title: How does $_POST like to receive multiple parameters if they came in one string?
body: <p>I'm trying to get an Ajax call working in JQuery, PHP and MySQL.</p>
  
  <p>I have two variables I need to send: <code>$speaker_id</code> and <code>$article_id</code>.</p>
  
  <p>I'm constructing my jQuery like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$('.ajax-call').click(function() {
      var speakerID = &lt;?=$speaker_id?&gt;;
      var articleID = $(this).attr('id');
      var ajaxData  = 'speaker_id=' + speakerID + ', article_id=' + articleID;
      $.ajax({
          type:     'POST',
          url:      'update-read-article.php',
          data:     ajaxData,
          dataType: 'text'
      });
  });
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, checking Chrome's Developer Tools "Network" tab once the call has been made, I see that <code>update-read-article.php</code>'s received Form Data looks like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>speaker_id: 16551, article_id
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and not the expected:</p>
  
  <pre><code>speaker_id: 16551
  article_id: 29
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>How can I construct my <code>ajaxData</code> so that my script can find both <code>$_POST['speaker_id']</code> and <code>$_POST['article_id</code>?</p>