Work Smart, Not Hard: Questions Edition

The Learning Process

In the process of getting better at something, one needs to learn the material that pertains to the subject. Whether they are learning the jargon, the rules, the processes, or any knowledge needed to perform a job, carry out a hobby, or do anything they want to do, the process of getting better and more knowledgeable comes down to learning. Whether the new knowledge comes directly or indirectly, every day is a learning opportunity. However, sometimes people will stumble across a struggle in their learning. The great thing is that there are other resources out there to sustain the struggle. One of these great resources is other people; people who have been through the learning process that others are currently going through. To learn from others, you’d need to ask questions: a way of communicating a problem to hopefully receive a solution in return. However, even people as resources can be depleted too, and many of those times, it comes down to the questions they receive. So what might be the best way to maximize your learning from questions? Asking smart questions.

A Good Answer Or Just An Answer

Any question can be asked, but at the same time, any answer can be provided (even an answer of just nothingness). This isn’t just some form of randomness or luck that will determine what type of answer you will get, rather it will all come down to the type of question you ask. Many experts in the various communities that exist, particularly the tech community, get flooded with questions from others trying to get answers to fill in knowledge gaps or overcome struggles in their learning. At the end of the day though, many of those who bear the answers are getting frustrated. In general, it’s good to ask questions, but the type of question that is asked will make the difference between learning something versus indirectly frustrating someone. It all comes down to the level of effort demonstrated in trying to solve the problem at hand before asking others. Many get annoyed by those who want the simple way out despite all the various resources that can give them an answer. However, if effort was demonstrated that you tried to figure things out on your own before seeking help, then you may get the more rewarding answer that will put everything together.

As one who is embarking on the journey of pursuing computer science, it’s important to ask smart questions because it all ties back to the learning process we all undergo. One big takeaway in asking smart questions comes down to the effort that is put in beforehand. Being in the computer science field, much of my learning is meant to come from my actions, not from being spoon-fed to me. This means that to improve my programming skills, I need to code more. If I want to learn how software and projects work in the industry, then I should build something. As someone fortunate enough to have many resources available for my learning, I shouldn’t have excuses to put in the effort to overcome any struggles in my learning. However, not all instances of finding my solution on my own will work out successfully. However, the effort of trying to figure out the problem on my own beforehand is still present, as it will at least help put me on the same page as the others with whom I am seeking help. Through research and self-troubleshooting, this effort can help me to form a question where I can get down to the specifics of what my issue is, the resources I referred to, and the solutions I tried for me to receive a more pinpoint solution that will not only solve my problem but also give me something to learn from and carry on with me.

Seriously, Just Don’t

One example of not being smart when it comes to seeking help through questions is by straight up just asking for an answer/solution without putting any effort into finding the answer on your own. Some questions can be answered easily by just referring to other available resources, such as documentation and manuals, forums, FAQ sections, etc. In the case of this example, none of that was demonstrated.

On Stack Overflow, the question asked is as follows:

“in c printf() returns what?” 

The question received perhaps the most sarcastic yet judgmental responses. The responses did provide pointers into how that individual could have found their answer, but it was all surrounded by the implicit message of, “Really? Well, you could have done better. Here’s how.” The question was very effortless: the level of detail was at the absolute minimum, and no effort was demonstrated to showcase that a solution was being sought before reaching out to the community of experts. This ends up taking up space on a forum page and wasting valuable time and resources from experts. In the end, though, this question post does serve as a valuable lesson to all answer-seekers out there, and that is to do your research to find your answers before asking a question, as a desired solution can sometimes be found right in front of you with all the resources available nowadays.

It's difficult to tell what is being asked here.
This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and cannot be reasonably answered in its current form.

Though, this question post does serve as a valuable lesson to all answer-seekers out there, and that is to do your research to find your answers before asking a question, as a desired solution can sometimes be found right in front of you with all the resources available nowadays.

Let’s Get To the Specifics

One example of being smart in asking questions is by first trying to answer your question. In this post on Stack Overflow, an individual is working on their approach to including files as part of building up their web page. The individual committed two weeks (that’s a long time) to find what solution would work best for them, which then came down to using PHP over Server Side Includes. Unfortunately, they didn’t have luck in getting things to work with their approach. Through some trial and error with working through alternative solutions, they finally landed on one that worked… at least, only on their end. With that, the individual finally turned to Stack Overflow to present their problem and request for help.

With a good question, comes a good answer. The individual was assisted with a thorough answer that was broken down step by step with code snippets to help the individual resolve their problem. Aside from the answer provided, other individuals also attempted to jump in to assist, with some requesting more information to investigate while others provided their input to help resolve the issue.

Learn The Smart Way

Smart questions from what I uncovered are presented to be effective methods of maximizing my learning as someone who has a lot to explore and uncover in the world of software engineering. They encourage me to do research and trials for me to obtain a knowledgeable background to help describe my problem for other experts to assist with. This can create more specific and complex challenges to tackle which in turn can be both a great and effective learning experience not only for myself but also for those who pitch in to help out.