / office / cafe / shopping mall</li>
</ul>

<p>Story:</p>

<ul>
<li>What was happening in the scene you remember</li>
<li>What else was happening</li>
</ul>
 274: <p>If you posted an <strong>image</strong> or <strong>video clip</strong> request, try the following to get better answers and more upvotes!</p>

<p><strong>First,</strong> try a simple <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/21618/how-can-i-identify-an-anime-using-reverse-image-search">Reverse Image Search</a> and let us know if that didn't work!</p>

<p><strong>If that didn't work</strong>, try to <strong>edit your question</strong> to include some of the following:</p>

<ul>
<li>The image, video, GIF, etc. that you are asking about (duh!)</li>
<li>How you found this image: link us to the forum thread, the website, etc. that you found it on</li>
<li>Which search engines you've tried to find the source on</li>
</ul>
 274: <p>If you posted a <strong>description</strong> request, try the following to get better answers and more upvotes!</p>

<p>These <strong>primary</strong> details will help us most; try to give <strong>at least one</strong> of:</p>

<ul>
<li>A complete description of one significant character: Hair color, eye color, skin tone, clothes, etc.</li>
<li>A complete description of one significant location: Type of location (farm, house, etc.), style of location (colors, notable characteristics), etc.</li>
<li>A complete description of a plot point: Detailed information about a story arc, central theme of an episode, or concept focused on</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>AND</strong></p>

<p>Some <strong>secondary details</strong> will help us a lot; try to give <strong>at least two</strong> of:</p>

<ul>
<li>Character's name (approximations are fine)</li>
<li>Incomplete character descriptions: Gender, approximate hair style, etc.</li>
<li>Type of media: OVA, TV show, serialized manga, one-shot, doujin, etc.</li>
<li>Publisher, licensor, distributor, etc.</li>
</ul>

<p><strong>AND</strong></p>

<p>And any <strong>additional details</strong> will help, too; try to give as many as possible of:</p>

<ul>
<li>Year you saw it (and month, if possible)</li>
<li>Publication you read it in, or TV channel/network you saw it on</li>
<li>What language your read/saw it in</li>
<li>What kind of art style it has</li>
<li>Genre</li>
</ul>
