Guidelines before posting - Page 3

[ferdz13]

Think those student posting there homework in this site don't want to give effort to there grade. But they should be help by teaching them how to approach a programming problem so that they can solve there homework by them self. I'm an student and try to help my self. I'm just telling to my self that in very problem there are many sollution and that is true thare short sollution and trea are long sollution. There only one thing i'm going to say to all fellow member if you know how to approach you programming problem it's already easy to solve...

[jbennet]

i give them hints, links and book reccomendations or if its a simple mistake, i tell them , but i never give them the whoe thing or else they dont learn. the only time i will tell them (a little) code is when they have bothered to do the pseudocode and attempt the real code, but have become stuck.

[ferdz13]

Yes thats right we should just give hint or clue to solve there problem. We shouldn't answer there homework. They should strive for there own. There's only thing I'm going to say to make there problem easy to solve they must first make a flowchart on there problem for there basis for them to solve the problem easier.

[antona]

I absolutely agree with CSCGal on both your postings.

When learning, work should be put in, that is the purpose of it, and as Samaru said

"People would learn even more if they at least tried to do it themselves first. Even if they failed at it, they would learn what not to do, and this would be shown on their post by saying what they tried."

When I instuct or manage people, I point out that failing often offers a greater reward than geting it right first time. Because with problem solving, you gain experience and wider knowledge. And that is what School Pupils, College Students and University Undergraduates are there to do.

Guidance is a better alternative, if the query looks genuine, not the answer. With Trainees and Juniors, I always seek to get them to find the answer, no matter how long it takes them. Often the slower ones learn the most, and prove in the long run to be best.

I took everyone's advice and posted announcements about homework help in the C++, Java, Basic, and Comp. Sci. forums. As far as homework help, I see no reason why it shouldn't be included here at techtalk and I, for one, am more than willing to help.

I understand, however, that it gets very annoying when people post homework questions verbatim and expect a quick solution for an easy A without having the slighest clue what they're doing. As Dan said earlier in this thread, this forum is about learning.

For the most part, homework help should basically be on an abstract, conceptual basis. Don't simply provide code solutions outright for people who don't try at all.

[pejy69]

So my question would be.....
Does anyone wanting help with assignments (even adult student's) provide the information they have come up with and then suggestion could be added to it rather than providing the whole answer.... even if the student is wrong at least they have attempted it and you guru's will be able to see where we have gone wrong.... it's all educational and great learning from someone's expert knowledge when you are only learning.... just a suggestion ... not quite sure what you mean by effort????? Please Clarify

[antona]

I agree, this is a very good suggestion with some modification.

There are potential difficulties if a piece of work is for 2,000 words, that means posting 8 pages, based on handwritten script, and pro rata for say 20,000 words. Even allowing only half this amount in the early stages of the project, several pages of script to read through would be a bit cumbersome. Perhaps just listing key points already found with added threads of argument in precis form, might be a way forward.

With reference to:
"...not quite sure what you mean by effort?????" This is clearly the effort of having put in many hours ( at least 20 to 30) of research and reading, with reference to text in books, journals and Papers (and I don't mean newspapers). These could also be listed (author, title and page numbers) along with the 'key points' (as above) as evidence, which would also have to be included in the final piece of work anyway, unless you are talking about a school essay in which case they would not.

So my question would be.....
Does anyone wanting help with assignments (even adult student's) provide the information they have come up with and then suggestion could be added to it rather than providing the whole answer.... even if the student is wrong at least they have attempted it and you guru's will be able to see where we have gone wrong.... it's all educational and great learning from someone's expert knowledge when you are only learning.... just a suggestion ... not quite sure what you mean by effort????? Please Clarify

[mohammad.imran4]

Dani, I think you need to create a sticky post of guidelines before posting. Maybe have it on every forum. This is for the people that put up homework assignments (or any other type for that matter) and want a quick answer without even trying. This forum is about learning, not about doing some else's dirty work.

Hello,
I am a new member here. I couldn't understand wat u guys r talking about. Wat type of homework that the people r not even trying. Can I get that notes! I am not the type of person you faced.....

[mohammad.imran4]

hi

[antona]

Hello,
I am a new member here. I couldn't understand wat u guys r talking about. Wat type of homework that the people r not even trying. Can I get that notes! I am not the type of person you faced.....

Are you using a mobile phone or such like, or are you dyslexic?
"......wat u guys r "

[jbennet]

Yes, please use full English as stipulated in the Rules

[kanaku]

Some first-time posters are confused. They're starting to think we don't want to help. To those people who are confused, don't be scared. :D Of course we're willing to help. We just need 'proof' that you already spent time on this.
To clear things up, here are examples of scenarios where I (probably) won't help:

- "Hi I want to open my file without number seven popping up so I changed the settings like it said and when I opened the window like in the instructions it should go blue but it went green! I tried it again with pink but the number 8 became number 9 and it's going to become number 10. I tried restarting but I'm lost. Pls help."

Explain. Please, please, please explain what's happening. Don't ask like we're standing behind you and have seen all your valiant efforts at hair-pulling. If the poster is in luck, someone might reply with this: What are you opening? What tutorial are you following? What did you change? Isn't pink the nicest color in the world? --- to the path of enlightenment. Most of us will just give up though.

- "Variable X is a factor of variable Y. If variable Z is integrated from X to Y, array M should be generated such that it contains all the possible combination of (X,Y) that will lead to an answer Q without an instance of X equal to Y."

This thread will get no answers. Only posts about "give more effort, stop using the forums to get quick answers..." basically the same stuff you read in this thread. Why? Because it's an obvious copy-paste version of the homework question. If you're going to ask for help, at least make the effort to talk like a human being and not a teacher! (no offense to teachers)

Some problems don't need to be solved. Some people just need to know where to start. Here are problems that will probably get an answer or a friendly google-type-nudge in the right direction:

- Posted in HTML/CSS forum: "Hi I'm trying to make a script where users can register and login then access member-only sites. Can you post good tutorials/sites to start learning how to do it?"

This person will probably get an answer. Some recommendations of good sites, a short post correcting his misconception (ie "You can't do that with HTML only. You have to study PHP. Try *insert link here* to know what PHP is") and such.

I need to check if the values in an array are a factor of a given number. Is there a way to do that?

This post will also get short replies like: try this function. Or (if the poster is in a good mood) something like: that's not possible but you can write a function yourself by using: code snippet or pseudocode to describe how it's done .

Here are posts with obvious effort and will probably get real-time debugging support. :D:

Hi, I'm trying to follow this tutorial and it says that I should do blah blah blah after I connect to the database. When I run the something.file, there's a message saying "Error at terminal in front of PC". I opened the scarycode.file file and changed Line 1 to code code code but now there is no response at all. Here is my code for reference: more code

This post is so brilliant, the author will be perfect if it weren't for Line#4: code code code . --- which is what this thread will get as a response. Or other members will gladly provide some complicated code snippet to help this person who has obviously tried working on the problem but just can't get parts of it right.

In conclusion, be descriptive about the problem, try to *at least* type your question in Google first, and act like there's a human being helping you on the other side (even if in truth, we're just bots). I hope this clears up the DOs and DON'Ts of asking-for-help in this community (from my POV, at least).

*Sorry for the heavy post; I'll contact my publisher for a paperback version*

[~s.o.s~]

Actually there are two reasons why a thread won't receive an answer. The first reason of no effort being put in by the poster is already explained in detail in the above post.

The second reason why a thread isn't replied to would simply be that no one knows the answer to that query! Though not very frequent, there are certain API specific questions [e.g. jQuery related queries in the Javascript sub-forum] which are best answered in the specific forums meant for them [e.g. the jQuery message board].

Also queries which involve sifting through loads of code are sometimes avoided by members. To fix this, try to localize the issue and come up with sample snippets which reproduce the problem at hand.

[jbennet]

Yup i will ignore stuff i dont have a clue about. if i come back later and no one has still replied ill google it and see if anything obvious comes up

[Jager]

I totally understand about not wanting to “do” someone’s homework. But when someone has NO IDEA where to begin or what to do I would think this would be a great forum to give suggestions or send someone in the right directions. I would think someone with so much knowledge would want to share and help.

[WaltP]

Yes it is a good place. But if, as you say, "when someone has NO IDEA where to begin or what to do" this is not the place to get started. Their instructor is the one to ask. Once they have some code that looks like they at least tried to start, we can help.

[Jager]

I do not even know what question to ask............

[WaltP]

I do not even know what question to ask............

Then expect an appropriate answer. Only a couple of us are psychic...

[Jager]

Ok here is a question:
I have the following
Convert the following for loop to a while loop and a do-while loop and tell me what the output should be:

long total = 0;

for (int i = 0; i < 500; ++i)
{
if ((i % 3) == 1)
{
total = total + (i * 2);
}
}
System.out.printf("The loop total is %10d", total);

The output is the following:
The loop total is 83500

The loop adds up double of all the integers from 0 to 499 that are one more than a multiple of 3.
83500 = 1*2 + 4*2 + 7*2 + 10*2 + ... + 499*2 = 2*(1+4+7+10+...+499)
***************************************************************************************
// While loop:
long total = 0;
int i = 0;
while(i < 500)
{
if ((i % 3) == 1)
{
total = total + (i * 2);
}
i++;
}
***************************************************************************************
// Do while loop:
long total = 0;
int i = 0;
do
{
if ((i % 3) == 1)
{
total = total + (i * 2);
}
} while (++i < 500)

Is the looping correct?

[WaltP]

Now that's an appropriate question. You:
1) state what you want to accomplish
2) show what you're starting with
3) show the output
4) Then show your solutions
You get points off for not using CODE Tags though.

Now, if you are asking if the loops produce the correct output, wouldn't it be faster to just run them? Other option is that you want comments on the two loops to see if you missed something or can improve them.

[Jager]

What is a CODE Tag?
And I am a little clear on the loop and wanted to make sure I had done it right.

[WaltP]

What is a CODE Tag?

:icon_rolleyes:
CODE TAGS are described:
1) in the Rules you were asked to read when you registered
2) in the text at the top of the C/C++ forums
3) in the announcement at the top of the C/C++ forums titled Please use BB Code and Inlinecode tags
4) in the sticky post in the C/C++ forums titled Read Me: Read This Before Posting
5) any place CODE tags were used, even in responses to your posts
6) on the background of the box you actually typed your message in on the C/C++ forums

How can you not know what they are?

And I am a little clear on the loop and wanted to make sure I had done it right.

If you're clear, that's good. If you're unclear you should ask in the proper forum. Not in the Feedback forum.

[BestJewSinceJC]

Learning daniweb's posting guidelines is useful to your major? What about reading comprehension?

[VernonDozier]

just newbie here and am trying to learn some of this regarding to my course aa minor in com sci.
..

"Community Introductions" would be the proper forum for posts like this. Welcome!

[ithelp]

if one is unable to find out which category he should post , shall he post in geek lounge ?

[happygeek]

There's a forum fit for pretty much everything, but if a user truly cannot find somewhere then they should PM me and I'll point them in the right direction.