Question text should be short and to the point; ensure you have reduced the problem already to the essentials, provide specific details of the problem encountered, if there are error messages include them. Use tags, associated links, code snippets and file references when applicable. Be specific regarding what an acceptable solution should look like. Provide a link to a page where experts are able to see the problem. You can always ask the Community Support Zone for help when you are unsure.

Everyone uses different platforms and tools, so be clear on what you are using. Include basic facts such as the version or model number and when the problem started. Let the expert know if you have had the problem before or if the problem is related to something, like a recent upgrade or change.

Also, make sure to let the expert know your user level on the subject as well as your time zone. A lot of this information can be pre-populated by filling out the member profile. The more accurate and complete you fill out the Question Wizard, the more the experts will be willing to help.

Use our search tool and check the previously asked questions.This is particularly relevant for questions of the "How do I...?" variety, since there is a high probability that someone has asked a question on Experts Exchange, very similar to yours in the past and received a solution.

Did you read the manuals? Did you understand them? If you have already searched for an answer and found something that came close, provide a link to that question and describe what additional information you need.

Verify that the information you provided is accurate and that it is not a bug. You might be connected to the wrong server/database/file, or you might expect some code/function/result that won't work because it isn't supposed to. You may even be told that you can't do what you want to do, or that the best anyone can do is a workaround, that is still considered a solution and does not make the Experts wrong. You still need to award points to the Expert that gave you that answer, sometimes there are things that just can't be done.

Giving your question a good title is important. Please list the actual subject in the title. Saying HELP or URGENT will not get you any more help then anyone else on the site. This is not helpful to the expert as they can not see if it is something they are knowledgeable in. If you post in the Javascript zone and your title says "Javascript help needed", you are less likely to get a response then if you posted "Javascript accessing iFrame contents". You may want to write your question first and then come up with a title after.

Does your question make sense and include all the information that someone who doesn't know anything about your system will need. Check your spelling, and try not to use chatspeak or slang. Make every effort to get to the point, write a few concise sentences or use a bulleted format rather than detailed paragraphs.

As a Premium Service Member or a Qualified Expert you have unlimited points and are allowed to ask unlimited questions. If you have a very long difficult question that could be broken down into smaller, easier questions, do so. If the initial question is answered accept the solution and post a new question. Include the link to the old question as reference to help the Experts put things in context.

You should respond promptly to posts made in your questions. Ask for more details or clarification if you don't understand something, and make every effort to respond and let experts know if the solution worked or not. You should give good information. Saying "it didn't work" doesn't say what you did and why it did not work. Be clear, concise, and courteous; mention the steps you have taken and their precise results, including error messages and numbers, and you'll find you'll get the answers you need.

Do not be intimidated; experts are here to help you as much as they possibly can. They help you because, when you show appreciation and work with them to solve something, everyone feels good. To help them out make sure your question is in the right place and zones you ask your question in tell what technology the issue is about. Provide as much vital information as possible, be succinct but include all the detail and don't forget you can always search for your solution while you are waiting.

There are some times that experts may push back a bit and ask you for further justification if they feel it may be something that is not completely legitimate. Experts Exchange appreciates that there are many student members who are interested in getting help with homework problems. Most Experts prefer to guide a student to the answer by working through the problem in a collaborative manner. If you are a student asking a homework question, be clear in your question that you want to work toward the correct answer while learning more about the programming language, operating system or software program that you are studying. The purpose of homework assignments is to help the student to learn and the Experts who answer questions will help you to get your answer as a way of enhancing your learning on the subject you are studying.