Social Networks > 4: Find Answers
4A: Asking Questions
When should you post questions to online discussion groups? Here are some rules of the road:
- Be sure that your question is appropriate to the topic of the group
you send it to and for that group's readers. For example, don't ask genetics
researchers for help with your high school biology homework. Find a homework
help group instead.
- Consult other sources first to see whether your question has
been asked and answered. You may be able to quickly find an answer by searching mailing list archives, FAQ (frequently asked questions) files, search engines, etc. More specific instructions are provided later on this page.
Hints for Posting Questions
When you do post a message to an online discussion group, observe the Core Rules of Netiquette.
- Remember that readers can't hear your tone or necessarily tell when
you are trying to be funny. Use stylistic devices
to help convey your meaning.
- When replying to a posting, include the original message subject
in the subject line of your response. This helps other readers to skip over discussions
they aren't interested in.
|
|
4B: Finding Answers
Search Mailing List Archives
Many mailing lists have associated Web sites, where the list owner makes old messages available in Web-readable format. Often these archives are indexed and findable by search engines, like Google. If you know the name of the mailing list, include it in your search terms.
You may want to search directly within an archive, as shown in the illustration below. Search engines can help you to locate the archive Web site. Use CataList, a directory of mailing lists, to search for public mailing lists that use LISTSERV software.
Search Newsgroup Postings
You can use a specialized index of newsgroup postings, Google
Groups, to search across all newsgroups or within the postings of
a specific newsgroup (use Advanced Groups Search form). Google Groups includes newsgroup messages posted since 1981.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Maybe your question is one that others have already asked and answered.
Mailing lists, online groups, and other organizations often have FAQs. An easy way to find and
search FAQs is by using the QueryCat.
Search Weblogs
Use a specialized blog search engine like Google Blog Search or Technorati to look for information in blogs. Both include an advanced search form can be used to focus your search.
Activity
Search CataList to locate a mailing list about archaeology.
- Be sure to check the box for Lists with web archive interface only.
- Select a list from the results with a large number of subscribers.
- Click on the "Web archive" link in the list description and look at some recent postings.
[Site opens in new window.]
Back | Top | Next: Rate this Tutorial