Answerbag's goal is to help people find and share knowledge, and to help them help each other. So, to get good answers, you'll want to write a good question! General tips:

• Be polite
• Keep it short
• Don't type in all-caps
• Try to sound objective
• Read your question twice to make sure it means what you think it means
• Don't ask about your company or service
• Avoid asking questions that apply to only one person (this is not a chat room!)

Questions should be clear, concise, and should ask for a specific response or piece of information. Usually a shorter question gets better answers - if your question is long or has too much personal detail, other people won't want to read it, or they'll get confused by the irrelevant details. Important: we may already have your answer! Use our search to look for answers, so you don't have to wait for a new answer. We remove duplicate questions from the site, so it helps keep the site clean and organized if you don't post duplicate questions in the first place. Search here: http://www.answerbag.com/ask We do allow fun, social questions like "What do you look like?", but we recommend that you keep these to a minimum so you don't annoy users looking for real, helpful information. :) Some good questions are: - Can hamsters survive in the wild? - Why are flamingoes pink? - Where can I find lyrics for Nirvana songs? If you want a specific answer, ask a specific question! Clear, concise questions always get the fastest answers. That said, we accept just about any question that falls within our Terms of Use, so have fun! And remember to give good ratings to people who give good answers! UPDATE: Please do not ask for points in your questions. These questions will be rejected, and if repeated, further disciplinary action will be taken.

Questions and answers must both adhere th the terms of use outlined on this site. A question must not be vulgar, and must be coherent.

more room to type characters to get the point across

I agree...how can you specify your question when you only have but so much space to type it??

A good question has to balance information, detail and be of general use to many folks. But, if well written, a good question can violate these guidelines. I like universal, obscure questions the best, though simple questions add an element of fun. Like, "What is your favorite candy?" In the end, Brevity is the soul of wit. Am I feeling witless?

Questions that are so sick, vulgar, or profane that they keep other users from telling their friends about Answerbag. Just a few questions up some sicko asked about necrophilia, and other people, usually anonymous, parade their perversions. I suppose if they have such poor personal morals and ethics, bothering or offending unknown strangers wouldn't bother them either; I hope AB makes enough money that some supervisor can be hired who automatically tags such questions and puts them into the adult category so that those who'd prefer not to have their attention called to sicko subjects don't have to.

All answers are appropiate because they have non appropiate questions in the adult section and any thing that is appropiate in the other cateogoreys

ones that have no profanities and are not offensive to others.

The kinds that either provoke deep intellectual thoughts (like "why do you believe in God"), make you think about yourself a bit (like "what would you do if....."), or are truly questions about something you want/need to know about (like "where is the best place to purchase a new graphics card for a computer"). There is a wealth of knowledge on this site. Just beware of those who get their "jollies" from doling out bad advice.

No matter what question gets asked, someone will think it's OK while another will think that it's inappropriate. You really are just rolling the dice when you ask a question. It's like the old addage "You may please some of the people some of the time, but you won't please all of the people all of the time."

It's just about what u wanna ask... no matter how u put them on... I wonder if there's an appropriate form of saying that a question is appropriate... What matters is just whom u wanna ask for the question...

I like question that make me think and funny questions

I thought about asking this...It's usefulness in my opinion.

Two glasses of cognac, a chip on your shoulder and a lot of pent up creative energy.

I think that all questions are good questions, but the ones that are asked with the purpose of gaining knowledge are just a little bit better than the ones that are asked solely to prove the point of one person being correct.

a question mark look: do you like waffles :( do you like waffles? :)

The qualities of a good question are as follows: Can accommodate all possible answers. Does not presuppose a certain state of affairs. Produces variability of responses. Does not imply a desired answer. Does not use emotionally loaded or vaguely defined words. Is not dependent on responses to previous questions.

G'day Your Conscience, Thank you for your question. It is questions where I have the opportunity to find out something new or is on something that interests me. The aim of the exercise is that the person who asks the question receives assistance if possible. What one person finds is a good question is not as good as perceived by someone else. For that reason, I am reluctant to give someone a negative rating for a question or answer. Regards

in my books any question otherwise you wouldn't ask it

Ask the question without dragging it out - I tend to be more interested in answering those questions -

Keep trying.

Anything that you believe will help you learn ...

A question mark at the end helps.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Any kind provided is sincere in order to get acquainted with the knowledge of the unknown. Not to set traps to well intentioned responders.

Google 'How can i write a good question?' and see what that says?

Check out this link please: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1417

take your time and make sure u mean what u really mean,okay?have fun!!!

Just ask whatever's on your mind, and avoid asking for points etc. Also don't repeatedly ask a question then post the answer to it (unless the question is just asking for opinions and you're just sharing yours).

Or read this: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1417

ask something you want an answer to, others may also be wondering. I like valid questions.

May be if you use the search option for once its great

with a question mark

To write a good answer you should always capitalize the first words in your sentence,always show respect to all fellow answerbaggers,give good strong answer not short wimpy ones.And always always make sure you write something that people can understand what your saying or whats the point of answering because you would be wasting your time.Try to think of this as English class.

Ask what you want to know?

Should be short and followable.

think of sumthin thats been on your mind, and just have fun with it.

you have to ask your question in a clear and understandable words so that any one can understand your question. In other words you need to ask or write a meaningful question that is worth answering!

Just have proper wording and grammer read it over make sure it makes sense and that's all my half a month of AB can tell you

Like the other person said, The biggest thing is to re-read and make sure it is understandable. Make sure you have your ? " , and . all in the right place. Proof read proof read proof read.. Good Luck.

When you figure out how to write a good question..let me know :)

Well, there used to be a question moderator...now that that there isn't there are alot of questions that are unnessesary or already asked. It's always good to use proper punctuation. Capitalization and spelling are next in importance. Another tip: We already have tons of questions that say things like "Men: Do you like your women...such and such" or vice versa. Don't go for specific people groups unless it is a vast majority. Also, please don't ask specifics about pills, cars, or video games. We already have plenty of those questions in the unanswered section and we don't need anymore.

Keep it simple and friendly. I got about 63 points for simply asking "do you like olives?". Crazy ideas seem very popular, so be a bit imaginative, but try not to be offensive (though sometimes it's worth taking a risk) If there's a complicated personal issue, then don't go into too much detail with the question, just try and stick to the point as much as possible, to gain interest. You will be able to go into more details later by writing comments on people's answers. If you notice questions that have about 897 points, it's likely that they have been there for a few years and were asked by the earliest members who joined. I've been gaining points for questions that I asked a few months ago, so don't be discouraged ;)

Try to make sure that your spelling/typing is correct. Check that the question 'makes sense' to you, before you submit it. Put a question mark at the end.

Be nice and don't write the question to a specific person/

Make sure it's thoughtful and respectful. Make sure it stimulates thought or conversation. Use proper spelling and grammar. Use proper punctuation. Phrase your question and then ask yourself, "How can I say the same thing using fewer words?"

No caps lock!

I swear sm00z my answer was gonna be look at the ones sm00z ask he always has good ones LOL

Think first

Go through a lot of questions, and answer them before you really get into asking them, so you have a good idea of the types of questions people answer most. Make sure, if you're asking about specific games or shows (or the like), that you mention it in the question. (Not everyone pays attention to the categories.) Make sure the question hasn't been asked before (when you press SUBMIT on the home page, you'll be taken to a screen with the question in the upper left, and previously asked questions that MAY be the same on the right. Read through them and if your answer may be in one of them, then read through IT'S answers, to see if one of those answers satisfies you. If not, either add an answer to the old one (which will renew the question and bring it to the front page), or Ask the question in a different way. The categories are listed below your question... Chose the appropriate one. If you feel the subcategories don't match your question, try another category, and check through them. When you find the appropriate category for your question, submit the question (scroll down to the bottom of the page.) Don't ask questions that make no sense... "GREEN???" ... "I'm RICH?"... etc. You will be flagged for a nonesense question. Again, if it has to do with a category, mention the category in the question. DO NOT couch insults into questions, even if you mean them in fun. People will downrate the question, and you will get PO'd. DO NOT ask for points, for yourself or for others (Positive OR negative). You will be flagged by someone. Don't worry about points... They will take care of themselves, if your questions and answers are good or funny. If you are downrated, don't get TOO PO'd. There are kids and trolls who do this just to get reactions. REAL DRs don't count against your POINTS, but DO point out questions or answers that some may not agree with. Enjoy. Have fun. Watch it - AB can be VERY addicting even to those who are positive they will never get addicted to anything on line. Hope this helps. Goo luck! ;-)

Go with your first instict...

Ask something provocative, in the sense that someone would stop and think about their personal answer for a second before answering it.

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1417 THIS SHOULD HELP YOU OUT

This introduction was written on a technical forum. The environment in Answerbag is quite different. However, some of those tips could still be used. Here the table of contents: "When You Ask Choose your forum carefully Web and IRC forums directed towards newbies often give the quickest response As a second step, use project mailing lists Use meaningful, specific subject headers Make it easy to reply Write in clear, grammatical, correctly-spelled language Send questions in accessible, standard formats Be precise and informative about your problem Volume is not precision Don't claim that you have found a bug Grovelling is not a substitute for doing your homework Describe the problem's symptoms, not your guesses Describe your problem's symptoms in chronological order Describe the goal, not the step Don't ask people to reply by private e-mail Be explicit about your question When asking about code Don't post homework questions Prune pointless queries Don't flag your question as “Urgent”, even if it is for you Courtesy never hurts, and sometimes helps Follow up with a brief note on the solution" Source and further information: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

MAKE A GOOD HARD OR THINKING QUESTION MAKE A QUSTION THAT NOBODY USED BEFORE MAKE AN UNEXPECTING QUESTION BE NICE TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH ONLINE MANNERS DONT MAKE USELESS QUESTIONS SAY EXPLAIN IN THE END OF THE QUESTION SAY TO PEOPLE TO NOT USE 1 WORD ANSWER

Use proper grammar. Don't use all caps. Use your common sense. (We know you're smart) Don't be petty. Don't point people out (especially by names!) Think well...and... Have fun!

Go here: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1134 It's called How to write a good question, written by AB-Joel. It says: "Answerbag's goal is to help people find and share knowledge, and to help them help each other. So, to get good answers, you'll want to write a good question! General tips: * Be polite * Keep it short * Don't type in all-caps * Try to sound objective * Read your question twice to make sure it means what you think it means * Don't ask about your company or service * Avoid asking questions that apply to only one person (this is not a chat room!) Questions should be clear, concise, and should ask for a specific response or piece of information. Usually a shorter question gets better answers - if your question is long or has too much personal detail, other people won't want to read it, or they'll get confused by the irrelevant details. Important: we may already have your answer! Use our search to look for answers, so you don't have to wait for a new answer. We remove duplicate questions from the site, so it helps keep the site clean and organized if you don't post duplicate questions in the first place. Search here: http://www.answerbag.com/ask We do allow fun, social questions like "What do you look like?", but we recommend that you keep these to a minimum so you don't annoy users looking for real, helpful information. :) Some good questions are: - Can hamsters survive in the wild? - Why are flamingoes pink? - Where can I find lyrics for Nirvana songs? If you want a specific answer, ask a specific question! Clear, concise questions always get the fastest answers. That said, we accept just about any question that falls within our Terms of Use, so have fun! And remember to give good ratings to people who give good answers! UPDATE: Please do not ask for points in your questions. These questions will be rejected, and if repeated, further disciplinary action will be taken."

Other people want to answer it.

I would just like to point out to a person that posted an answer to the question "how do I write a good question"(jan 12th 2008) that when telling people to use the correct grammar that it would be nice if they used the correct spelling of the word "grammar"!

That's a good question. Hey! You did it!

easy don't ask stupid questions

jst be yourself duh

Brilliant!!

A question that has not been asked, and one that makes sense.

Proper use of capital and, more importantly, lowercase letters.

There is no straight answer for this question. Everyone sees different questions that spark their interest...

Not writing in capital letters (shouting). The question could be anything but if you make it interesting it should then catch the attention and even generate a type of discussion. Good luck and welcome to answerbag :o)

thinking through what you want to ask! Also I go to work..and if something comes up I jot it down!

We could go on & on trying to describe how to write a "good" question but I think these few links probably tell it better. as always BigDaddy has a answer for just about every thing. http://www.answerbag.com/profile/?id=174918 AB-Joel: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1134 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/3368321 hope this helps

It have to make sense

A company reports each year its circulation quarterly. During the time the year was the total annual turnover of SEK 10 million. In the second quarter turnover was 9% lower than in the first. During the third quarter turnover was 2% higher than during the second and the fourth turnover rose by 7% compared with the previous one.

Become a 'copy and paste' master!

u write a good question by just brain storming some shit and writing it down no shit man what a dumb question man think of some better shit and then tell me okay?

who blocked me on yahoo messenger

I think you're on a roll now, Bucky. Here's 3+for you

Just be honest!

Something everyone can answer. Nothing negative, and be respectful towards other when asking.

I find that my best questions come from current events. Not only does this make them thought-provoking, but it's very unlikely that such a question will be a duplicate. Good luck! Welcome!

There really isn't a such thing between a "bad" and a "good" question. Every question is a good question. Just ask stuff on something you wanna know more about or peoples opinions, and advice. Just have fun and be yourself! : )

I always check my question in the search feature first to make sure it hasn't already been asked.

There is no good or bad question so to say. You just ask whatever you need assistance with and we do our best to help you. Just don't be offensive and you should be ok. Keep in mind this website isn't brand new so a lot of questions you have may already be asked. If that's the case your question will not post.

Don't ask the same question more than once - especially within a couple of minutes of each other.

As long as it's helpful to someone out there, then I consider it a good question. Make sure it's clear and to the point.

how do i get good connection on psp

First use your keyboard to properly type spellings...

with periods and question marks in them.

it required expert knowledge.firstly we have to find out main object of the que which are to be asked and then then que is to be write.

Be honest. Do it out of curiousity instead of points. Then, like me (since my questions are lame) even if you get only one answer, you're ok with it.

I can't really talk but, write it the way you would understand it, if written by someone else. Try it out in your mind first, if it sounds good, go for it. AB'ers seem able to decipher what we write and give us their true thoughts when answering.

it should not ulgar

Any that people want to answer. ;-) Any way you look at it, you're helping AB become one of the "go-to" places for answers to questions. ;-)

Anything academic or life oriented that makes you stop and think for a moment. Students looking for Homework answers are not included and are bad questions. So are nonsensical and ridiculous stuff like do you enjoy smearing your self with peanut butter while playing barney and friends on the PS3....

I've been asking the same question, after reading most of mine.

13yr old kid is over weight he weight 465lb no insurance tried all type of diet's nothing works

Spell all the words correctly and place a question mark at the end.

You just did.

Looks like you did! Look at those points!

The question should be for the purpose of gaining some knowledge or insight into some specific topic. The question should be clear and not vague. Then the question should not be for the purpose of earning Answerbag points. These will make a question a good one.

Even the dumbest person will know ,how to answer it!

Avoid using ambiguous words and structure your sentence as simply as possible.