Final answer:
In the IPython shell, you can use the help function, question marks for quick documentation, %quickref and %magic for references on magic functions, %tutorial for an interactive tutorial, and tab completion for finding command options.
Step-by-step explanation:
The IPython shell offers various ways in which a user can seek assistance. One of the core features is the help utility, which can be invoked by typing help() followed by the name of the object, method, or module you want to learn more about. For quick reference, you can append a question mark (?) to the end of the object's name. Additionally, by using two question marks (??), IPython will try to provide more detailed information such as the source code if it is available.
Another helpful command is %quickref or %magic which provides a quick reference sheet and detailed documentation on IPython's magic functions, respectively. For an interactive tutorial to familiarize oneself with IPython's key features, you can use the %tutorial command. Lastly, tab completion is a nifty feature in IPython. By pressing Tab after writing the beginning of a variable, function, or module name, you will see a list of possible completions, which is helpful for discovering new commands or remembering the full names of longer functions.