Should URGENT! and ASAP! Be Banned in Homework Help Titles?

[Ben Niehoff]

Can there be some sort of big, bold warning in the Homework Help section forbidding the use of "URGENT!" or "ASAP!" in any thread title? There is probably already something in the homework help guidelines, but nobody seems to read those anyway.

Perhaps also a brief explanation would be in order, that we who help them on their homework are here during our free time, for no pay, and do so only because we are nice and sometimes enjoy it. To make any demands on the time frame in which one is helped is especially rude (and I know that I have occasionally countered with rude, unhelpful responses...).

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Thought about it, but I think it would be abused. Why wouldn't everyone want to get the quickest answer possible even if it wasn't truly urgent.

 

[cristo]

Thought about it, but I think it would be abused. Why wouldn't everyone want to get the quickest answer possible even if it wasn't truly urgent.

I think you read it how I did to start with, Greg. The OP is suggesting a phrase that asks members not to write that their thread is homework, as opposed to bold letters saying "urgent".

 

[Moonbear]

I just ignore them when they post URGENT for homework help. I get to it in the same order as I would any other post (or maybe just a tad more slowly ). If it REALLY bugs you, you don't have to answer those at all. Pick another thread where someone has been patiently waiting a while with no responses, and give them some help.

 

[Kurdt]

It doesn't particularly bug me and I don't think deliberately misleading students is a good idea. Since it is a forum where helpers are volunteers you can pick and choose which threads you want to help with. I'd suggest just ignoring them.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

I didn't suggest deliberately misleading anyone. I think people were confused by my opening post.

I generally do ignore those threads, yes. I just thought a general announcement to say that such threads are likely to be ignored would be helpful.