Pick one main surname for which to base the query upon.
Cover the basic information and end it there - Who are you looking
for? When were they living (birth & death years)? Where did they live?
What do you want to know about them?
Know what area you're researching -- meaning the County or District
of Ontario. If you're unsure what County or District a town, village, or
city is in, visit the Ontario
Locator
Avoid short forms such as b, m, d. Not everyone knows what these short
forms mean, and short forms used in North America may not be the same as
those used overseas. Even avoid short forms when you think it's an internationally
recognized one. For example, CA can be interpreted as Canada, or California
(USA).
Avoid number dates such as 09/01/88. This can be interpreted several
ways -> Sep 1 1888, 9 Jan 1888, Sep 1 1988, etc. Spell out the month
and year!!
Never write a query in a rush. Take your time. Go over it a few times
to ensure what you're looking for is clear.
Keep queries to no more than 500 words, or 10 lines. The longer your
query, the less likely people are to read it
A query is NOT:
A descendancy or pedigree chart. A query is an inquiry, or a question.
Where's the question in a descendancy or pedigree chart?
"Researching these surnames in this county/district"