How To Ask Better Questions On the Forum

I spend nearly half an hour to one hour daily on C# Corner forum to answer questions asked by other C# Corner users. Daily, I encounter many questions which lack the very basic details about the problem itself. Some questions make me feel that the user who asked the question is wasting his/her time and energy as well as wasting the time and energy of other users like me who are enthusiastic to help someone facing technical problems.

So, I thought to write this article citing some actual questions asked on the forum. My objective here is to help the users of this forum in avoiding some obvious mistakes while posting a question and overall, making this forum a better place for everyone.

I have covered below what I deem suggestions or guidelines to ask better questions.

Provide details like which technology or type of application you want the solution for

Carefully select the proper question category while posting your question on the forum.



It’s important to select the proper category as it tells other users looking at your question to provide a solution in that technology only.

Consider this question one user asked.



The section selected here is “C# Language” and the question mentions nothing about which type of application the user is developing. It can be Windows Forms, or WPF, or Console application. It can be UWP app or a web application. The solution can be different based on the type of application.

Wouldn’t have it been better if the user also mentioned the type of application in one line? Always be clear in your question about the technology in which you want the solution (Of course, only if the question category itself does not clearly indicate it).

Use proper English

Since many users of C# Corner forum are from non-English speaking countries, like India, this point matters in this article. Some users don’t form proper English sentences while asking their questions. Sometimes, it becomes difficult to understand what it is being asked for.

Consider this question on the forum.



Can you understand anything in this question? At least I couldn’t.

Please make it easy for everyone to understand your problem. Use clear and simple English while asking questions. Use the spell check feature of the editor while posting a question so that whatever you write, meets the minimum understandable level of English.

Provide enough details to understand what you are asking for

Your question should include enough details for others to understand what your problem/situation is; then only someone can help you properly. I have seen many questions not including enough details and written in just a few words only. If you yourself don’t care to describe your problem in enough detail, then how will someone else care about your problem.

Consider this one question asked in Career Advice section.



Someone is asking here an important question about his/her life and career. How you can expect someone to help this person who does not care at all to write more than few words. Always include some background and enough details to help others help you.

If you are asking a technical question, always include in the question -

• What you have already tried and what has not worked for you so that others don’t provide you a solution which you may have already tried but did not work for you.
  
  
• Include some code, use the “Syntax highlighter” tool of the editor to paste your code.
  
  
  

Don’t post too much code in your question. If your code is big/large, then attach the code file as zip attachment.

• Include screenshots of the error if you are posting for some error/exception.
  
  
• Do some homework, Google, and post the specific problem you are stuck at. Don’t expect others to do what you should have done first before asking for help.
  
  
  

Post answer follow up

If you got the answer/solution you wanted, then you should also consider the follow ups on your question:

• If an answer fulfills your question, mark it as "Accepted" using "Accept Answer" link besides that answer.

• If you no longer need an answer, then close the question using "Close this thread" button.

• If you found the answer by yourself, it's a good idea to post that answer in forum, so that it will help any user in future facing a similar problem.
• You can also use unlike and like buttons besides the answer to express your response for the answer.

 

I hope everyone on C# Corner forum reads this article before asking the next question. Together, we can make things better!