[WikiEN-l] A danger of massive homework and research requests

Thu Jan 29 20:46:13 UTC 2004

I don't think we should do students' homework for them. Queries in the
form of, "My professor assigned me to answer this question; please give
me the answer" are an invitation to help a student cheat. I choose to
decline such invitations.

If the information required isn't in the Wikipedia, then by all means
let's respond to the query by adding that information. I'd love to know
more about ocean currents, myself.

There's been discussion (last year, was it?) about how Wikipedia is like
a library, or perhaps not like one. The reference librarian is happy to
help you FIND YOUR OWN ANSWERS, thus facilitating your homework -- not
doing it for you. 

The point is to help you learn, to let you know.

Ed Poor