Should users answer homework questions?

A moral dilemma indeed. A student asking these questions online is a high-tech version of copying a friend's homework on the bus ride to school. It helps the student in the short run, but when the test comes around, the student suddenly finds himself/herself unprepared. Also, not every answer given is a correct one, and a student is gambling on whose argument for their answer sounds more reasonable.

I think it would be near impossible to establish an online boycott of answering these questions. Groups of people will always go against the tide and provide answers, especially in a faceless community. We can only choose for ourselves not to answer the questions, or we can attempt to make it educational in nature, explaining the problem as a teacher might. Remember all the times we did not know something, asked a friend, received an answer and explanation, and grew from the process?

There is a great burden on teachers to make sure their students are learning the subject matter, and they must be creative in battling cheating. Things like "show all work," "explain in your own words," and focusing on projects instead of reports are some ways. Flagging homework questions might be a good idea, but we can already search what questions have been asked on this site, which is the same thing.

Lastly, say you have a question that sounds like a homework problem, but is genuine. Would this site complete its purpose if no one took the time to answer your question?

I often tell such askers to do their own work. Only on rare occasions will I give answers, and then usually I will also point them in the right direction so that they can do further research.

I am editing this because of something that just happened. I now say that you should give answers to homework questions. The reason I say this is because there was an obvious homework question here on answers and I told the asker that if they used any of the answers they would be guilty of plagerism. The question was deleted by yahoo and I was apparently in violation of the community guidelines, so unless you want to get docked 12 points, and be placed in violation of yahooanswers community guidelines you had best answer the questions...

NO!!! Homework is NOT to be done on the computer. That is why we pay hard earned tax dollars on books. Computers are not a good learning tool for kids, adults, etc. Answers is the worst for this: teaches people to bypass hard work for the simple answers of strangers.

I get reported for telling people to do their own homework. They are truly the idiots of the world. I blast yahoo! answers all the time for this. I e-mail them all the time about this. The moderators either suck or do not see what a problem this is.

Turn off your computer and go and do the work you put off until too late. Especially you math slackers.

I agree with you. Homework questions should not be allowed to be answered on Yahoo answers and questions. I believe those kids are to lazy to do their homework and rather play on the computer. I think it should be flagged!!

If you want to teach children to by lazy and reliant on others, yes. Otherwise, conceptual assistance and letting them know where to find the answers are a better choice I think.

Why is it a big deal? Get over it. How many times have you seen a kid ask a question that they already know. Why would they waste their time asking a question that they know the answer to. If we dont give them the answer someone else will.

i feel that many people may no be providing factual information. however if the student is silly enough to post the question, answering is fine. they will probably just fail.

Its up to you if you want to answer there questions

Absolutely No. By all means we should discourage them.

Dont make your question to long. Is this a question for homework huh huh?

lol