What is the criteria for a good Question or posting?

[byndhlpng]

I'm a newbie and I try to ask a seemingly simple question but I get replies that I need to provide more information. What information should I include in my question to help me get a better answer?  What if I can't find an answer to my question in FAQ?

Thanks for your help,

Byndhlpng

Drifting off topic. Locked down to prevent a flamefest.

[TomW]

byndhlpng;

Good subject for some thought.

Someone suggested a "BoilerPlate" that posters fill in.

I understand we have a chicken and egg kind of problem. Reminds me of grade school trying to spell a word and the teacher says "look it up in the dictionary" well, how can I look it up if I can't spell it?

I think the key here is the effort to help yourself. The teacher always helped when I returned with said book and could not find the word. She just expected me to have tried on my own. Thats how you learn. I think this place is for people to learn not a place to be fed answers because we can answer.

Anyway, I digress.

Hopefully get a few ideas. Implementing them will be the challenge as things are now. At least for me tweaking things is a bit like being responsible for building upkeep and not having the key to the structure.

I bumped this up to the front page to see if we can get some ideas at least.

Cheers.

TomW

[byndhlpng]

Thank you Tom,

It is my hope that this posting will help newcomers,by allowing them to read what is expected in a "good" question.  I further hope that the answers given here will produce a better forum that can assist many without undue wasted energy.  I am indeed a "Newbie" and I will read this posting and replies, intently, in hopes of gaining access to the many talented people and their expertise without to much disruption.

Please reply honestly and encouragingly, as I will follow your opinions as an initial guide to this forums resourses.

I came here to learn things and I believe I can find the answers, if we can all work together.

Patience is a virtue!

Byndhlpng  

[asheets]

I think 3 good things to include in a basic question are:

1.  What, exactly, are you trying to accomplish?  A good statement would be "I wish to build a 1KW version of Dan's wind turbine and pipe the output into my 12 cell battery bank."  A weak statement would be "I wanna get some solar panels and gridtie to free me of the utilities forever."
   
2. What resources do you have to accomplish your goal?  Include tools and parts you have, and resources/books/posts you've already read.
   
3. What, exactly, do yo need assistance with?  A good example would be "Would 2-in-hand, 15 AWG, 45 turn, 2 inch coils work, with 15 coils and 12 magnets, produce 48Vcc?"
   
   

A single question in the above style shouldn't take more than 2-3 paragraphs.

Another thing I'd like to add here is this:  Whitespace in a post is GOOD.  A single paragraph that is 80 lines long is BAD.  I can't/won't read a post that isn't broken up with at least one carriage return.

[kurt]

always list as much information about your project as you can in the question system voltage is a big one. if you are building an alternator always give size and number of your magnets and duel rotor or single, number of turns, size of wire, etc. and don't think just because you posted the info 2 weeks ago in another post that we will remember what you are working on and have. hate that. it is all in the details give as many as possible.

[SparWeb]

Don't underestimate how easy it is to be misunderstood.  As an engineer, my work often involves finding the clearest instructions, most succinct explanations, or the least ambiguous interpretation.

Even so, I find that I can post a detailed question on a forum, and still be mis-understood.  The wide variety of experiences, points of view, languages, educational backgrounds, etc. etc. available here makes for a diverse audience.  Getting tripped up on the use of terminology, making a glaring error in the basic question, even typos, can send your topic off into never-never land.

Reading other threads before-hand, and proof-reading your own message, can eliminate many chances for mis-understanding, and just as importantly, it makes sure you are asking the question you really want answered.

A couple of carriage-returns between separate thoughts would be nice, too.

[feral air]

What information should I include in my question to help me get a better answer?  What if I can't find an answer to my question in FAQ?

If your goal was to improve your original question then you've just asked another "bad" one....

Note how none of the replies list things that you omitted from your original. None tell you how to make the original question clearer or anything else either.

Your problem ("How do I fix my original question?") has been side-stepped and ignored because you asked another flawed question.

How is it flawed? You failed to include a key piece of information; The original question or at least a link to it!

If you want to learn to ask smart questions then I think this is basically required reading.

take it easy

[ghurd]

I take this one different.

This question is asking about questions.

What should be included, etc is the question.

Everything except DOB, SSN, and mother's maiden name?

This might only be a cause for confusion to me,

Recently someone asked how to modify an inverter to use it as a dump load controller, and mentioned resistors being changed in the inverter.  I have no idea what it implied to someone who did not already know the answer.

Someone asked about resistors being suitable for a undeclared voltage dump load, then mentioned an inverter.

Are the resistors to modify the unspecified inverter?

Are the resistors to make a dump load? A dump load for 120VAC, 240VAC, 12VDC, 24VDC...?  Is the power input over 10W?  Over 50W?

I could have just mixed up the questions and posters because there wasn't enough info to make a dent in my brain.

G-

[GeeMac]

Hey! Leave him alone. He's trying to learn and he's a beginner. Downgrade the level of your comments and questions to the beginner stage or leave him alone. If you ask polite questions and extract what he wants from his answers you'll both be better off.

[byndhlpng]

I am trying to help with an ongoing problem.  If you had read the posting by TomW titled "Trying Something New" you would be aware of this. Tomw  asked for helpful opinions and I felt this was a good place to start. My intentions are sincere. professional cooperation is needed for this to succeed.

This posting may not be the total answer, but I feel it is a step in the right direction.

I encourage everyone, who is willing to help, to continue this thread in a mnner that will help guide newcomers in ways that will help them get the answers to their questions quickly and accurately.

This thread gives everyone the chance to improve on a frustrating problem that is getting bigger and bigger.

Please contribute and help your peers.

Thank you,

Byndhlpng

[electrondady1]

i'd say a good question,

by definition, is one  that actually garners the information you need .

 so being concise and aboveboard is primary.

if the question is a ploy, or just off the top of your head,

  then be prepared to get skinned or ignored.

on a personal level,

 i love the questions that are sometimes innocently posed by the newcomers

that inadvertently trigger fundamental challenges to our understanding and

result in hot debate.

i think that's what keeps the experts coming back .

off topic perhaps but,

 one of the greatest qualities of this forum is how it acts like a family,

in that mom and dad don't have to be on constant duty , the older kids can help with the younger ones.

 

[luv2weld]

We would rather have too much information than not enough.

What we're looking for here is not a "good question", but one that is

understandable. The criteria should be "Can you grab someone on the street

and have them understand what you are saying?"

Remember that throwing in abbreviations and "buzz words" are going to have

people scratching their heads. You may know what they mean, but some folks

who don't work with those words every day may not have any idea what you

are trying to say. This applies to all-- the original poster and the

people responding!!

Also to the people attempting to answer the questions----remember that

you are in the position of a teacher and the one asking the question

is your student. The smart-ass answers are not appreciated. You might

think you are really funny. The rest of us think you're a bleeding

ass. It's one thing to joke with someone you are good friends with,

but someone who doesn't know you will probably take it wrong.

We are trying to encourage people to be like us--- energy conservative,

do it yourself, etc. If you ridicule or belittle them, they may become

just like you!!! Or they may decide that all do it yourselfers are

f&*#ing idiots!!!

Another point for all of us to remember--- English is one of the

hardest languages in the world to master. If you change one letter,

or word, sometimes you change the meaning of the word or sentence. Please

go back and read out loud, what you have typed before you post it.

There are times when I get a headache trying to figure out what someone

is talking about. (I guess that's my fault because I have a very literal

mind.)

Enough!!

Just try to act like you are teaching a kid about this stuff!!!!

Ralph

[shay]

If the answerer requires additional information, grin and try to supply it! We're all learning!  

[feral air]

Sorry, your original post looks like something a non-native speaker would put together if they had a problem. That's how I took it.

If you had worded it more like this...

Are you a newbie with a problem or question? Did you check the FAQ? Did you (google) search the board? When you ask a question do the replies always request more information?

Maybe the suggestions below will help you improve your experience here....

(If you have suggestions for newbies, please, reply and share your wisdom below.)

...it would've been much clearer.

take it easy

[twombo]

So... What is  the Question?

12 responses... and no specific question yet!

Let's try baby steps here!

mike

[feral air]

The question is, "How do you form a good question?"

[twombo]

Sorry, man!

I hadn't read "Trying Something New" by Tom W, an antecedent post it seems.

I understand now. I was waiting impatiently for a question!!!

How about:

What is the present condition?

What is the desired condition?

What do you propose to do.

Studying the technology enough to have a basic understanding is the dues that must be paid up front is the price of admission, if you will! No one expects perfect from the new person. It is  cooperative venture in places lie this, so, to ask for help, one must take the responsibility to make a strong first step.  

Thanks

mike

[TomW]

mike;

Studying the technology enough to have a basic understanding is the dues that must be paid up front is the price of admission, if you will! No one expects perfect from the new person. It is  cooperative venture in places lie this, so, to ask for help, one must take the responsibility to make a strong first step.  

Pretty much my point. Folks just need to show willingness to try on their own at least a step or 3.

This field combines several non trivial skill sets to accomplish useful results. None of them compatible with the "fast food" mentality many seem to have in this world now days.

Cheers.

TomW

[GeeMac]

The asker wants to get a few solar panels and run a 12 or 24 volt pump to deliver water to a garden showpiece waterwheel. The water wheel is not meant generate power.

He doesn't know where to begin.  I have told him to start small with a solar panel.

Then add a small charger and add a battery or two. Then add 200 or 400 watt inverter to drive a small pump. (Needs to pump about 1.5 gallons a minute.)

What size(electrically) solar panel do you recomend?

How many panels are needed?

A small charger should handle the job - I've seen small chargers for about $29.95

How many and what type of battery should he buy?

If he can only get a 110 volt pump then a 200 watt inverter should be enough.

What say you, the experts?

[feral air]

Even though I'm not an expert...

Does it need to run 24/7?

If not, you can get fairly inexpensive solar pond pump kits just about anywhere. One probably won't move 1.5gallons a minute but you could get several and run them in parallel....unless you need significant pressure too.

Just a thought. take it easy

[luv2weld]

Geemac,

Why are you trying to hi-jack his thread??

What does this have to do with the original subject of this post??

Did you send the same private email to all the other people that answered this

thread as you did to me???

Why are you trying to be byndhlpngs secret protector???

Yeah, I know I just pissed you off!!! And I don't care!

Both of your postings in this thread are completely uncalled for and

off-track.

Go back and read the title of this thread.

Ralph