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Some Strategies for Composing Newsgroup Queries
Here are a few important strategies to keep in mind as you compose your query.
Ask Specific Questions
Generally speaking, the more precise you make your query, the more specific the responses from your audience will be. Asking clear, detailed questions will demonstrate to your readers that you have done some prior research and that you have arrived at a focused research topic. It also limits the scope of the question so that your audience won't feel overwhelmed by the prospect of responding.
Post a Series of Questions
Consider posting a series of questions so that you can tap into the range of expertise in the group. Keep your questions specific, but try asking about several closely related topics or about several angles of a single topic. By asking multiple questions, you can more precisely illustrate the scope of your project, and you will increase your chances of getting responses by providing more prompts for members to reply to.
Ask an Engaging Question
One reason that student queries are frowned on in some groups is that students who are trying to gather information about a topic often ask the same broad, overly generalized questions. Since the regular members of a group are probably quite knowledgeable about its topic, they tend to be frustrated by, and therefore unlikely to participate in, discussion that is far below the level of interaction they are accustomed to. Though simple questions might seem easiest to answer, you will probably receive more useful feedback if you are able to challenge your audience.
Summarize and Synthesize
One of the best ways to demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about your topic is to summarize several key arguments or positions that you have come across in your research. If you can synthesize these arguments and then position your own ideas in relation to this larger conversation, you will have gone a long way toward establishing your credibility. Contextualizing your ideas within a clear set of arguments will also help your audience to get a better understanding of which resources you have already looked through and therefore what kinds of information will be most useful to you.
Locate Intersections
If possible, point out intersections between your query and any previous messages that have been posted to the group. This will show other members that you are not simply using them as a resource, but have been following the group's discussion, and that you are actively engaged in the community. Users are more likely to respond to queries that expand upon existing conversations than to queries that are completely unrelated from earlier posts.
Adapted from Connections: A Guide to On-line Writing