Should we be helping Spanish students do their homework?

Question

I frequently see questions from new members (they have no rep, no awards, no points) and it looks like they are maybe studying Spanish in high school or college and come here with their homework questions.

Should we be helping these people or should we be directing them to the dictionary, translator or the appropriate SD lesson?

Answer 1

We have several previous threads or you could read the forum policy.

1. No cheating on school assignments. These forums do not provide free schoolwork, translations, or revisions of texts. You may submit your attempt at an assignment and members have the opportunity to correct it, but no one will do your assignment for you.

Personally, I try to play it by ear. If the person shows that he has made an effort or just is totally lost concerning what the assignment is about, I try to make suggestions without doing the assignment for them.

voting - 00494d19, Feb 18, 2011

Answer 2

Agreed totally! Some seem to have made an effort, and I think it is OK to help these students along. For example, they have attempted the assignment but still have a few mistakes.

Right on. The important thing is the effort made prior to asking. - Deanski, Feb 18, 2011

Agreed :) - FELIZ77, Feb 18, 2011

Answer 3

I agree with gfreed completely in this, however in some cases helping,or even doing is an exercise for me.

Right Paco, we can always do the assignment on our own, and where we have questions, or snags, then it's SD to the resuce! ;o) - cristalino, Feb 18, 2011

agreed, cristalino! - pacofinkler, Feb 18, 2011

Answer 4

I'm with the rest of the people here. I'll help and hint, but I won't do it for them. It defeats the purpose of doing homework.

Answer 5

Perhaps it is best to give them a valuable life lesson by giving them a believeable but incorrect answer

. . .or at least give them the impression that the answer needs to be verified by their own efforts

I have no problem providing dubious answers even when it is not my intent. - 0074b507, Feb 18, 2011

I wouldn't do it ,damages credibility and ethics. - pacofinkler, Feb 18, 2011

Answer 6

I'll never forget a person coming here and wanting us to translate a business ad for them and getting upset that we wouldn't do it.

Answer 7

The best one so far was someone coming here for help with her algebra homework a couple days ago, lol.

I showed her how to do the first problem since she seemed unsure how to even start, but I did not do the rest of them.

For Spanish, I agree with the above posters that it is ok to explain or help a little, and point them to resources, but not answer the questions for them or re-write their paper for them.