Does SpanishDict.com have quidelines for helping people with translations or revisions?
I want to make sure I don't give too much help to students. My first inclination is to jump right in and start proofing Spanish or giving information. Are there clear guidelines I should follow?
7 Answers
I would email Moe privately if he doesn't see this. He has a whole compendium of guidelines he sends people when they don't seem to be aware of them.
Your best bet until you read them is to let a person make their best effort then come in with corrections and suggestions. Let them know where the translator and dictionary tabs are on the tool bar.
¡Hola!, Rex_willhoit:
I read over your question a couple or three times. I think what I took from it is that you were enquiring specifically about entries submitted by members for proofreading. (I suppose even those which are posted to the wrong catagory). Here is a little "blurb" about proofreading:
Often, members prepare written work in Spanish or in English and then ask administrators, moderators and other members to read it with a critical eye to determine that it is well written and error free. This is an accepted and even an encouraged practice within the Span¡shD!ct learning community. Writers and readers benefit from examining fresh pieces of written work. New words are learned together with the skills of composition and grammar. Aspiring writers should write up a storm.
All that the community asks is that you give your written work your very best effort before submitting it to the Question/Answer Forum. In addition, if you have written your work in one language (Spanish or English), include a version in your native language (the other language) so the proof-reader will know what you were trying to say in the written work you have submitted for review.
Since the entry in the question box will be in both languages, it will be important to tell readers which version is to be proof-read and corrected.
My only other comment about proofreading is that if someone has written a creative piece in the language they are trying to learn they have shown a lot of effort toward "doing it themselves." They deserve the community's support. Even if they should omit the other language version, give them your best effort and encourage them to submit the other language version if needed at this time or certainly in any future requests. For me, our overriding goal is to help the members who have demonstrated that they have tried to help themselves.
Recuerdos/Regards,
Moe
I will often post threads that have something to do with homework, But I will never straight out ask a homework question. I will usually try and do the work myself and post both the English and Spanish versions of my work 
The feedback I get is tremendous I will never help on obvious homework questions. They actually are quite comical and make me laugh out loud. They will post they question and ask for A. B. C. or D. jejeje
Please have a look at this post by Moe, it is an excellent guideline and Moe has put much work into it
...assist students with homework only after they've tried to answer their own question first.
This is the most concise way to say the rule.
Here's a quick reference for Rex to Las Reglas del Foro. Cheers!
We usually try to assist students with homework only after they've tried to answer their own question first. I like to refine translations, rather than provide them. Especially if the answer can easily be obtained through the dictionary or translation portions of this site, I will refer the person to those sections. We are not supposed to do someone's homework for them, but it isn't always easy to recognize, so the guidelines are less than crystal clear in that regard.
