How do I ask a question about the state of current research without falling in the "primarily opinion-based" category"?

Question

My questions are getting closed a lot as "primarily opinion-based", which I understand might be entirely my fault.

One thing I don't quite understand is why this question got put on hold. I was really just asking about the state of current research with regard to a particular topic. My question got answered in the comments, but I think it's a shame that it got closed down.

In general: How should I ask questions about the state of current research without falling into the "primarily opinion-based" category? Of course people are going to disagree on the topic since the physical problem might or might not be solved, although I don't think that makes such a question subject to opinions in the sense of subjective accounts of the topic (which is what I thought the close option was for).

Answer 1

I feel your question was unnecessarily closed (and I've voted to reopen) but right now we are struggling to maintain the quality of the site under an onslaught of ill thought out, poorly phrased or even utterly barking questions. With too few reviewers chasing too many bad questions mistakes get made.

One of the standard types of question we get is:

Why do physicists think that ...

and this isn't a question we can answer, unless I suppose we organise some sort of poll of all physicists. It's really an attempt to open a discussion not a request for a specific answer, and these questions therefore rapidly get closed as opinion based. in your question you asked (in bold text!):

Why is it not widely accepted that ...

and I suspect many reviewers would read no further than the word that before reaching for the close button.

You defer the technical issues to a final For clarification paragraph, and many people would have given up before reaching it. Had you started with the technical stuff I doubt your question would have been closed.