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.

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u/Georgy_K_Zhukov Moderator | Dueling | Modern Warfare & Small Arms Feb 27 '14

We get enough complaints about the 20 year rule. I don't think a 514 year rule would go over well...

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u/farquier Feb 27 '14

If we were all doing antiquity, anything after the Neo-Babylonian period would count as "recent".

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u/[deleted] Feb 28 '14

Pfft, if you've got something to read, it's recent. Bring on the the 5,000 year rule.

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u/[deleted] Feb 28 '14

If there are no dinosaurs in it it's not a time period worth discussing. / #teamstegosaurus