Poll-5 Is a more-consistent first response needed

[mmm4444bot]

This poll is for the active membership, and it's completely anonymous. Please consider adding your viewpoint, by making a choice above. Current poll results will display, upon submitting your choice. :cool:

This poll question pertains to how we ask new students (or non-students) to check out the guidelines, the wording of the statement to check the guidelines and what types of information they need to provide. It does not refer to the ending portion of a first response (i.e., a first step shown, suggestion given, a specific question asked or a link provided), which could still be tailored as individual first responders see fit. I'm basically thinking of a consistent boilerplate text, to appear at the top of each first response, to a new member, in order to provide a consistent, initial reply). New students who post according to the guidelines would not receive the boilerplate text, as a first response.

 

[stapel]

This poll is for the active membership, and it's completely anonymous. Please consider adding your viewpoint, by making a choice above. Current poll results will display, upon submitting your choice. :cool:

This poll question pertains to how we ask new students (or non-students) to check out the guidelines, the wording of the statement to check the guidelines and what types of information they need to provide. It does not refer to the ending portion of a first response (i.e., a first step shown, suggestion given, a specific question asked or a link provided), which could still be tailored as individual first responders see fit. I'm basically thinking of a consistent boilerplate text, to appear at the top of each first response, to a new member, in order to provide a consistent, initial reply).

The first replies probably also need to account for the posters' "styles", too. I mean, there are some students who post absolutely lovely questions, showing all of their work and reasoning, right out of the gate. They deserve our thanks and encouragement!

 

[mmm4444bot]

The first replies probably also need to account for the posters' "styles", too. I mean, there are some students who post absolutely lovely questions, showing all of their work and reasoning, right out of the gate. They deserve our thanks and encouragement!

Agree!

The boilerplate text would apply toward students who post something lacking. Students who follow the guidelines right out of the gate would not need to be provided with a standardized first response.

This idea is separate from the other idea of bouncing threads from new members back to them for editing.

Or, maybe the membership will come up with some combination of the two ideas.

 

[tkhunny]

Simple retort: If you standardize it, you can't answer the question. Do we feel that's okay?

 

[JeffM]

Simple retort: If you standardize it, you can't answer the question. Do we feel that's okay?

I would not like to see every first question answered by a mandatory, standardized response that necessarily ignored the substance of the question. I do not think, however, that is where this conversation is going. But then I am not sure where this conversation will end up so I shall postpone voting for now.

First, I agree that if an initial question is fully responsive to our guidelines, then it should be answered without the necessity for any standardized response. Nevertheless, I'd prefer to have a standardized response after the substantive answer is given, perhaps along the lines of "Thank you for such a carefully posed question. By the way, if you have not already read url, please take a moment to to do so now. Welcome to Free Math Help."

Second, for initial questions that have defects in them, it would be good to have easily accessible, standardized language that could be used to address the specific defects in the question. That is, if someone gives a problem and an answer without any work and asks if the answer is correct, I might want language to respond that would differ depending on whether or not the answer is correct. If the answer is correct, I might respond with "Your answer is correct. Do you need to know how to make sure that your answer is correct on your own?" If the answer is incorrect, I might respond with, "Your answer appears to be incorrect. We cannot help you discover your error unless you show your work."

Third, I like the idea of consistent tone in responses to initial questions. That differs from a one-size-fits-all mandatory response. I have very different reactions to questions that are well posed and show some work and to questions that are confused or incomplete and show no work.