Poll: How to respond to homework questions

John Meacham john@repetae.net
Thu, 28 Aug 2003 13:44:09 -0700


On Thu, Aug 28, 2003 at 09:42:56AM +1200, Tom Pledger wrote:
> I'm curious about what the people on this list consider appropriate,
> as responses to homework questions.  Even if there isn't a consensus,
> it may be interesting to see how opinion is divided.
> 
> Please consider the following.
> 
> (A) Give a perfect answer.
> (B) Give a subtly flawed answer.
> (C) Give an obfuscated answer.
> (D) Give a critique of what the questioner has tried so far.
> (E) Give relevant general advice without answering the specific question.
> 
> I mean them to include giving references, e.g. a Wiki URL to relevant
> general advice would count as (E).
> 
> Which of those do you approve of?  Which do you disapprove of?
> 
> Please email me a concise vote, e.g.
> 
> 	OK:	B D E
> 	Not OK:	A
> 
> and I'll post a collated result next week.

Any of the above is just great when the response comes from the
professor of the course the student is asking for help in. especially
the random ones where the student mentions something derogitory about
the prof or the book they use. (and the response comes from the author)

perhasp a Wiki page listing CurrentHomework is in order, along with the
email of the teacher to forward questions which appear to have been
asked in bad faith to.
        John
 

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John Meacham - California Institute of Technology, Alum. - john@foo.net
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