How to ask a question in the UK Biobank Forum

The UK Biobank Forum is a space for researchers to ask questions, share knowledge and learn from others working with UK Biobank data.

Before posting a new question, follow these steps to help you find an answer quickly and make it easier for other researchers to help.

1. Search for an existing answer

Before creating a new post, use the search bar at the top of the Community to check whether your question has already been answered.

Search looks across both UK Biobank guidance and Forum discussions. Try using a few relevant keywords that describe your question or the issue you are experiencing.

If you find an existing Forum post about the same issue, you can join the discussion by adding a comment rather than creating a duplicate post.

2. Choose the right Forum topic

If you cannot find an existing answer, navigate to the Forum and select the topic that is most relevant to your question.

Posting in the right topic makes it easier for researchers with relevant knowledge and experience to find your question and respond.

You will need to be signed in to the Community to create a new post.

3. Write a clear title

Use a short, descriptive title that tells other researchers what you need help with. Include relevant keywords rather than general titles such as “Help needed” or “Question about UK Biobank”.

For example: 

Instead of: “Problem with my analysis”
Try: “How can I combine imaging and phenotype data in UKB-RAP?”

A clear title also makes your post easier for other researchers to find through the search function.

4. Include the information others need to help you

In your post, explain:

• What you are trying to do and the outcome you want to achieve.
• What you have tried already, including any guidance or approaches you have followed.
• What happened, including any relevant error messages.
• Relevant technical details, such as the tool, data type or workflow you are using.
• Code or examples, where these would help others understand the problem.

Providing this information from the start can help other researchers understand your question and give you a more useful response.

5. Check before you post

Please read our Community Guidelines before posting to understand what information can and cannot be shared on the Forum.

Do not include participant-level data, personal information, credentials or other sensitive information in your post. Remember that the Forum is primarily a peer-to-peer space. Posts are not guaranteed to receive a response from the UK Biobank team.

If your question relates specifically to your application, project or account, or requires action or an official response from UK Biobank, please submit a request instead.

Help other researchers too

The Forum works best when researchers share their knowledge and experience.

If you see a question you can help with, add a reply. If you solve a problem you previously posted about, consider returning to your post to share the solution.

Your contribution could help another researcher facing the same question in the future.