How to write a good question?
Do you want clarification on a course or have questions about the world of biology? You're in the right place! On eBiologie, you can ask your questions, and the community will respond to you. On this page, you'll find all our advice for writing a question effectively, in order to get a clear and precise answer.
Use the search form
To avoid multiplying similar questions, start by performing a quick search on the site. The world of biology is vast, but recurring questions often come up. You'll quickly get an answer if your question has already been asked. If you don't find it, you can write your question.
Prefer closed questions
An overly abstract or open-ended question (e.g., 'What would our world be like if humans had 3 arms?') often leads to endless debates, drowning the community in a flood of opinions. A closed question (e.g., 'Why is the Golgi apparatus an organelle?') is generally easier to tackle. Try to narrow down the subject as much as possible, even if it means asking multiple questions if your issue is complex. In general, avoid questions that call for subjective opinions.
Summarize your question
No need to summarize your question with 'Need help' or 'Question in animal physiology': we can't tell what the topic is about. We should have an idea of the discussion topic without needing to open it. Without going into details, give the main points (e.g., 'What are the different organelles present in an animal cell?').
Avoid off-topic subjects
This may seem obvious to most, but we sometimes receive questions completely out of the biology context. For example, avoid launching topics on the theory of relativity or subduction movements of tectonic plates. Similarly, this is not the place to make a suggestion for the site (use the contact form for that).
Some examples
Examples of bad questions:
- 'What do you use to perform a sample of ______?'
- 'In your opinion, what would happen if ______?'
- 'Need help' (without any indication on the subject)
- 'Cellular biology' (unclear subject)
Examples of good questions:
- 'What are the different types of ______?'
- 'How to perform a staining of ______?'
- 'What is a ______?'
- 'Why are some plants ______?'
- 'Why doesn't topoisomerase participate in ______?'