# Can we please define homework? (Mod action in MPSIMS) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 3, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899 "2004-09-03T03:02:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/1 "2004-09-03T03:02:24Z")
Thread in question can be found [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=274350). My question is pretty simple. How are we defining homework nowadays? The OP was not asking to have her work done for her. She needed a certain amount of people to fill out a survey, she couldn’t have done that herself. Obviously I don’t think **Cajun Man** is a jackbooted thug or anything, nor am I particularly up in arms about this, but I am confused. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/2 "2004-09-03T03:06:37Z")
Agreed. It’s a request for responses to specific questions. Maybe better suited to IMHO, but if so, why not just move it? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/3 "2004-09-03T03:21:25Z")
I also agree. I had this big thing typed out, but I deleted it due to the fact that I’m under the influence of pain medication. It probably didn’t make much sense anyway. Umm, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/4 "2004-09-03T03:37:04Z")
It probably would’ve gone over better had the OP cleared it with the mods beforehand. I’ve seen this sort of thing go by in that case. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/5 "2004-09-03T03:45:46Z")
It was a poll, so I assume it would have been OK if she hadn’t mentioned it was for a school project (had it been properly placed in IMHO). The OP wasn’t trying to avoid work by posting the topic. They weren’t looking for specific “correct” answers. It was just a poll. Didn’t fall within the intent of the homework rule in my view. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/6 "2004-09-03T03:47:25Z")
I thought it was odd too. However, the OP did ask for input on other questions to add to the survey so I guess that kind of counts as asking directly for help with homework. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/7 "2004-09-03T03:48:29Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I thought it was odd too. However, the OP did ask for input on other questions to add to the survey so I guess that kind of counts as asking directly for help with homework. Yeah, I did notice that. But no one was answering that part of the question. And yes, obviously it would have been better suited for IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/8 "2004-09-03T05:30:06Z")
Something like “I know you won’t do homework for me, but [explanation in OP] so this would be okay, I would think. Mods, correct me if I’m wrong, please.” would also probably help. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/9 "2004-09-03T06:12:53Z")
The “no homework” rule is to avoid helping giving people answers they’re supposed to find themselves. This was not that kind of homework. The assignment was to find a number of people and poll them with these questions. She wasn’t cheating, she was following her teacher’s instructions. Cajun Man was wrong; he probably didn’t read the OP very carefully; well at least not carefully enough to close it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/10 "2004-09-03T14:19:19Z")
Closing that thread was an awful decision. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/11 "2004-09-03T14:22:59Z")
The appropriate thing to do with that thread would have been to move it to IMHO. Other polls have been posted the results of which are for classwork. He/She was not asking for work to be done. And now he/she cannot even give **Hamlet** a nice “thank you!” ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/12 "2004-09-03T14:40:13Z")
Yep, I think it was pretty stupid thing to do, closing that thread. Not just because it **wasn’t** us doing his homework, but also because I was interested in the answers myself. Since I joined, I have been happy to fill out many of the surveys that people have posted. I’m especially happy to give them my opinions if they are doing it for a class project. It is not doing someone’s homework for them, it is helping them with a part of it (info gathering) that they cannot do themselves (unless they just make up the data.) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/13 "2004-09-03T15:01:11Z")
It’s pretty obvious CM reacted more to the “if you guys can think of some amazing questions, then I would be very thankful if you posted them here!” than to the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/14 "2004-09-03T15:30:50Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > I also agree. > > I had this big thing typed out, but I deleted it due to the fact that I’m under the influence of pain medication. It probably didn’t make much sense anyway. Umm, yeah. Well, post it in MPSIMS, then. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/15 "2004-09-03T16:29:40Z")
This is not a complaint about the administration of the SDMB, just an observation I happen to have made about **Cajun Man** : Of his last hundred posts in MPSIMS, fifty of them are in threads that are now locked with **Cajun Man** ’s name in the “Last Post” column. Compare to the other two moderators of MPSIMS. **Coldfire** : 10 **John Corrado** : 0 Many threads are closed at the request of the OP. Many are closed for good reasons. I’m not a moderator, nor have I ever been one, and don’t claim I’d be able to do a better job than any member of the SD staff. However, after some time on these boards, I’ve come to hold the opinion that **Cajun Man** sure does like to close him some threads. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/16 "2004-09-04T02:09:27Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Well, post it in MPSIMS, then. HAHAHAHA!! Seriously though, are we gonna get some mod/admin input here, or no? ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/17 "2004-09-04T02:53:00Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > Seriously though, are we gonna get some mod/admin input here, or no? Please have patience. We aren’t ignoring you, honestly. We’re very pretty staffed at the moment, what with pesky real-life committments drawing people away from their computers. I’m not familiar with the thread in question so I don’t want to muddy the waters by second-guessing the decision. Cajun Man had to pull a heavy day-shift here today so he’s probably taken a break to pull his eyeballs back inside his head. I’m sure he’ll be along to respond but it might take a bit longer. Veb ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/18 "2004-09-04T03:55:43Z")
I didn’t read it that way but after due consideration, maybe you’re right. Okay, it’s back open . . . and moved to **IMHO**. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/19 "2004-09-04T04:15:50Z")
Thanks, **Cajun**. Again, it’s not like I had any personal stake in it, but I’m glad to see I wasn’t misunderstanding any rules. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899/20 "2004-09-04T04:16:08Z")
> [@TVeblen](#): > > We’re very pretty staffed at the moment, > Veb Ah, but who has the prettiest staff? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-define-homework-mod-action-in-mpsims/262899.md?page=2)