I'm a sporadic 'catter and most often log on, I'll admit, when I want to plumb the deep well of this online community's folkloric knowledge. As in, I'm trying to find something out about a song. I do always check the DT, though I seem to sometimes do it incorrectly, since Jeri recently (without chastisement) pointed me to the database for something I was looking for. (When I'm on, I also scan requests to see if I know anything helpful -- usually someone's beat me to it, though I did add some info about the song Aragaon Mill just now to the thread on historical ballads.)

All of this is to ask: what are the written and unwritten principles, ettiquette points, etc., I ought to be aware of in making these requests? Thanks for gentle guidance.