AskScience AMA Guide
Overview
You will need a Reddit account to answer questions. If you don't have one, you can sign up here.
We make the post in the morning Eastern Time to maximize the number of people who will see it. Once we make the post, we'll send you a link to share on social media.
You will start answering questions on the AMA several hours later (usually around lunchtime ET). The timing of this is flexible! Answering questions usually takes a couple of hours.
When can I do an AMA?
We schedule AMAs during weekdays, Monday through Friday.
All AMAs must be scheduled with the moderation team in advance.
We only host one AMA per day.
Please use the calendar below to see when we have availability. Note that other non-AMA events may be scheduled; we can usually still host an AMA on those days.
I'm part of a team! Can I do a group AMA?
The AMA format works fantastically for groups!
Each member of the team can make their own account, or share a group account.
We recommend adding a short biography for each team member to the text introduction.
How do I prepare for an AMA?
We will be in touch about scheduling once you submit your form to us.
We will need your Reddit username in advance. If you need to sign up for an account, you can do so here.
You'll need a title and introduction for the post.
The title is the most visible part of your post. Use this as a chance to draw readers in!
The introduction should be 1-2 paragraphs: not too long, but enough to help the community get to know you.
Try to include at least one relevant link, such as an articles, video, or website.
Here are a few past AMAs to use as examples:
Please send us your post title and introduction text at least 24 hours in advance so we can have the post ready for you.
How do I answer questions on my AMA?
Once your AMA is posted, you'll visit the post when you're ready to start answering questions.
Questions from users will look like this.
They will be voted up or down depending on how popular they are with other users. The points show how many "upvotes" a comment has received.
Find a question you'd like to answer and hit the Reply button.
It's important to reply here so your response is linked to the correct comment.
You don't have to answer every question.
The text editor for your reply will open up below the question.
Type your answer here! It can be as long or as short as you'd like.
You can use the formatting tools to add bold or italic text, superscript, links, and more!
Click the blue Reply button to save your answer.
You will want to periodically refresh the page to see new comments on the post.