Why should I perform basic research or provide additional context for my questions?

Question

When asking questions, why is it important that I perform basic research first, or add contextual information to my questions?

Answer 1

Perform Basic Research First

In order to ask excellent questions here on Project Management Stack Exchange, please make sure that you've performed some basic research before asking your question. Your question may have already been answered. Even if it hasn't, some basic research will help you write stronger, more answerable questions.

Provide Context for Your Question

If a canonical answer is easily found using a search engine, but you still think the question has value to a broad audience of project management professionals, then by all means post your question here. When you do, make sure you provide:

1. Some background on the research you've performed in order to resolve the specific question or issue you are facing.
2. Enough context around your question to show why the standard answer is not sufficient to address your specific concern.

What This Buys You

• Providing context for your question will increase the likelihood that you will receive high-quality answers to your question.
• Documenting any basic research that you've performed will avoid referrals to well-known or easily-found answers that you've already discarded as insufficient or irrelevant to your specific needs.