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Since the current FAQs say this site is for students as well as professionals, what will the policy on homework be?

What are the guidelines that a homework question should follow if it is to be asked? I know on math.se they loosely require that the student make an attempt to solve the question and answers aren't a blatant solution as to give the student room to learn.

Since CS is based strongly on math and other areas of study, will we have the same requirements?

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SO also gets a fair number of homework questions. I think they should be accepted here IF (1) they are otherwise good questions - well worded and on-topic, and (2) the student has made some effort to solve them (that should be evident from the question). When answering such questions, users should be encouraged to put forth guiding advice, not just give the solution.

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  • $\begingroup$ I think it's important to do so, I would readily admit that this forum has been instrumental in my learning, particularly since its not always easy to get a hold of my professors (wish I had discovered it sooner!). My experience (such as with [cs.stackexchange.com/q/1176/603]) is that the community here is very good at fielding such questions, and so far I certainly don't see any problems with allowing homework problems as long as they are well asked and moderated. $\endgroup$
    – BrotherJack
    Commented Apr 10, 2012 at 3:25
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I think we should allow them. We can adopt a policy similar to [math.se]: How to ask a homework question?

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  • $\begingroup$ Yes, except without the homework tag. That's a major source of friction which Stack Overflow is only now trying to shake. $\endgroup$
    – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'
    Commented Mar 6, 2012 at 21:57
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    $\begingroup$ @Gilles, I don't know, it works well on Mathematics, and imho, using it is the more honest way (but I think it needs a separate discussion). $\endgroup$
    – Kaveh
    Commented Mar 6, 2012 at 22:00
  • $\begingroup$ the problem with what is written in the post you have linked to is that: the community will not agree that verbatim copied homework questions should be closed. So I don't think we are going to close questions which the post claims should be closed. $\endgroup$
    – Kaveh
    Commented Mar 6, 2012 at 22:06
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    $\begingroup$ I'm going to start a new discussion on the homework tag. $\endgroup$
    – OghmaOsiris
    Commented Mar 6, 2012 at 23:43
  • $\begingroup$ @Oghma, thanks :) $\endgroup$
    – Kaveh
    Commented Mar 7, 2012 at 0:07
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    $\begingroup$ For reference: math.SE no longer uses the homework tag, by overwhelming community majority. $\endgroup$
    – Raphael Mod
    Commented Jul 30, 2014 at 15:13

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