Here at ResearchGate, it is our mission to connect the world of science and accelerate scientific progress. A big part of connecting this world of science is the meaningful scientific discussions that happen in our Q&A forum.
Q&A is where you exchange high-quality questions and answers in a research-focused environment.
This collaborative approach to problem-solving will help you connect with specialists and build your reputation, at any stage of your career. We’ve put together these guidelines so that you can get the most out of Q&A – and to make sure it remains relevant, professional, and useful.
Top tips for Q&A
- Make sure your question title is clear, concise, and asks a question.
- Search to see if your question has already been asked before posting.
- Recommend good questions and answers instead of saying “thanks” or “good question”.
- Keep it professional, polite, and respectful
- Refer to ResearchGate's Community Guidelines for tips on proper conduct in Q&A.
- Report inappropriate questions and answers to help us maintain a high standard. Find out how in our section on reporting questions and answers.
Asking a good question
Title
Your question is the first thing another researcher sees. It should be clear, concise, and contain enough information so that others can see what it’s about at first glance.
Explanation
This is where you provide further details that other researchers will need to answer your question. It’s best to be specific, so be sure to provide any necessary context and background information. You can even attach resources that help to explain your problem, such as images and graphs.
Note: Please make sure you have sufficient rights to share any resources before you do so.
Style
Keep your questions clear and focused. Always keep in mind that Q&A is where you engage with other scientists on a professional level and aim to use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Asking questions in English may help you reach more experts in your field.
Adding a good answer
A good answer is a comprehensive and considered response to the original question, and maybe even answers the question outright. Good answers often come from researchers who’ve experienced similar problems and can draw on their own research experience. Consider attaching resources to your answer or a reference to a publication.
Note: Please make sure you have sufficient rights to share your resources before you do so.
Inappropriate behavior
We want to make sure that discussions on ResearchGate are constructive so that everyone feels free to express their professional opinions while remaining respectful and tolerant of others. That's why we aim to keep all questions and answers professional and focused.
Please take a moment to review our Community Guidelines to learn about what behavior is encouraged on ResearchGate and what we consider inappropriate.
In addition, the following types of content will not be accepted in Q&A:
- General knowledge questions that can be answered easily using a search engine
- Content that is unrelated to the question
- Requests for help with homework, dissertation titles, or dissertation topics
- Questions relating to the general use of ResearchGate
Please note: Content of the above nature will be deleted. Furthermore, members engaging in repeated inappropriate behavior may have their accounts permanently disabled.
Recommending and reporting
You can help determine which questions and answers become most visible in Q&A. Recommending high-quality questions and answers is how you can ensure that the most relevant content appears most prominently. You can also help to make sure that quality on ResearchGate remains high by reporting inappropriate content. Find out how in our section on reporting questions and answers.
Questions about ResearchGate
If your question is about your ResearchGate account or if you have feedback or suggestions for us, please don’t post in Q&A – contact us instead. For questions about how ResearchGate works, check out the other sections in our Help Center.
