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I have been trying to find something on this site which provides guidance for someone asking a question as to how to do it in order to help someone answer it. I have failed. I'm sure that there must be something on this topic but if I haven't been able to find it how might a new OP come across it?

I think that such guidance would at least suggest that the OP provided an MWE (from \documentclass... to \end{document}) that could be compiled to show the OP's problem. Many questions seem to assume that everybody knows what the OP has done in general but there is a specific problem related to a couple of lines of code. Often the problem is with the anonymous code.

Many comments about questions ask for MWEs.

I don't know how OPs can be persuaded to look at any suggestions that might help them get an answer.

I just hope that the OPs can be encouraged to help those brave souls trying to help them.

--- GOM

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    When you go to ask a question, there's a link to how to ask a good question in the right side-bar. It definitely falls short, but it's a start to help folks before they just jump to asking a question.
    – Werner Mod
    Mar 4 at 9:04
  • @Werner Thank you for that. I don't remember noticing it but perhaps that's because I have been asking/answering questions for many years. Is there any chance of the "how to ask a good question" being updated to take account of the problems with many of the questions?
    – Peter Wilson
    Mar 4 at 19:01
  • (unfortunately it is ridiculously hard to get SE to update that page. I doubt it's even possible with the current code. Perhaps at best tex.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic can be updated but I don't know if moderator can update it, or only CM/staff/developer can.)
    – user202729
    Mar 10 at 11:09
  • 3
    What/who is GOM?
    – LSpice
    Mar 16 at 21:15
  • 2
    @LSpice: Perhaps "God of Memoir"? :-)
    – Peter Grill
    Mar 17 at 17:57
  • 2
    @LSpice GOM = Grumpy Old Man (but PeterGrill's rendition is also appropriate).
    – Peter Wilson
    Mar 18 at 19:46

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