Frequently Asked Questions
« Back to Listings
Question: What are the origins of the FAQ?
Answer: While the name may be recent, the FAQ format itself is quite old. For instance, Matthew Hopkins wrote The Discovery of Witches in 1647 in FAQ format. He introduces it as "Certaine Queries answered," ... Many old catechisms are in a question and answer format. The newspaper "help" columns of "Ann Landers" and "Dear Abby" can be considered in the style of the Q&A format.
Back to Top