Is My Topic a Good Topic? An Unofficial Guide Created By Users For Users

[Tara]

EDIT (November 5, 2013) - Even though I am now a staff member, the principles listed in this topic are still guidelines and suggestions, not rules that are enforced by me or any other members of the staff.  They are there to aid, but there will still be instances which may contradict what is taught in this tutorial.  You are now permitted to ask me things where it says "ask a staff member but not me," but I will not always be using this guide as a reference when deciding the fate of a topic.

 

Hey, you! You there! The one posting a topic in the Sonic Discussion forum! Stop right there! Are you sure you want to post that?

 

"Um... yes?"

 

No, you don't. At least, not yet. Here at SSMB, we like to encourage civil discourse and friendly debates about hedgehogs and timelords and pokaymans and a lot of other things that you may like, but the staff are very particular about the threads they allow to remain open. Many newcomers make the rookie mistake of joining and immediately heading straight for the “Start New Topic” button, which ultimately leads to poor topics being created and Newuser72 getting his feelings hurt when a staff member decides to lock it. So what can you do? How can you make sure your topic will be accepted by the community?

 

Well, by taking the time to read this thread, you have already taken the first step to improving your topic-posting sensibilities. In this topic, I am going to teach you, the lucky user reading this thread, some pointers on how to make your thread truly great and ensure that it is accepted by both the members and staff. This will minimize the chances of your topic being locked, and will ultimately make discussing your topic much more rich and enjoyable for both you and other members.

 

Please note before continuing that I am not a member of the staff nor do I claim to speak for them. The staff have their own discretion when locking threads and/or carrying out disciplinary actions and are not obligated to stand by the guidelines and principles listed in this article. This is simply a guide created by a member to benefit other members. Remember to always ask a mod about anything you're unsure of, and always take their word over mine.

 

With that out of the way, let's get started. This tutorial will cover four main points:

1. Good Topics
2. Bad Topics
3. Good Topics That Are Poorly Delivered
4. How to Turn #3 into #1

But before we can get into that, it's important to understand why the staff has such a strict policy on topics to begin with. You see, SSMB fosters a vocal environment. We don't want to know if you agree or disagree with something. We want to know why you agree or disagree with something. We don't want to know who your favorite character is, we want to know what makes him or her your favorite character! That is why topics must be thought-provoking and open-ended, as described below.

 

#1 Good Topics

 

So, let's take a minute and think about what makes a topic good. A good topic should meet all of the following criteria-

• The topic must present a clear question with an open-ended answer
• The topic must encourage thought-provoking replies consisting of more than one sentence
• The topic must be all-inclusive.
• The topic must be unique.

So let's explore each of these factors in detail.

 

A topic must have a clear question with an open-ended answer. In layman's terms, anyone reading your topic should know what you're talking about and be able to form their own opinions about the subject. A good topic is a topic that fosters the expression of all different opinions as opposed to perfect unanimity. Basically, if your topic only leaves room for those who agree with a single mindset, it's probably not a good topic.

 

Do not use these examples as they have probably all been done before.

 

Good – Are Sonic games accessible to players of all different levels of experience?

 

Bad – Post here if you love Vector!

 

Next, the topic must encourage thought-provoking replies consisting of more than one sentence. This is what is commonly known around the boards as discussion value. A topic should not be simplified to either agree or disagree, but should encourage others to explain why they agree or disagree, as well as their own interpretations and analysis on the topic at hand. I will go into more detail about these kind of topics in the “Bad Topics” section below. For now, take these examples.

 

Good – What are the ethical implications of cloning?

 

Bad – Do you like Cheez-Its?

 

Okay, so a good topic doesn't necessarily have to be philosophical in nature, but they should encourage deeper thought and question.

 

A topic must be all-inclusive. Now, to be perfectly fair, there's always going to be some sort of exclusion in a topic. If you're posting about one game in particular, you're limiting yourself only to people who have played that game or are interested in playing it. If you're posting about scientific innovation, you're limiting yourself only to people who have a broad understanding of the scientific principles described within. For a topic to be successful, you want to aim for the highest-possible audience; however, you're going to have to restrict some users based on their experience with certain topics. This is a rather large community, so if your topic is interesting enough, it should still be fine without being too alienating.

 

However, if a topic can only be answered by a very specific sample of members, then you simply do not have a good topic. For example...

 

Good – Hidden Easter Eggs in Sonic CD

 

Bad – What is your favorite thing about Shadow?

(Girls only) Your opinion on Brad Pitt

 

The former restricts itself only to people who have played or have viewed a playthrough of Sonic CD; however, as this is a Sonic forum, you can probably assume that most of us probably have. Therefore, this a non-specific sort of restriction, which is perfectly fine. The latter two, however, restricts the discussion to either Shadow fans only or female users, which though we have a decent number of both, is too specific of a restriction. This is a board that prides itself in diversity, and as such, all topics should be open to a plethora of differing opinions.

 

Last, but not least, a topic must be unique. That is to say, it should not be a repeat of another topic. How can you make sure the topic hasn't been made before? Easy! First, skim the names of each topic on the first two or so pages of each forum. If you don't find it there, continue by using the search engine to search through the rest of the boards. The search engine is located at the top, right corner of the boards.

 

It looks like this.

 

But wait, Akito! Why should I scan the first few pages of a forum? Wouldn't the search pick it up regardless? I'm going to be honest here. Though you are definitely encouraged to make use of the search feature when creating a new topic, the cold, hard truth of the matter is that IPB's search engine, and search technology in general, isn't perfect. The search engine hunts for topics and posts based on words in the topic title, tags, and replies within a topic. Sometimes the words one might use to describe the same topic of discussion will not be the same as your own.

 

So what can you do if you're still not sure? You can always simply ask about it in the status updates. Doing so might also be a good way to gain feedback on your topic before you post it and maybe even give you material to use in the opening post of your thread!

 

 

General rule of thumb for creating a new topic: If it sounds like it should have been made by now, it probably has. Topics such as “Who's your favorite character?” “What's your favorite game?” “Why is someone in the kitchen with Dinah?” are all examples of topics that usually get made early on in a message board's lifespan. If you don't see it on the front page, it's because we've moved on past that discussion. However, “favorite” topics are generally frowned upon for reasons I'll get into shortly.

 

Now, it's time to take a look at...

 

#2 Bad Topics

 

Okay, so this one's a little bit longer. Despite how it may initially seem, this site isn't extremely restrictive on the types of topics allowed here, but there many mistakes you can make that will ultimately result in your topic being locked and, if push comes to shove, disciplinary action placed on your account. Bad topics exhibit some or all (but do not limit to) the following qualities:

• Does not pose a question
• Is a "list" topic
• Is restrictive
• Is not unique/has been posted before
• Is inappropriate for users under the age of 18*
• Contains disrespectful content*
• Is spam*

The infractions marked with an asterisk (*) indicate that a topic which meets that description is unsalvageable and can result in disciplinary to include permanent banishment from the forums based on the discretion of the staff. You do not want to post topics of that nature. Ever.

 

With that said, let's get these out of the way.

 

A topic that does not pose a question is not a good topic. Bear in mind, a question does not always have to be blatantly asked. By submitting a topic, you are already asking for opinions on the matter, so you don't need to end every sentence with “What do you guys think about this?” But you do need to make it clear that this a discussion on the matter and not just you stating your opinion.

 

Good – Waffles: The Good and Bad of the Breakfast Favorite

 

Bad – Waffles Suck

 

Stating your opinion flat out with little in the way of analytical reasoning is not only a good way to make your topic look and sound pointless, but it's also a good way to look like a complete tool. Also, waffles are awesome, so don't you dare make a topic called “Waffles Suck.”

 

Now some of you might be thinking “What about rants?” or “What about analyses and things of that manner?” Let me reiterate in beautiful, golden text so we can make it a “golden rule” of sorts.

 

Anytime you make a topic, you are automatically asking for opinions on the matter.

 

With that said, rants and analyses are perfectly acceptable... on the condition they are presented well. (More on that later) – If you're going to go on a rant, it would be wise to put in at least a couple paragraphs worth of explanation that is (1) analytical in nature (meaning “this is good or bad because it does this or that” as opposed to “this sucks because it's fucking stupid”) and (2) constructive in nature, offering suggestions for how a problem can be rectified or improved.

 

Good – Waffles: The Good and Bad of the Breakfast Favorite

 

Waffles: What many consider to be a delectable breakfast treat is actually a vile pastry, made of pure, wheat- milk- and egg-based evil. Why? Not only does it overshadow the glory of the highly superior pancakes, but are much harder to digest.

 

Basically, they're just harder, crunchier pancakes. The breakfast tradition will have to do without these cheap imitations if we are to thrive as a species. Instead, they must be replaced by hearty amounts of bacon or veggie bacon if you're a vegetarian. That exists, right? In doing this, we can ensure that our most important meal of the day maintains the freshness, originality, and baconness the breakfast menu was once known for.

 

 

Bad – Waffles Suck

 

omg waffles are so fucking stupid and they hurt your teeth if you burn them fuck waffles when will obama ever learn?

 

 

See the difference? One is constructive and analytical. The other is merely opinion... also the grammar is terrible. Learn from the example of the first. But really, don't make a topic about waffles. Because, just don't.

 

List topics are generally frowned upon and are usually the most common types of topics created by newer members. These topics generally include “favorite topics,” but the two are not intrinsically synonymous. A list topic is any topic that warrants a one-word response. Meaning, the only response one must give is a single word or short sentence.

 

“Who is your favorite Sonic character?”

 

Sonic

Tails master race.

Big is my homeslice.

 

 

“What is your favorite Sonic game?”

 

Sonic 2

Sonic Adventure

Sonic Chronicles. What a great soundtrack!

 

 

And now I hear someone saying: “But what if I said in the OP--”

Who is your favorite Sonic character? Don't post just one sentence. Give a reason.

 

 

 

Nope. Still not okay. These types of topics simply don't warrant thought-provoking discussion. Your best option is to just not make them. End of story.

 

Topics must not be restrictive. As stated before, topics must maintain the highest possible level of inclusion. Topics which do not permit or discourage the participation of users on the grounds of any factor other than experience with the subject at hand are not suitable for this community. If you wish to talk about something with only a select few members, shoot them a Private Message. IPB now allows for you to engage in a single private conversation with six recipients at a time, which is probably the same amount of people who would enjoy a thread that caters only to a very specific demographic.

 

 

If a similar or identical topic has already been made, use that topic instead. Though not typically a bannable offense, you should always abstain from recreating topics that have already been made. Accidents do happen, and sometimes no matter how hard you look, you might fail to find a similar or identical topic even though one is later found to exist. But intentionally doing so... is just a douche move, to put it simply. All you're doing is cluttering the board and causing confusion. So yeah, if you can help it, just don't do it, but chances are, you're not going to get your hand sawed off for it.

 

As per SSMB rules, topics must not primarily discuss or contain material that is inappropriate for users under the age of 18. This includes, but does not limit to, pornographic material in text, image, video or other format as well as depictions of intense graphic violence such as blood or gore. In addition, it must not contain content that is disrespectful (i.e. that which is alienating to an individual or one or more groups of people) or otherwise bigoted, hateful, or otherwise fall under harassment.

 

Spam is something that everyone thinks is self-explanatory. But I guess it's not, so let me clarify. Spam contains at least one of these characteristics:

• It's pointless
• It's repetitive
• It does not encourage thought-provoking discussion
• It's made solely to advertise

A topic is pointless if it has no subject to discuss. A topic without a clear subject is spam.

 

Repetitive creation of topics that are pointless or are otherwise identical is spam.

 

Topics that do not encourage thought-provoking discussion are spam.

 

Topics made for the sole purpose of advertising a product, rather for profit or for views, are spam.

 

Remember that the status updates are much more lax in regards to this. As long as you don't go overboard and follow SSMB's primary rules (as well as the ) then you're pretty much allowed to post whatever crazy garbage you want. However, topics are reserved purely for discussion and debate. If you want to talk about how much you love waffles, do it in the status updates.

 

 

Sometimes, however, there comes a point when you think of a really good topic and it's shot down, anyway. Why? Many reasons, but often times you may find that delivery is one of them.

 

#3 Good Topics That Are Delivered Poorly

 

This is a problem that sometimes creeps up. A topic will seem perfectly acceptable... but the presentation will completely ruin whatever credibility the topic may have had. Let's look at an example. No, this does not involve waffles.

 

Say, the new Super Sonic Bros game has just been announced and, what luck, you get to be the lucky son of a gun who makes the thread and...

 

“Oh, yeah, I think I'm good.”

 

Yeah, no. See, the topic itself isn't the problem, but the way you've conveyed it is... well, to be honest there's not much conveyance here at all. The strength of a topic is largely dependent on the opening post. If your opening post is weak, your topic is going to be weak. What can you do to fix it?

 

#4 How to Turn #3 into #1

 

I'm going to break this down into different categories:

 

1. Topic Title
2. Body
3. Support

 

So let's talk about Mario Adventure 3 or whatever it was again, and see where this user went wrong.

 

Topic Title – A topic title should be very specific and detail exactly what you are referring to. In this case, the user simply put “new game” Okay... new game about what, exactly? Nobody's going to even want to click on that to see what you're talking about because it's so vague. Let's work on it.

 

Start by listing relevant details about the game. What is it called? When will it be out? What platforms will it be on? You'll want to answer as many of those questions as possible. The topic title should serve as a single sentence summary of the opening post. That way, your thread will draw more interest and users will know exactly what they're getting into before they click on it.

 

 

Body – Just like any post, the opening post of a topic should never be one or two short sentences. Be sure to post a great wealth of information on the subject. A good opening post should be at least one paragraph, though different scenarios may mandate the use of more or less text.

 

 

Support – Now that you have that settled, remember to post as much supporting material as you can. Multimedia is not required, but relevant trailers, screenshots, etc. should always be linked or embedded if possible. Obscure facts or claims should be backed up by reliable sources.

 

 

Lastly, remember that your grammatical usage also plays a crucial role in how your message is received. SSMB rules mandate that proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation is a must on all areas of the boards. Typos will naturally occur, but legibility is the most important aspect of a post. If your fellow members can not read it, then they certainly can't hope to respond to it.

 

On Topics in General

 

One final point I want to make is... well, don't worry if you're topic gets locked. If your topic gets locked, don't get angry or discouraged. Use a locked topic as encouragement to improve, not as a punishment. Unless, of course, you receive a strike on your account for said topic, then you can view it as a punishment. Otherwise, 90% of locked topics go without serious repercussions. Just listen to the guidance of members and staff and don't...

 

 

… Yeah, that. Don't do that. If all else fails, just stop making topics for awhile and stick to replies. Try to get the feel of the board before you try to create a whole new discussion.

 

If you simply can't think of a topic that hasn't been taken already or wouldn't go over well on SSMB, then just... don't worry about it. Worry not about how you contribute but what you contribute. A good, well thought-out reply can be just as influential as a good topic. If you find that the topic you really wanted to make has already been made, don't be disappointed. Be glad that someone else was like-minded enough to make it so you can post in it. After all, there's no rule against topic bumping here. As long as you have something genuinely worth discussing, topic necromancy is not a taboo here. Basically, it doesn't matter who created the topic as long as the topic is made.

 

_________________________________

 

And that's it. If you think you're competent enough and have a clear understanding of the principles outlined here, then go and make that topic you've always dreamed of. (Because people have dreams about topics, right? It's not just me? Hehe...) As a reminder, these steps are not 100% guaranteed that your topic will be successful or that it will have a great longevity. These are just a few tips that you can use to make sure your topic is meaningful and contributive to the community. Once again, I do not represent the staff, and as such, can not speak for them on matters which may contradict this post. If you're unsure about something, ask them, not me.

 

I've left this topic open for discussion and so users can add their own suggestions and correct me on any silly mistakes I may have made. So please, do feel free to do so!

 

In closing, I'd like to thank Nepenthe for giving me pointers on where to go with this thread and for giving me the green light to make it.  If this causes any disagreement between staff and members, then feel free to lock this topic and pretend it never existed.  I hope that these eight pages and several weeks worth of writing prove to be of assistance to members new and old. Thanks for reading! <3

[Iggy]

This is a brilliant topic, Akito! Informative, yet witty. In all honestly, it has a slight Cracked flair to it. This looks like something that could be extremely helpful to new members on the site.

[Wolfy]

Would just like to add "in short" thing:

 

Just make sure when you make a topic, make use common sense if you think it can hold up a healthy discussion (and is appropriate), and by that I mean take a gander around at how other topics on this forum look and use that as good judgement. Once that's squared away, take a swing at the search feature and see if your idea for a topic already exists or not. Lastly, type up a meaty opening post with as much detail as you possibly can, and always always always put in your own input somewhere in it, not just asking a question and then running off to la-la land. Also, don't feel like you simply /need/ to make topics just for the sake of it, I think a lot of newer people tend to have that impulse for whatever reason, so just follow above.

 

This is a pretty awesome article and it's great to see a regular member take initiative to help out some new people. To be honest, when I first saw this I was like "wat you doin'" but glad to see you asked a staff before posting, <3.

 

ALL IN ALL, extremely vague but just use your head and look before you leap kinda deal =3. 

[Nepenthe]

Another thing I'd like to point out- even though it's already covered by the bit about following the overall board rules- is the use of proper grammar. Having a bad grasp of the English language can absolutely mar a topic that would otherwise pass inspection, because a block of large unformatted text with no punctuation or capitalization is simply unreadable. It makes these topics fall more in the spam category than they would otherwise. As I always say, and this goes for topics and replies:

If you wouldn't hand it in to your English teacher for a grade, then it shouldn't be posted here. x3

Also, I'm pinning this.

[Yoko/葉子]

I still don't understand why threads asking for help with projects are a bad idea. I mean, I have nothing, but me and my friends will be working on a game and we need help.

[Shadrow]

Holy balls, this is a high-quality thread! Now I'll know where to look if/when I need to make a topic myself. Thanks for putting all that effort into this instead of just being like "Yo, don't make bad topics, you stupid butt."

[Tara]

This is a brilliant topic, Akito! Informative, yet witty. In all honestly, it has a slight Cracked flair to it. This looks like something that could be extremely helpful to new members on the site.

Thank you!  I do read a lot of Cracked, so I was aware of the influence in that department.  I'm happy that everyone here seems to have enjoyed it!

 

Also, don't feel like you simply /need/ to make topics just for the sake of it, I think a lot of newer people tend to have that impulse for whatever reason, so just follow above.

Yeah, that's sort of what I was getting at with the "On Topics In General" point.  Sometimes members are too concerned about simply having a topic in their name than actually contributing to the boards.  It's not a very good mindset to have.  Thanks for your support! ^^

 

Also, I'm pinning this.

Thanks a bunch! =D

 

Edited September 15, 2013 by Akito

[TCB]

Hot damn this is one of the most, if not THE most informative thread/OP I've seen on this forum made by a regular member. It's pretty much spot on with the things I felt uneasy with in making a topic.

 

Granted, I still don't think I'm that good enough to make a wholehearted, well thought out topic any time soon, this is a great read on the 'how to' and 'how not to do' of it all.

 

Excellent job!

Edited September 15, 2013 by TheChaosBacon

[Snatcher2047]

Excellent topic idea.  I always love looking at the recent topics column and even before clicking on the link I can tell if it's already been locked or not just by the title.  And that's been happening A LOT lately.  Hopefully, this will help remedy that.

Edited September 15, 2013 by Snatcher2047

[Nepenthe]

I still don't understand why threads asking for help with projects are a bad idea. I mean, I have nothing, but me and my friends will be working on a game and we need help.

Recruitment threads are just that: they exist to call members to a task, which inevitably has little to no discussion value. This is especially noticeable when people sign up just to make a recruitment thread: The end goal is not to interact with the existing community here in a conversational manner but to take members away to another project.

[Indigo Rush]

This is literally the sexiest post I've ever read. Congrats, and thanks, this topic needed to be made.

Edited September 15, 2013 by Indigo Rush

[Autosaver]

The title reminds me of...

 

"KIDS BOP BY KIDZ FOR KIDZ"

 

Anyways, I agree that this is an excellent guide. It seems like we've had many users come by posting threads for the first time and act all surprised when they make one.

 

I wonder if it would be possible to make a little warning before posting your first thread of this thread.

[Neon The Hedgehog]

            I think if someone is unsure about making a topic they should message a moderator about it. I mean, I'm not a moderator, but if I was one I would rather message someone that its not a good idea rather than shutting down a topic. Its also good to ask in the comment box to see if anyone would be interested in a topic. If it would bring positive discussion. So if your unsure, just ask. For instance, once I wondered if an Equestria girl topic would be a good idea so I asked the community through my comment box. And the moderators kindly told me that the My Little Pony topic also counted as the Equestria Girl topic. So that worked out really well because I learned that sometimes topics are combined. 

[TailsTellsTales]

I got one little concern about this which is that this is EXTREMELY LONG! It does got lots of great things and helpfulness huge effort. Could try and put this with regular help and rules to combine it.

Questions!

1. If there was new person, would this be intimidating?

2. Is it very long which could be intimidating people?

3. Could it be compacted without losing its message point?

Congratulations! You get a smiley for that EXTREMELY LARGE! effort!

Okay you are awarded one smiley!

Edited September 15, 2013 by TailsTellsTales

[Brad]

I loved reading this. Awesome job, I'm sure this will benefit a ton of people. And I may or may not have laughed out loud at the PM. 

[spinny]

I think this may be the best topic I've ever seen on here.

 

The detail it goes into; and how casual, friendly and witty it is alongside and the PMs; dear lord, that "piece of goat cheese" one made me nearly die of laughter.

 

I can imagine this topic being REALLY useful in the future! This kinda thing had to be made sooner or later.

[Yoko/葉子]

Mods, I have another question regarding appropriate topics; a documentary film my friend is in just got funded, would it be okay to make a thread for it?

[Diz]

If the focus on the topic is about your life in relation to your friend's life and his work in a documentary, I might suggest making a topic in Personal Discussion, although you could also consider adding it as an entry in one of the other Personal Discussion topics, like Express Your Emotions Topic.

 

If the focus is more effortedly headed towards discussing the documentary in general, a topic in Chit-Chat would be more suitable, though there are also topics like if that feeds your needs.

 

If the purpose is more to advertise and recruit, this is preferably (and often more efficiently) done through profiles, signatures and, if appropriate and not spammed, in the Status Updates.

 

 

I still don't understand why threads asking for help with projects are a bad idea. I mean, I have nothing, but me and my friends will be working on a game and we need help.

 

The main rule of thumb is that topics are reserved for efforted discussion value, while assistance topics more often than not go against this due to their nature. While I personally am not against something like a dedicated topic or subsection for assistance and guiding, like one that previously existed alongside Personal Discussion, related to technical difficulties, the current main rules for topics has become the way things are run here.

 

For assistance with developing a game, I suggest using the Status Updates asking for help. Furthermore, I suggest putting details regarding your project on your profile page and in your signature. Posting around in various topics, members are going to notice you and your signature, and if they know the answer to your trouble, they are just as likely going to respond to you by profile feeding or private messaging as if they were posts to a topic. There is Miscellaneous Works, and if you have something to show off, you could use the opportunity to announce your technical difficulties, however keep in mind that this section is dedicated to showing what you have made so far, keeping everything else to a minimum.

 

Best of luck with your project!

 

Mods, I have another question regarding appropriate topics; a documentary film my friend is in just got funded, would it be okay to make a thread for it?

 

I feel this might lean more toward events in your life, and if I am right about that, I would say a topic in Personal Discussion could do, if not a post in Express Your Emotions Topic. With subjects like these, it all comes down to your presentation, purpose and goal.

 

Also, this is a great topic. Thank you for all the effort and thought put into these guidelines, Akito. They will come to good use.

[Tara]

I got one little concern about this which is that this is EXTREMELY LONG! It does got lots of great things and helpfulness huge effort. Could try and put this with regular help and rules to combine it.

Questions!

1. If there was new person, would this be intimidating?

2. Is it very long which could be intimidating people?

3. Could it be compacted without losing its message point?

Congratulations! You get a smiley for that EXTREMELY LARGE! effort!

Okay you are awarded one smiley!

If someone isn't going to take ten or so minutes of their life to read a relatively lengthy post for the sake of improving the nature of the topics they post here, then they may as well not post in the community at all.  Namely because the community is already rife with incredibly long posts, so by now it should be expected.  Besides that, it's a completely optional topic with policies that aren't enforced by the staff.  If they don't want to read this lengthy wall of text, then they certainly don't have to.

 

The purpose of this topic was to go into as much detail as humanly possible so that people could understand why their topic was locked or ill-received by the community and to help them improve.  Condensing it would defeat that purpose.

[Uraraka]

I like this topic . I think it will be helpful to newcomers. It is also nice that some long time users want to help newbies. It is nice .

  I wanted to ask about topics that you want to make that you search for, but can't find, then yours gets closed because it already exists. Sometimes I get a little confused using the search feature. Any pointers?

[Tara]

I like this topic . I think it will be helpful to newcomers. It is also nice that some long time users want to help newbies. It is nice .

  I wanted to ask about topics that you want to make that you search for, but can't find, then yours gets closed because it already exists. Sometimes I get a little confused using the search feature. Any pointers?

The only thing I think can be said is to consider as many different ways one might word a topic as possible.  Other than that, there's not that much you can do.  As far as I'm aware, it's typically not a huge deal anyway as long as the other topic isn't literally on the exact same page as your own.

 

EDIT - Also the "Sort by" feature is a really good way to search for topics only on the basis of name.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Akito

[Diz]

Further pointers regarding the Search feature: Clicking the tiny cogwheel icon next to the magnifying glass button will bring you here. This lets you use the advanced form for searching up content posted across the forums. This allows you to do things like searching in all or only specified sections, entire posts or just titles, by author, tags and date. You can also customize the way results are displayed. The advanced search mode is very useful to me when searching up topics, and I have had a lot more success with it than with the basic search field.

 

Happy searching!

[-blank-]

I have a question;

 

 

Why was something like this not created before? Seriously, this is a really imformative guide that I hope will help with newer members especially, as they seem to be the ones whose topics get locked the most.

[Tara]

As I mentioned in the welcoming topic and shall soon add to the top of this page, even though I am now a staff member, the principles listed in this topic are still guidelines and suggestions, not rules that are enforced by me or any other members of the staff.  They are there to aid, but there will still be instances which may contradict what is taught in this tutorial.  You are now permitted to ask me things where it says "ask a staff member but not me," but I will not always be using this guide as a reference when deciding the fate of a topic.

[Stritix]

Very informative and useful. I'm sure it'll be helpful to quite a lot of newcomers.