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Hi,I am a postgraduate majoring in applied linguistics in Taiwan.Recently, I am doing a research project for a class called foreign language technological teaching .and I am curious how participants in writing forum answer other people's questions.Because I find out there are some questions which get no reply.My research questions are as follows:1. How and for what reasons do you in this forum choose questions to answer? What kinds of questions do you tend to reply to here? (for example, well-structured questions with no grammar mistakes and so on)2.How do you interpret people's questions before answering? That is, how do you answer or how do you know your answer is helpful for people who ask?3.How do you ask questions to get replies from other and trigger many discussions in this forum?I would be full of gratitude if people who often visit this forum express your views and thoughts about my reserach questions.I am in extreme need of your help!!!Thank you!!

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I am a postgraduate majoring in applied linguistics in Taiwan.

Recently, I am doing a research project for a class called foreign language technological teaching .

and I am curious how participants in writing forum (I wouldn't call this 'a writing forum') answer other people's questions.

Because I find out there are some questions which get no reply.

Here are some brief and quick responses.

My research questions are as follows:

1. How and for what reasons do you in this forum choose questions to answer?

What kinds of questions do you tend to reply to here? (for example, well-structured questions with no grammar mistakes and so on)

Questions which include 'please'. (Most don't.)

Questions that interest me.

Short questions, even if they don't interest me.

Questions that include examples.

Questions that provide a context for what is being queried.

Questions that do not show the person just wants me to do their homework for them.

Questions that are novel. One tires of answering the same question over and over again.

Questions from people who are registered, ie not anonymous.

Questions from regular posters who show that they are learning from the answers and improving.

2.How do you interpret people's questions before answering? That is, how do you answer or how do you know your answer is helpful for people who ask?

I'm an ESL teacher. I answer based on my face to face experience with students.

3.How do you ask questions to get replies from others Directly and simply. Often, I prefer to offer people simpler examples to consider than the ones they ask about originally.

and trigger many discussions in this forum? I wouldn't say that my goal is to trigger discussions. My goal is to explain. I still enjoy discussions, but I find they tend to happen without the need for encouragement.

I would be full of gratitude if people who often visit this forum express your views and thoughts about my reserach questions.

If you have further questons, please post again.

Best wishes, Clive

Janeleo · Answer

thank you very much. i am very appreciated.

Clive · Answer

Hi again,

In addition, questions that are not answered are often too broad in scope, or too vague, or simply incomprehensible.

Clive

Janeleo · Answer

hi, clive,

One phenomenon puzzles me. Lots of of similar or same kinds of questions, but whty do some get replies, while other don't?

Is it due to personal preference to respond to questions?

Thanks

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Personal preference definitely plays a part, for reasons I've already mentioned.

Sometimes I feel like answering a question about Present Perfect for the five-hundredth time, sometimes I don't.

Some people ask essentially the same questions over and over again, and it begins to seem pointless to keep replying.

Correcting large chunks of text takes a lot of time. Some of us like to do that, some of us never do, and some do occasionally.

Some people say 'thank you', some people don't. I'm more inclined to help someone I know is polite.

I assume you realize that all of us who regularly answer questions here are volunteers.

Clive

Janeleo · Answer

hi, Clive.

Excuse me .Could I ask you some questions?

I want to know how do you feel about this forum here? Do you feel good? bad? or so so?

What do you particuarly like or hate here?

Do the asynchronous feature of this forum affect how people ask and reply to questions?

Because there is no need to give immediate replies in asynchronous forums.

Thanks a lot. Your opinions are all helpful to me.

Jane

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Could I ask you some questions?
I want to know how do you feel about this forum here? Do you feel good? bad? or so so? I've posted here 30,000 times. What does that suggest to you about how I feel about the Forum?
What do you particuarly like or hate here? I like difficult or novel questions. I dislike lack of politeness. I don't hate anything.

Do the asynchronous feature of this forum affect how people ask and reply to questions? I imagine it allows both questions and answers to be more thoughtful.
Because there is no need to give immediate replies in asynchronous forums.

Clive

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