SouthArk's Suggestions For Effective Posting (Grammar/Spelling Counts)

Originally Posted by SouthArk370Z

These are just my suggestions and are not endorsed by this site or anybody else.

When writing anything, you need to "write to your audience." If your writings are meant for young children, you need to use simple concepts/vocabulary and thoroughly explain any new concepts/words. If you're writing your [professional paper, thesis, or]doctoral dissertation, you want to use as many "big words" as possible and you can assume the reader is familiar with advanced concepts and words [discourse community]. Forum posts fall somewhere in-between.

The main thing you want to do is write so that the forums members will understand what you mean. This is the foundation of everything that follows. If people can't understand what you are typing, you are wasting your time and Internet resources.

In order for all parties to understand each other, they must use a common language. On this site, that's English. I don't think "foreign" language posts are forbidden on this site but you severely limit your audience if you don't use English.

No one here expects perfection but at least try to use something close to proper English. Many members, who could be very helpful, just don't have the time and/or inclination to decipher poor English. They will ignore your post and move on to something that is not so much work to understand. As long as your comments are easy to understand, few will complain (too much) but grammar and spelling do count if you want others to understand you.

Text-speak is frowned on by many members on this site - heavily frowned on in the tech sections - use it at your own risk.

If you start a topic, make the title meaningful. "I Need Help" is NOT a good title. "Need Help Reinstalling Throttle Bodies" works much better. Eschew abbreviations in the title*. Eg, don't use TBs for Throttle Bodies in the previous example. If you are asking a question, put a question mark somewhere in the title. I'm not sure how many characters you can use in the title but you have lots of room - make use of it.

Post new threads in the appropriate section of the site. Are-you-going-to-some-event posts do not belong in the tech forums and VVEL discussions shouldn't be in the social forums. Sometimes it's difficult to decide which is the most appropriate forum to post in - try to get close. Put a post about fuel injection in one of the Engine & Drivetrain sections (depending on the subject, it could go in FI or tuning, pick the one you think fits best; Exhaust is probably not applicable), not Wheels & Tires.

If you are asking for help, be as complete and as precise as you can. Explain the symptoms and give step-by-step details on what you have already tried and the results. If you are having problems understanding something you have read somewhere, include a link(s) to the source.


I'll add more as I think of it or if other members make suggestions I like.


* (Abbreviations are OK in comments. You may want to spell out the term the first time you use it and add the abbreviation in parentheses after. Eg, ... Throttle Body (TB) ...)