5.3 Should I post my homework question? (sci.chem)
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This article is from the Chemistry FAQ, by Bruce Hamilton B.Hamilton@irl.cri.nz with numerous contributions by others.
5.3 Should I post my homework question? (sci.chem)
In general, definitely not. Your homework question is designed to challenge
you to understand an aspect of chemistry, and your teacher will have
ensured that there are appropriate resources available to you at your
institution. The library is always an excellent place to start, and the
librarians are skilled at finding information - if you ask for assistance.
Before posting to the group, consider if a similar question could have
arisen in the past, and check DejaNews using relevant keywords. However,
if you find that the library and other available resources can not fully
satisfy your curiosity, then carefully outline your problem, list the
information resources you have investigated, and post only to the most
appropriate group. If it is the wrong group, somebody will point you to the
correct one. Do not expect to receive the actual answer, most readers will
carefully consider your request, and usually frame a response to ensure that
you need to perform some work before you can answer your own question. The
most obvious technique is to respond with a similar worked example which is
sufficiently different to ensure that you can not simply plug in numbers and
arrive at your correct answer. Often posters will point to specific library
resources for you to locate and read.
Also, remember that posters are not obliged to provide only correct answers,
they can deliberately introduce errors to ensure direct copying without
comprehension results in the wrong answer - it is not their homework :-).
Teachers can identify dramatic changes in students' writing styles, and a
quick search using Alta Vista or DejaNews can readily confirm their
suspicions. Do not expect sensible or accurate responses if you post from
anonymous servers.
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