Asking compound questions?

Question

Are questions that ask multiple topics okay? I'm thinking of these two particular ones.

• Is 5 min fast running better then 30 min. walking? and Is it better to run/walk on treadmill then in open air ground? [closed]
• Why do runners immediately stop after a run? Does opening your mouth more while running affect oxygen intake?

I'm ignoring the fact that the first question is closed, but it is closed because it duplicates two other questions that cover the same, but separate, topics. The second question is one where I edited the title (which previously titled "Two quick questions regarding the way runners run (long-distance)") to reflect what the question was actually asking.

I don't have a problem with questions that ask multiple items so long as they are tightly related enough to one another such as this one regarding weight gain using the GOMAD strategy.

What actions, if necessary, would be appropriate for handling questions that ask multiple, loosely connected topics?

Answer 1

I don't have a problem with questions that ask multiple items so long as they are tightly related enough to one another

This is generally the strategy we advise. If they are very closely related questions, it can be OK. (the second example is marginal; the first is clearly two different questions.) But if they are two different or only loosely related questions, it's schizophrenic and difficult to answer.

I would edit such questions to remove the "secondary" question and re-focus them on the primary question. You can leave a comment urging the OP to ask the other question, if warranted, as a different question.