Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
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From: vrotney@netcom.com (William Paul Vrotney)
Subject: Re: Students!
In-Reply-To: shrager@neurocog.lrdc.pitt.edu's message of 30 Sep 1996 16:10:34 GMT
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Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
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Date: Tue, 1 Oct 1996 03:06:39 GMT
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In article <52ordq$35v@usenet.srv.cis.pitt.edu> shrager@neurocog.lrdc.pitt.edu (Jeff Shrager) writes:

> 
> We need to figure out how to approach the problem of students posting
> trivial lisp questions on comp.lang.lisp.  I propose that we use the
> approach that the "sci.stat..." community has used very successfully
> which is to have another list (which they call "sci.stat.consult")
> called something like "comp.lang.lisp.students". (comp.lang.lisp seems
> like a perfectly good place to put high level consulting.)  Students
> can "cooperate" (or cheat, even) there if they like, and those of us
> who would like to help out (which, by the way, I include myself among)
> could read that list.  I think that having such a list with its own
> FAQ and protocols would greatly help both the professional lisp
> community and the student lisp community.
> 
> In the meantime, let me encourage readers of this list not to reply to
> questions which clearly ought to be directed to one's professor or TA,
> or which can be read pretty much straight out of almost any lisp text.
> Or, if you insist, to reply in very general terms as opposed to giving
> anything close to code.
> 

I agree.  I will usually respond to such a student's questions with "Is this
for your homework?".  Amazingly they will almost always respond with "yes".
Then, unless they appear completely unethical, I will prompt them with
questions that will lead to them solving it themselves.  If they don't
respond to your prompts then they are probably just out to cheat.

But for the students that are ethical they should have another news group to
post such "homework" questions to.


-- 

William P. Vrotney - vrotney@netcom.com
