---
layout: post
title:  "Question Asking Cheat Sheet"
date:   2015-09-06 1:00:00
categories: "dbc-culture"
---
When you ask a question, knowing how to ask is just as important as knowing what to ask. Here are some quick rules-of-thumb for asking technical questions online.

## Write a good title
* Include enough detail to let people know what the question is about.
* Phrasing your title as a question is often nice.
* Include essential details like language.
* But don't go overboard. Detailed specifics can be saved for tags or the question body.
* If you're having trouble, try writing the title last.

**Bad Title:** Binet's formula not working

**Bad Title:** Ruby 2.2.1, OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 - Getting wrong results with Binet's Formula

**Good Title:** Why do I get incorrect results using Binet's Formula in Ruby?

## Be specific
* Explain your problem clearly and precisely.
* Include your language, platform, and other environment details.
* Include specific exception and warning messages.
* State what specifically went wrong.
* State your expected result. What did you want to happen?

## Be concise
* Try to simplify a complex problem to a smaller specific question.
* Don't expect people to sift through your entire program source.
* Use paragraphs.
* Leave off greetings and fluff like "Hello everyone!" and "Can anyone help me?"
* But be polite. Thanks are always nice.

## Do your homework
* Make sure you try a basic search before posting your question.
* Mention what research you did to try to understand the problem.
* Mention things you already tried that didn't work.
* Include details that describe why your situation is different from other similar questions.
* Try to provide a pared-down example that lets others reproduce the problem.

## Read the question as an answerer.
* Read the question to yourself as if you were a stranger trying to answer it.
* Then, fill in any necessary details you missed.
* Include information to address any obvious follow-up questions you had.
* This is also a good chance to check your spelling and grammar.


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