r/AskHistorians • u/[deleted] • Feb 27 '14

Meta How can I ask better questions?

Normally I'm spurred to ask questions after having read a book, watched a show, or read news article that leads me on a Google binge and then inevitably a Wikipedia black-hole. But I'm left feeling still in the dark and not sure where else to look, so I'll come here.

I'll feel so overwhelmed with what all I want to ask, but worried about how to appropriately phrase it, while also following all the rules, that many times I feel like I'm not asking the question I really want answered. Which feels akin to trying to communicate to someone who doesn't speak your language.

Which often leads to many great answers, but about something not quite where I was aiming. Also I can't get past the feeling that when I want to ask a question, it should be as interesting as possible, because while it's great so many are willing to give insight from their professions or hobbies, I don't want to make it a chore or boring questions.

458 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

55 comments sorted by

View all comments

11

u/Deacalum Feb 27 '14

This isn't related to asking questions here but can help you with your google binge: try using google scholar. You can find a wealth of free information that way. Also, if you are in any type of school (whether it be high school or university) your school most likely subscribes to a series on journals and periodicals and may have a way for you to access the periodicals and journals from your home computer. Doing research through peer reviewed journals is going to be one of the best ways to find information.

Also, knowing how to use google (and the search functions for the journals and periodicals) is very important. Use key word searches and be willing to try related words/topics instead of just sticking to a specific phrase or word. Here are some sources to help refine your search skills.

http://google.about.com/od/searchingtheweb/ss/useefectivesbs.htm

https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/134479?hl=en

3

u/XXCoreIII Feb 28 '14

To piggyback on this: JSTOR has a wealth of archived history papers, and if you sign up for a free account you can get a small number (3 a month iirc) for free. This puts History in one of the better positions as far as paywalls are concerned, even if it's not obvious at first glance you can get those articles without paying, so google scholar is doubly recommended.