Difference between revisions of "FND-Technical questions"

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<div style="padding:5px; border:1px solid #000000; background-color:#b3dbce; font-size:300%; font-weight:400; color: #000000; width:100%;">
 
Technical Questions
 
Technical Questions
  </div>
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<div style="padding:5px; margin-top:20px; margin-bottom:10px; background-color:#b3dbce; font-size:30%; font-weight:200; color: #000000; ">
 
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(HInts for asking technical questions on mailing lists and forums)
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</div>
 
 
<div class="keywords">
 
<b>Keywords:</b>&nbsp;
 
HInts for asking technical questions on mailing lists and forums
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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{{Smallvspace}}
 
 
 
 
__TOC__
 
  
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<div style="padding:5px; border:1px solid #000000; background-color:#b3dbce33; font-size:85%;">
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<div style="font-size:118%;">
 
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<b>Abstract:</b><br />
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<div id="ABC-unit-framework">
 
== Abstract ==
 
 
<section begin=abstract />
 
<section begin=abstract />
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "abstract" -->
 
 
We all depend on others' insights and help to get computing done. But there are <b>good ways</b> to ask technical questions, that will lead to quick and useful answers, and other ways...
 
We all depend on others' insights and help to get computing done. But there are <b>good ways</b> to ask technical questions, that will lead to quick and useful answers, and other ways...
 
<section end=abstract />
 
<section end=abstract />
 
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</div>
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<!-- ============================ -->
 
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<hr>
 
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<table>
== This unit ... ==
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<tr>
=== Prerequisites ===
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<td style="padding:10px;">
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "prerequisites" -->
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<b>Objectives:</b><br />
<!-- included from "ABC-unit_components.wtxt", section: "notes-external_prerequisites" -->
 
You need the following preparation before beginning this unit. If you are not familiar with this material from courses you took previously, you need to prepare yourself from other information sources:
 
<!-- included from "FND-prerequisites.wtxt", section: "writing" -->
 
*<b>Writing</b>: Basic essay and report writing skills. How to format your submitted materials, how to quote, cite and avoid plagiarism.
 
 
 
{{Vspace}}
 
 
 
 
 
=== Objectives ===
 
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "objectives" -->
 
 
This unit will ...
 
This unit will ...
 
* ... direct you to three documents that discuss strategies for asking technical questions;
 
* ... direct you to three documents that discuss strategies for asking technical questions;
 
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</td>
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<td style="padding:10px;">
 
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<b>Outcomes:</b><br />
 
 
=== Outcomes ===
 
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "outcomes" -->
 
 
After working through this unit you ...
 
After working through this unit you ...
 
* ... are familar with effective strategies for asking technical questions;
 
* ... are familar with effective strategies for asking technical questions;
 
* ... understand the importance of MWE's (Minimal Working Examples);
 
* ... understand the importance of MWE's (Minimal Working Examples);
 
* ... have begun to model these principles in your own work for this course and elsewhere.
 
* ... have begun to model these principles in your own work for this course and elsewhere.
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</td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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<!-- ============================  -->
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<hr>
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<b>Deliverables:</b><br />
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<section begin=deliverables />
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<ul>
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<li><b>Time management</b>: Before you begin, estimate how long it will take you to complete this unit. Then, record in your course journal: the number of hours you estimated, the number of hours you worked on the unit, and the amount of time that passed between start and completion of this unit.</li>
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<li><b>Journal</b>: Document your progress in your [[FND-Journal|Course Journal]]. Some tasks may ask you to include specific items in your journal. Don't overlook these.</li>
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<li><b>Insights</b>: If you find something particularly noteworthy about this unit, make a note in your [[ABC-Insights|'''insights!''' page]].</li>
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</ul>
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<section end=deliverables />
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<!-- ============================  -->
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<hr>
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<section begin=prerequisites />
 +
<b>Prerequisites:</b><br />
 +
You need the following preparation before beginning this unit. If you are not familiar with this material from courses you took previously, you need to prepare yourself from other information sources:<br />
 +
*<b>Writing</b>: Basic essay and report writing skills. How to format your submitted materials, how to quote, cite and avoid plagiarism.
 +
<section end=prerequisites />
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<!-- ============================  -->
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</div>
  
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=== Deliverables ===
 
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "deliverables" -->
 
<!-- included from "ABC-unit_components.wtxt", section: "deliverables-time_management" -->
 
*<b>Time management</b>: Before you begin, estimate how long it will take you to complete this unit. Then, record in your course journal: the number of hours you estimated, the number of hours you worked on the unit, and the amount of time that passed between start and completion of this unit.
 
<!-- included from "ABC-unit_components.wtxt", section: "deliverables-journal" -->
 
*<b>Journal</b>: Document your progress in your [[FND-Journal|Course Journal]]. Some tasks may ask you to include specific items in your journal. Don't overlook these.
 
<!-- included from "ABC-unit_components.wtxt", section: "deliverables-insights" -->
 
*<b>Insights</b>: If you find something particularly noteworthy about this unit, make a note in your [[ABC-Insights|'''insights!''' page]].
 
  
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{{Smallvspace}}
  
  
=== Evaluation ===
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__TOC__
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "evaluation" -->
 
<!-- included from "ABC-unit_components.wtxt", section: "eval-none" -->
 
<b>Evaluation: NA</b><br />
 
:This unit is not evaluated for course marks.
 
  
 
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</div>
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=== Evaluation ===
<div id="BIO">
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<b>Evaluation: NA</b><br />
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<div style="margin-left: 2rem;">This unit is not evaluated for course marks.</div>
 
== Contents ==
 
== Contents ==
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "contents" -->
 
 
{{Task|1=
 
{{Task|1=
 
Study the following three documents:
 
Study the following three documents:
* [https://www.r-project.org/posting-guide.html ''the R Help Mailing list posting guide'']
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<ul>
* [http://stackoverflow.com/help/mcve ''How to create a Minimal, Complete, and Verifiable example''] – '''R''' advice via stack'''overflow'''.
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<li>[https://www.r-project.org/posting-guide.html ''the R Help Mailing list posting guide'']</li>
* [http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html ''How to Ask Questions the Smart Way''] <small>for the technical minded, excellent advice!</small>
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<li>[http://stackoverflow.com/help/mcve ''How to create a Minimal, Complete, and Verifiable example''] – '''R''' advice via stack'''overflow'''.</li>
 
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<li>[http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html ''How to Ask Questions the Smart Way''] <small>for the technical minded, excellent advice!</small></li>
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</ul>
 
}}
 
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== Further reading, links and resources ==
 
<!-- {{#pmid: 19957275}} -->
 
<!-- {{WWW|WWW_GMOD}} -->
 
<!-- <div class="reference-box">[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]</div> -->
 
 
{{Vspace}}
 
 
 
== Notes ==
 
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "notes" -->
 
<!-- included from "ABC-unit_components.wtxt", section: "notes" -->
 
<references />
 
 
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</div>
 
<div id="ABC-unit-framework">
 
== Self-evaluation ==
 
<!-- included from "../components/FND-Technical_questions.components.wtxt", section: "self-evaluation" -->
 
<!--
 
=== Question 1===
 
 
Question ...
 
 
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="width:800px">
 
Answer ...
 
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
 
Answer ...
 
 
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{{Vspace}}
 
 
 
<!-- included from "ABC-unit_components.wtxt", section: "ABC-unit_ask" -->
 
 
----
 
 
{{Vspace}}
 
 
<b>If in doubt, ask!</b> If anything about this learning unit is not clear to you, do not proceed blindly but ask for clarification. Post your question on the course mailing list: others are likely to have similar problems. Or send an email to your instructor.
 
 
----
 
 
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:2017-08-05
 
:2017-08-05
 
<b>Modified:</b><br />
 
<b>Modified:</b><br />
:2017-09-11
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:2020-09-17
 
<b>Version:</b><br />
 
<b>Version:</b><br />
:1.0
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:1.1
 
<b>Version history:</b><br />
 
<b>Version history:</b><br />
 +
*1.1 Maintenance
 
*1.0 Completed to first live version
 
*1.0 Completed to first live version
 
*0.1 Material collected from previous assignments
 
*0.1 Material collected from previous assignments
 
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[[Category:ABC-units]]
 
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Latest revision as of 09:28, 25 September 2020

Technical Questions

(HInts for asking technical questions on mailing lists and forums)


 


Abstract:

We all depend on others' insights and help to get computing done. But there are good ways to ask technical questions, that will lead to quick and useful answers, and other ways...


Objectives:
This unit will ...

  • ... direct you to three documents that discuss strategies for asking technical questions;

Outcomes:
After working through this unit you ...

  • ... are familar with effective strategies for asking technical questions;
  • ... understand the importance of MWE's (Minimal Working Examples);
  • ... have begun to model these principles in your own work for this course and elsewhere.

Deliverables:

  • Time management: Before you begin, estimate how long it will take you to complete this unit. Then, record in your course journal: the number of hours you estimated, the number of hours you worked on the unit, and the amount of time that passed between start and completion of this unit.
  • Journal: Document your progress in your Course Journal. Some tasks may ask you to include specific items in your journal. Don't overlook these.
  • Insights: If you find something particularly noteworthy about this unit, make a note in your insights! page.

Prerequisites:
You need the following preparation before beginning this unit. If you are not familiar with this material from courses you took previously, you need to prepare yourself from other information sources:

  • Writing: Basic essay and report writing skills. How to format your submitted materials, how to quote, cite and avoid plagiarism.


 



 



 


Evaluation

Evaluation: NA

This unit is not evaluated for course marks.

Contents

Task:
Study the following three documents:

If you follow this advice, you can't go wrong.


 


About ...
 
Author:

Boris Steipe <boris.steipe@utoronto.ca>

Created:

2017-08-05

Modified:

2020-09-17

Version:

1.1

Version history:

  • 1.1 Maintenance
  • 1.0 Completed to first live version
  • 0.1 Material collected from previous assignments

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