I don't think Abigail approached the question incorrectly at all. By throwing a vague question at a list of people who purportedly study the subject at hand, it allows a very broad take on the question. This sort of approach, I would hope, is regularly used in academia. Perhaps we would recognize it more easily by its common name - brainstorming. -Alexis On Mon, 11 Dec 2006, Paul Teusner wrote: ::Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 11:46:00 +1100 ::From: Paul Teusner <paul.teusner@rmit.edu.au> ::Reply-To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org ::To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org ::Subject: Re: [Air-l] writing effective questions to lists :: ::Hey Abi, :: ::I support Tom's comment. Please don't be discouraged from asking questions. ::As a fellow grad student I've found lots of support from people on this ::list. But sometimes typing text can sound harsher than we mean it to be. :: ::paul teusner ::-----Original Message----- ::From: air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org ::[mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Thomas Nicolai ::Sent: Monday, 11 December 2006 11:41 ::To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org ::Subject: Re: [Air-l] writing effective questions to lists :: ::Abi! :: ::In fact you can never be doing it the right way. Mailing ::lists are sometimes like search engines: :: ::"[...] the User needs to know what he wants to search for" :: ::Probably you will struggle on the first "Try to find an ::answer...." thingy! So if you don't know how and what to ask ::for you need a starting point and that's always hard if ::you're a newbie to an issue as you can't ask more specific. ::So ever heard about the term "mutability"? No, go and ask ::someone on a medical mailing list. They will probably start ::the same discussion. :: ::I know how hard it is to be on research for your own without ::"intensive" help from your advisors so keep posting, abi! :: ::-Tom ::PhD Student ::Developer ScientificCommons.org :: ::-----Original Message----- ::From: air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org ::[mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of ::Abigail Groves ::Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 12:44 AM ::To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org ::Subject: Re: [Air-l] writing effective questions to lists :: ::Hi all, ::I have been a member of this list for several years and as ::an unpublished ::graduate student, have lacked the confidence to contribute ::to discussion. This ::was, in fact, the first time I have posted. Being informed ::that my post was ::a 'good example of how not to ask questions' on a discussion ::list (!?!) is not ::likely to encourage my further participation. Thanks to ::those who responded to ::my query, which was deliberately broad. Your suggestions ::have provided a ::useful reading list for my as-yet-unformed research into ::this subject. ::Abi :: :: :: ::Quoting Barry Wellman <wellman@chass.utoronto.ca>: :: ::> I'm gearing up to write a book on writing for the social ::scientists. ::> ::> I want to put in something about how to write in ::listservs, chat groups, ::> IM, etc. ::> ::> I was struck this week by Abigail's Q (see below) which I ::thought was a ::> good example on how NOT to answer a question, because it ::was so broadly ::> framed: what is it about time that Abigail is interested ::in? (dissertation ::> advising manta). ::> ::> Yet, I have been struck by how much interesting discussion ::Abigail's Q has ::> evoked. For one thing, there ain't much on time (altho did ::anyone mention ::> Evitar Zeruvabel?), so anything might be worthwhile. ::Second, the broadness ::> of the Q seems to have served as a projective test -- ::evoking a variety of ::> responses. ::> ::> So, I am lead to wonder and to ask: what tips do people ::have for posting ::> to lists? ::> ::> My quick guide is: ::> ::> 1. Be specific as to content and need. ::> ::> 2. Lurk on the list for a while to get a sense of its ::style. ::> ::> 3. Try to post something else first, so that you are ::contributing as well ::> as asking for information. ::> ::> PS: I'd like to endorse Frank Thomas' request for evidence ::on Virillo's ::> conjectures. ::> ::> Barry Wellman ::> ::____________________________________________________________ ::_________ ::> ::> Barry Wellman S.D. Clark Professor of Sociology ::NetLab Director ::> Centre for Urban & Community Studies University ::of Toronto ::> 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 ::fax:+1-416-978-7162 ::> wellman at chass.utoronto.ca ::http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman ::> for fun: ::http://chass.utoronto.ca/oldnew/cybertimes.php ::> ::____________________________________________________________ ::_________ ::> ::> On 12/7/06, Abigail Groves wrote: ::> >> ::> >>> Hi all, ::> >>> I am writing about the internet and its effects on ::time. I was ::> wondering ::> >>> if anyone could suggest some readings on this topic? ::> >>> ::> >>> Thanks, ::> >>> ::> >>> ::> >>> Abigail Groves ::> >>> ::> >>> PhD Candidate ::> >>> National Centre in HIV Social Research ::> >>> University of NSW ::> >>> http://nchsr.unsw.edu.au ::> ::> ::> _______________________________________________ ::> The air-l@listserv.aoir.org mailing list ::> is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers ::http://aoir.org ::> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: ::> http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org ::> ::> Join the Association of Internet Researchers: ::> http://www.aoir.org/ ::> :: :: ::-- ::Abigail Groves ::phd candidate ::National Centre in HIV Social Research ::UNSW ::Sydney 2052 ::_______________________________________________ ::The air-l@listserv.aoir.org mailing list ::is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers ::http://aoir.org ::Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: ::http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org :: ::Join the Association of Internet Researchers: ::http://www.aoir.org/ :: ::-- ::No virus found in this incoming message. ::Checked by AVG Free Edition. ::Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.15/581 - Release ::Date: 09.12.2006 :: :: ::-- ::No virus found in this outgoing message. ::Checked by AVG Free Edition. ::Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.15/581 - Release ::Date: 09.12.2006 :: :: ::_______________________________________________ ::The air-l@listserv.aoir.org mailing list ::is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org ::Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: ::http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org :: ::Join the Association of Internet Researchers: ::http://www.aoir.org/ :: :: ::_______________________________________________ ::The air-l@listserv.aoir.org mailing list ::is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org ::Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org :: ::Join the Association of Internet Researchers: ::http://www.aoir.org/ ::