Homework

[acw]

Hey Ed,

 

Me again!  :-)  On the report question options, please could we have an option labelled "homework".  It's fair enough when people want views or opinions, and one word/number answers that form part of homework can not be detected.  But the blatant copying out of essay questions,  or more blatantly  business studies and economics questions, should not be permitted.  As a business AB has a corporate social responsiblity to encourage learning (after all this is the purpose of this site).  This should surely be interpreted as encouraging people to learn FOR THEMSELVES.  Fact and opinion providing is one thing, doing kids' homework is too much!!!  We should not encourage children to expect to be spoonfed. 

 

Alternatively, we could have a "homework" topic section so then people could ignore/help as they please! :-)

 

Thanks

[jno]

As for helping with homework, we already can answer or ignore questions as we please. I don't mind sharing my vast fund of frequently reliable knowledge with students, except that last time I did so I got my head bitten off for not being kind enough, so am rethinking. But ludwig's right: there's no moral distinction between asking someone on a website and reading a book. At the very least, if they get directed to woofgang's website, they may learn a useful lesson about the reliability of the internet.

[acw]

Ludwig actually said - paraphrasing the answer out of a book.  My point - that i'm obviously making very badly as few people "get" it - is that sharing knowledge is one thing, doing their homework for them is quite another!  I of course recognise that it's everyone's free choice which quesitons they answer and how on this website.  :-)

[jno]

Doesn't matter whether you paraphrase a book, totally rewrite it, change only every 27th word, ask AB, talk to the professor next door, go see a movie on the subject or whatever. They're all information resources by which you add to your knowledge, and students have every right to try it. ABers can write 16,000-word essays for them - that's our right - but nobody ever does; mostly people just supply useful websites (pace MargeB) or don't answer at all. That seems about right.

[acw]

I never said they didn't have a right to do it.  I actually suggested a unique topic section for them.  If you view that in a positive way - that could be seen to be encouraging it.  Never mind.  People obviously don't understand the point I'm trying to make.  Disagreeing is one thing, but i just get the impression my point has been entirely missed. 

[Didwot]

Sorry, I had a spare five mins and decided to answer this one http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Money_and_Finance/Questio n112885.html
Anyone else care to give the chap a few more helpful tips?

[jno]

Didwot, feel you have failed to factor in the cost of hay variable; also no mention of impact of Sarbanes Oxley.

[jno]

I do get your point, acw, honest, but I don't really agree with it.

For one thing, I don't think there's a clear distinction to be made between good/bad posts the way you suggest; what actually gets posted is more of a spectrum from minor queries at one end to posting of entire exam papers at the other (such as the one Didwot so helpfully answered... lord, I wish I could do satire like that). So I don't think it possible to separate the posts out and say some should be filed under existing topics and others should be sent to a separate Homework section.

Further, I don't think it's up to AB to make such distinctions anyway. It's up to contributors to decide what Qs and As they post (within the usual rules about abuse, profanity etc), and let the balance of nature take its course. If someone posts a query on a small detail, plenty of people will try to answer. If someone asks for a full essay, nobody will (except Didwot). Experience shows that's how it's worked out in the past, and I think that's just fine. Leaves the initiative with us, the AB users. If we don't want to answer a post, we don't have to.

[acw]

True true TRUE jno - you have converted me.  To be honest I just wanted to have a bit of a rant at the lazy kids.  I LOVED didwot's satirical answer - I only hope the little blighter submits it.  OR does the essay through woofgang's link.  Or both!  I'd love to see the lazy tyke's grades then! :-)

[THECORBYLOON]

acw There are many reasons why folk post questions and if I can help in a small way then I will. I hope REVIREB appreciates my help.....

[jno]

strangely, revireb has got a straight answer, from Oneeyedtic, who has made the question seem sensible and the answer seem interesting, without doing the whole thing for revireb. Just goes to show, doesn't it.

[magicdice]

i admit it, i've asked for homework help on here a couple of times, and the help i got was exactly what i needed. it's a question and answer site, nowhere is there any kind of rule about your motive for asking a question. sometimes, the wealth of knowledge shared between the AnswerBankers is a fantastic resource.

[acw]

Ed, is there anyway of shutting this thread please?  I'm sick of getting emails about it and I'm bored of the discussion.  If other people want to carry on going round in circles then that is FINE - but please please PLEASE stop the darned emails coming to me about it!!!!  I've clicked the "got an answer" in the past and it didn't work. 

 

Cheers,

acw

[inferno]

That will teach you to ask dumb questions.

[jno]

see, that's the trouble with rants, acw - you rant, everyone else rants back and it can go on for weeks. Whereas if you ask a simple question (like 'can anyone do my homework for me'?) you get one or two brisk answers and it's sorted. The balance of nature.

[jackwilson21]

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