Using the internet to do your homework

[frankiesmithra24]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

I'd rather use Word to type out my homework, but I'd rather find the answers in my text books and not on the internet.

[csoup1414]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

i really dont see any harm in it
as long as they learn from it, yea its ok
like, if its an algebra problem and they just give you the answer and dont explain it, then its not good because you just got a good grade for something you dont understand...and then when the test comes around, uh oh, you have no clue what to do
as long as you expand your knowledge its ok, of course i say so, im a student myself =]

[sgkoneko]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

We've seen plenty of threads in here that are a transparent attempt by people in school to get solutions to homework and other school assignments, in some cases in clever ways, in some cases just posting "Hey I need the answer to this."

Is this outright cheating? is it only cheating when they ask for a gift-wrapped solution? Should students be able to ask for help from outside sources, or should all schoolwork be about nothing but your own work.

In many jobs, especially ones dealing with a great deal of knowledge, the emphasis is less on knowing everything, and more on knowing how to find what you don't know. In that sense, it doesn't strike me as necessarily -cheating- to ask for outside aid, provided you are more asking for assistance instead of an outright solution.

What do you think? Can/should people be allowed to ask for help with homework? Teachers lecture you on method, provide explanations, and assign work to test your understanding, and in general I suspect nobody would call you a cheater if you asked a parent etc to try explaining the problem in a more helpful way, but can we draw a line between 'giving help' and 'doing it for you'?

Well first off, answers are very easy to find for homework, and usually don't require prior knowledge like quizzes and tests do. The reason they ask for answers is because they are lazy bastards.

2nd off, asking for help is never cheating, asking for the entire thing and them obviously not learning anything from it is cheating and stupid.

And that about sums it up.

[devonin]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

like, if its an algebra problem and they just give you the answer and dont explain it, then its not good because you just got a good grade for something you dont understand...and then when the test comes around, uh oh, you have no clue what to do

Explain to me why this is bad necessarily? I'm all in favour of a situation wherein the kind of person who decides to take the easy way out on homework gets nailed when it comes time to demonstrate their actual understanding of the topic.

It helps weed out the idiots and cheaters from the world.

[sgkoneko]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

Explain to me why this is bad necessarily? I'm all in favour of a situation wherein the kind of person who decides to take the easy way out on homework gets nailed when it comes time to demonstrate their actual understanding of the topic.

It helps weed out the idiots and cheaters from the world.

hahaha true.

The only problem is, you do usually get grades for the homework, and that's a free grade right there. :/

[u9hq5yqh]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

but school is to help u learn stuff so u know about that certain thing that u learned later on in life
school and ur work is pretty important

[JonoSasson]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

Even asking others for the answer would still be considered cheating without some explanation of the answer first.

Exactly. Although I think you can be flexible with that. Taking maths as the prime example, if you someone outright gives you the answer, then you take the time after to figure out how they got there, then I think that's ok. I remember back in the days I always asked my friend for an answer. I'd note it, but then go and look at the examples to see the thought process and attempt to get to the same answer myself. At other times I may've already had an answer and he may've gotten a different one, in which case I'd ask him about it and we'd have a discussion about it.

In subjects in like english let's say, and you stick a whole lot of words from another person's mouth (I mean a friend's work or plagiarising from the net) into an essay, then yes, that is wrong. It's all well and good to take the credit, but what satisfaction does that give you in the long run? "Yay I've finished my essay, time to go play!" That may last what, a day or two until school comes round again. I remember when I handed in my english work, I'd always be really excited to get it back (as most people are) because I want to see what the teacher has to say about my work. I dunno how the American grading system works, but in Australia, in most cases our work is looked through with a fine tooth-comb and everything is picked out and commented on. Plagiarism may easily be found if you take the time to look through what it is you're reading. For god's sake, USE QUOTES PEOPLE!

[Master_of_the_Faster]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

I honestly don't care about cheaters at all. Either you can cheat and learn from what you cheated on (a math problem that you cheated on, but now that you cheated, you know how to do it) to help you in the real world or you can cheat and not learn anything at all to help you in the real world (copying someone's english work). The thing about english and subjects that require a response are that you have to be able to think independently to an extent that you could use those skills to think independently in the real world. The only exception is that you might use other sources in your own citings to prove your own point, but you need to absolutely give credit as it's not your work. Honestly, if your teachers or friends don't show you how to do something properly in a class, be my guest and cheat, but understand how you got to where you are now. The whole point of school isn't to be a drag on people's lives or require that someone knows everything (though I honestly hate learning), but like many have stated, to adapt to the real world. If someone wants to cheat from me, they could be my guest, but only if I would not get caught (constantly ask me for answers with no regard to the fact that the teacher might just be staring at us both) and if it doesn't make me have to work hard (make me write notes for you or something like that). If you don't succeed on tests or in the real world, not my problem so good luck.

[Kamon08]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

Yea i do sumtimes u haft to for tho gay @$$ 20 page reports but its all good

[devonin]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

Well, when you get a competant teacher/professor, you will be caught for buying your reports, fail the class and likley be expelled. But hey, more power to ya.

[alainbryden]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

My incredible internet research skills and my professor's uncanny way of recycling questions from textbooks and only altering the wording is the only reason I passed Electricity and Magnetism in my 6th term of university.

[tricky77puzzle]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

As long as you learn something from it and it is beneficial for your knowledge then I see nothing wrong with it.

Back when I was at school numerous times I would use the internet to try and help me expand upon my knowledge of my subjects, gather additional knowledge or generally just try to confirm if my answers were correct or not. It helped me to learn and I naturally keep the knowledge in and then that helped during exams.

Overall I feel it's not cheating to actually do the work yourself or even get help from someone so long as they actually go through it, rather than just giving you the answer with no explanation.

It's only cheating if you ASK for a solution without explanation. If you ask for an explanation and formula, but they don't give it to you, it's not your fault.

[Samineru]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

I believe that a large number of the posts in this thread are actually debating different topics, whether it is morally right to ask for help on a question or whether it is in your interest to cheat. The original question was is it cheating. As far as I know most orginizations in which you might be accused of cheating, primarily schools, have their own clearly written policies regarding outside assistance.

[devonin]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

The question of whether or not it is morally right to ask for help on your schoolwork is not off topic in the slightest. It speaks directly to whether or not you'd view it as okay to use the internet particularly.

If getting help is cheating, then you'd oppose all means of getting help, if getting help is only cheating in certain circumstances, then you have a decision to make.

[Samineru]

Re: Using the internet to do your homework

The question of whether or not it is morally right to ask for help on your schoolwork is not off topic in the slightest. It speaks directly to whether or not you'd view it as okay to use the internet particularly.

If we're still talking about whether it's cheating or not, as opposed to the morality of cheating, it is something that is, for most purposes, defined by the one observing the finished work, usually not someone who might be cheating themselves.

If getting help is cheating, then you'd oppose all means of getting help, if getting help is only cheating in certain circumstances, then you have a decision to make.

I'm not personally saying that I oppose getting help, I am using that as an example of a clear set rule that could be used by a scholastic body to categorize what is or is not cheating. And I repeat myself, there is a decision to be made but not by you.