Guidelines to Go by when asking a question.

Question

If you are asking for help to any questions;  Please include all of the information that you can.

NAME;________________________________________

DATE OF BIRTH_________________________________

DATE OF DEATH___________________________________

PLACE OF BIRTH, DEATH___________________________________

PARENTS NAMES __________________________________________

ALSO WHEN POSSIBLE PLEASE NO INITIALS, ONLY WHEN IT CALLS FOR IT.  SUCH AS   W.L. WILSON BORN :  ?  THEN ASKED YOUR QUESTION AS PLAIN AS YOU CAN BUT ONLY EXPLAIN WHEN YOU FEEL IT IS NECESSARY PRETAINING TO THE QUESTION.   LIKE WHEN YOU NEED PARENTS NAMES SAY IT LIKE  THIS:  NEED WIFE'S PARENTS NAME.  I MYSELF IS NOT A MIND READER;  AND IF I AM TO WORK THIS POST OR THAT POST, I HAVE TO KNOW THE NAME, DATES, PLACE AND WHAT IS IT THAT THE PERSON NEEDS FROM ME?  WE ALL WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB FOR YOU AND MOST ALL OF US ARE GOOD RESEARCHERS,  I AM A GOOD RESEARCHER. BUT IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, THEN I WILL PASS IT UP EVERYTIME AND GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE.  I DON'T WANT THE PRAISE AS MUCH AS I WANT TO WORK THE QUESTION. 

Comments

Useful advice. Another recommendation would be: Do not write the post in upper case. People have to concentrate more to read it when it is all capitals and may well skip over without bothering.

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...and always check your spelling (see PRETAINING above)

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Lynda:  Thanks so much. I guess I forgot that but you are right. I just wish that If anyone is writing a post for help  to Please think about what would be needed if they were researching their own Post.

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I agree with you Nancy. We get a lot of G2G posts where we have no idea what they are trying to ask and it takes several rounds of questioning before we find out enough to offer help.

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Ros:  Thanks for the spelling. I guess I forgot because my pc always lets me know when I have misspelled a word or mistyped a word and I can correct it.  But I also forgot to mention that people put a place down but don't always say that its in Ireland or England or some other place.  I am not familiar with a lot of place names, and in order to work a case we have to know where this place is.  IF it is in the United States, we should have a county name, and state.  If it is outside of United States, then we should have the COUNTRY that you are talking about; such as Ireland, Wales, or England. It would really help us to know as much information as possible. Thanks

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Oh, I absolutely agree with you, Nancy.  If the question concerned a profile in the US, I know I would not stand much of a chance *grin*.  But if it concerned a profile in the UK, I'd dive right in.

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Thank You so much Lynda;  Have you ever read a post that that ask a question but you are suppose to know their ancestors?  I am so sorry that I don't know who your Susan Walker is, however I am wondering at the same time, if you realize just how many Susan Walker's are out there?  That is why I will pass up a post if I don't know where to look or what Year she was born or anything.   If I have a question after I have read a post then its not good and I will pass it up or let them know we need more information in order to find the right ancestor that they need.  I do hope that this certainly helps them.

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I feel your frustration, Nancy.  I posted a similar thread a week or so ago.  Since then, I've been linking to it when responding to vague open-ended questions.  I think it has earned me a couple of downvotes. 

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Thank You Herbert.  But I still think that we need to keep reminding them that if we don't have enough information to work a POST;  then we will leave it alone and go on to the next one without letting them know that we need more information. Is this what they want?  I will try to work a case now and then, but I will come back and tell them how little of information I can get because I didn't know where to look or I didn't or couldn't get dates of Birth, or Death. So if you want help on your Brick Wall, then please give all information we need to help you and your Brick Wall.

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You're welcome, Nancy.  But I don't disagree with you.

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The G2G Integrators and Moderators try to ensure that we get the necessary information to help them Nancy. I agree that it would be a lot easier if everyone provided it when they first ask the question, but some do not and we have mechanisms in place to cope and help them to reformulate their questions.

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I am sorry Herbert but I didn't mean it that way. I know that you agreed with me. But I really want everyone to read it who asks us for help with their Brick Walls, and other questions.  I have tried many times to work a Post with what they gave me, but its difficult to know which one they want. And besides I don't know their family. And I am not a MIND READER.