Don't you find it tempting...?

Question

When I see someone - not a regular member of our forum and not a learner of SpanishDict - throwing their homework here, like "I need the correct articles for these words" or "what is the correct conjugation of the following verbs", being just too lazy to type in the word in our dictionary or click on the conjugation, or even google for it...

Don't you ever find it tempting to give them some incorrect answers? I don't mind "strangers" putting some stuff to be proofread or checked. But asking others to do your own job is simply not fair - they somewhat cheat the teacher and themselves. I know it's just their problem, but nevertheless... Don't you find it tempting?

Answer 1

Nizhoni, I totally agree with you on the rare case statement. The people that suffer from a Learning Disability do need help but they still have a choice to try and put something down (even if it is wrong). They still need to take a risk and understand that it is ok to make mistakes and nobody is going to jump down their throats for it. I teach students with emotional and behavioral disorders as well as learning disabilities and I expect them to try--they are wrong sometimes/most times---but still try. Just wondering what your friends learning disability was.

Answer 2

That's why many users agreed to inform the newbies that they should post their own answer first (and use the conjugation tool, our dictionary, look for similar threads) and someone will check it for mistakes.

Answer 3

Isabela, you´re assuming the asker had made no effort with the translator. I´ve noticed that some are here for second opinions, they are asking humans perhaps because they don´t trust machines. This may occur because there are three translators on this cite and sometimes you can get three different responses. (Just before I read this question I was using the translation page and came up with two different answers to the same text.) And anyway, on some translation questions there has been a lot of debate. Translation is not always as cut and dried as doing arithmetic.

• One rule I've learned on various forums is to assume good faith. Although the occasional troll does drop by here they are easy to sort out. - Malenor Nov 3, 2009
• No, but the sentence can always be checked and corrected by one of the more advanced users. - Issabela Nov 3, 2009

Answer 4

Issabela, I think that the reason this question got so many hits was because the subject was rather suggestive. Although I agree with you. I only joined a day or two ago, and I am still annoyed as heck when someone puts their homework type questions. It would be rather fun, wouldn't it, to just give the wrong answers...?

Answer 5

Give them a hint...answer their question with another question and make them think...after a while give them another hint and let them find the answer for themselves...

Yeah, I should talk...I'm the biggest sucker around giving them the answer in a jiffy...

Answer 6

When faced with such questions (as a parent), I always ask myself "?How would I respond, if my child were to come to me with such a question?" My response would generally fall into one of two categories. If I interpret the request for help/an answer as meaning "Do my homework for me (perhaps, because I don't find it interesting)!", I am inclined to say "It's your homework, do it yourself!". On the other hand, if I suspect that that my child is trying to understand the problem and find an answer, I am more likely to suggest dictionaries, encyclopedias, web-searches as methods of finding an answer (or provide a direct answer but, on the whole, I think it better that my child learn to find the answers by herself).

Answer 7

I have a perspective that helps me curb my passive aggressive (or plain old aggressive) qualities. I honestly think that often newcomers are not familiar enough with the site to use it properly. They come here looking for an answer, there is a link that says "answers" and a button to click that says "ask a question" and they take it at face value.

And I admit I didn't read the rules before posting - we are exposed to those constantly, and they often say the same thing: no flames, spam, etc. I get in a hurry and assume my common sense will get me by.

Maybe we need a generic polite concise answer pointing them to the other more appropriate resources to post and then don't give it a second thought?

Answer 8

-- delete please --

Answer 9

I also think a proper response would be ignoring such questions/posts. If the user has just signed up and asks a 'homework' type question, or one that doesn't make any sense, it would be easier to just ignore it. If they're not really serious then they'll go away.

However if they show points for using the lessons on SpanishDict, that would better indicate a sincere interest in learning. In that case I'm all for helping and guiding them.

Answer 10

good 2 know cheeseis!!! lol made me laugh... . well, at least u put there smthng, cause I don't know enough yet 2 put 5 sentences together!!! hahahaha