# Where can I get help for my Python class? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865 "2014-02-21T13:07:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaverocK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/1 "2014-02-21T13:07:24Z")
I am currently taking an advanced Python class in my college. There are some assignment questions I can’t figure out. I can’t find someone friendly/willing enough to make me understand things in assignments in my college. Stackoverflow members are not willing when it comes to assignments. So, I need a website or someone with experience in Python who can help me, perhaps in exchange of money. The thing is I just don’t want to have my assignments get solved by someone else; I want to understand them. 🙂 Where can I get this help? Many thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/2 "2014-02-21T18:17:35Z")
If you want someone to write your assignments for you, then no, I don’t know of any site where they will help you. On the other hand, if you just need help understanding the assignment or getting through a place you are stuck, then [CodeRanch.com](http://CodeRanch.com) (aka [JavaRanch.com](http://JavaRanch.com)) is a great place for beginners. ---
**Author:** ![bongo5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/34f0e0/32.png) [@bongo5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bongo5)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/3 "2014-02-21T18:27:53Z")
Is this a class only seniors take? If not, there’s probably someone still on campus who has taken the course before. Just ask your professor for the names of people who took it last semester, or ask around in the CS department. I can’t believe that NOT ONE PERSON is willing to help. Some will be jerks and not share anything (hey, we’re programmers, not party planners). But others will be more than happy to at least share notes. And they will be notes that are relevant for your class specifically, which is much more efficient than trawling through StackOverflow for hours. (I’m usually so flattered that someone else cares about this arcane knowledge that I end up talking the person’s ear off.) Also, I know it’s scary, but suck it up and go to your professor’s office hours. That’s why he or she is there. Be brave. (Of course, you can’t wait until the last minute; that’s the tradeoff.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/4 "2014-02-21T19:11:17Z")
> [@MaverocK](#): > > I am currently taking an advanced Python class in my college. There are some assignment questions I can’t figure out. Need help developing a Silly Walk? Working on perfecting the Fish Slapping Dance? Trying to figure out how not to be seen? Oh. Never mind. That’s something completely different. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/5 "2014-02-21T19:14:46Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > If you want someone to write your assignments for you, then no, I don’t know of any site where they will help you. On the other hand, if you just need help understanding the assignment or getting through a place you are stuck, then [CodeRanch.com](http://CodeRanch.com) (aka [JavaRanch.com](http://JavaRanch.com)) is a great place for beginners. Hey, thanks! I’m not working with Python–always wanted to try, but never could figure out how to get started. But [CodeRanch.com](http://CodeRanch.com) looks like a cool community for Android Java development stuff as well, so I’ve signed up and will probably start in the android forum. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/6 "2014-02-21T19:44:46Z")
See if there are any Python user groups in your area. They may have regular meetings and you can probably find someone to talk to there. Python is a pretty common language. You should be able to find someone on campus who can help you. Check the bulletin board to see if anyone is offering computer tutoring. The CS department may have a tutoring program. The web typically isn’t good for this kind of help. The web is better for a single question about a specific aspect of the language. You probably need someone to sit down with you and explain things in detail. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/7 "2014-02-21T20:43:38Z")
Ask a Man with a Knife > **[Man With Knife Against Python](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=716390)** > > Who wins? As I see it, it’s a question of whether the man can get to the python’s neck and cut off its head before being strangled. I’m not sure if pythons instinctively protect their necks and also whether they would try to disable the person’s... ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/8 "2014-02-21T21:17:01Z")
> [@MaverocK](#): > > Stackoverflow members are not willing when it comes to assignments. Yes they are. But you need to: A: Tag your question as “homework” B: Clearly show what work you have done so far, explain why it is not working to your satisfaction, and isolate the problem to the smallest area of your code. C: expect to receive helpful hints and pointers rather than a complete answer. Do those things, and people will fall all over themselves to help you. But honestly, from the tone of your OP, it sounds like you’re more interested in having somebody do your assignments for you instead of learning. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/9 "2014-02-21T21:35:31Z")
If this is for college, why haven’t you asked the TA or the Professor during their office hours? They will be able to help you far more than some guy on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/10 "2014-02-22T02:30:10Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Yes they are. But you need to: > A: Tag your question as “homework” > B: Clearly show what work you have done so far, explain why it is not working to your satisfaction, and isolate the problem to the smallest area of your code. > C: expect to receive helpful hints and pointers rather than a complete answer. > > Do those things, and people will fall all over themselves to help you. But honestly, from the tone of your OP, it sounds like you’re more interested in having somebody do your assignments for you instead of learning. Yup, that would be reasonable. Doing nothing but copying and pasting the exact text of the assignment (especially from a course site that can be Googled) gets my close vote instantly. ---
**Author:** ![MaverocK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/11 "2014-03-02T07:02:00Z")
I am extremely thankful for your suggestions and answers. I felt the need to answer some of the posts here. > [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > If this is for college, why haven’t you asked the TA or the Professor during their office hours? They will be able to help you far more than some guy on the internet. Wrong. The TAs are undergraduate students whose Python knowledge is lesser than some guy on the internet. In addition, they are not willing to help. (I have no idea why they have come TAs if they do not want to help.) The professor does not have office hours and does not answer emails. > [@friedo](#): > > Do those things, and people will fall all over themselves to help you. But honestly, from the tone of your OP, it sounds like you’re more interested in having somebody do your assignments for you instead of learning. Internet is a place where a lot of misunderstandings can occur. I do not want to have somebody do my assignments. I do want to learn. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/12 "2014-03-03T01:58:22Z")
> [@MaverocK](#): > > Wrong. The TAs are undergraduate students whose Python knowledge is lesser than some guy on the internet. In addition, they are not willing to help. (I have no idea why they have come TAs if they do not want to help.) The professor does not have office hours and does not answer emails. Speaking as someone who WAS an undergrad TA, and who worked his ass off to make sure students got the help they needed… go ask your TA. I had many students like you, who came to office hours expecting to be handed the answer, and upon not being spoon-fed what the wanted, left complaining “The TA doesn’t care and doesn’t know anything”. I bet they know a lot more than you give them credit for, just try not to be a jerk. As for the professor, I find it highly unlikely that the college doesn’t require the professor to hold _some_ office hours. Some professors are not good about advertising them, but unless you’re going to Diploma Mill U, I bet that professor has office hours. Apologies if this seems hostile, it’s a pet peeve of mine since I was in the TA role, and sometimes got cussed out for not giving away the answers, or in one case, a free grade where they were not deserved. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/13 "2014-03-03T03:37:31Z")
Is this an advanced class about Python, or an advanced class that uses Python? The kind of help you need is way different depending on “this is a machine learning course that uses Python, a language I’m not familiar with” and “this is a class on software engineering techniques for the language Python”. Any programmer reasonably competent in Python and the given field should be able to help with A, you want more of a “Python guy” if you’re in class B. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/14 "2014-03-03T03:44:24Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Is this an advanced class about Python, or an advanced class that uses Python? The kind of help you need is way different depending on “this is a machine learning course that uses Python, a language I’m not familiar with” and “this is a class on software engineering techniques for the language Python”. Any programmer reasonably competent in Python and the given field should be able to help with A, you want more of a “Python guy” if you’re in class B. Also keep in mind that a 200-level course called “Advanced Python” isn’t a particularly advanced course, and any experienced programmer that knows a little bit about Python can probably help with anything that’s not language-specific minutiae. (For instance, advanced Java courses are usually about 80% software engineering, which anyone can help with, and 20% about things like how casting works in Java and how strings are interned and other stuff). ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/15 "2014-03-03T17:24:18Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Yes they are. But you need to: > A: Tag your question as “homework” > B: Clearly show what work you have done so far, explain why it is not working to your satisfaction, and isolate the problem to the smallest area of your code. > C: expect to receive helpful hints and pointers rather than a complete answer. > > Do those things, and people will fall all over themselves to help you. Agreed. But before posting a new question at Stack Overflow, search to see if your question has already been answered in an earlier thread there. Something like 90% of the Python questions I think to ask have already been answered on Stack Overflow. Between that and the Python documentation at [Our Documentation | Python.org](http://www.python.org/doc/), I need to post very few questions. ---
**Author:** ![MaverocK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@MaverocK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaverocK)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/16 "2014-03-06T09:24:49Z")
Thanks a lot to those who replied. 🙂 > [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > As for the professor, I find it highly unlikely that the college doesn’t require the professor to hold _some_ office hours. Some professors are not good about advertising them, but unless you’re going to Diploma Mill U, I bet that professor has office hours. I am not lying. The professor has no office hours. We had to make a complaint to university administration. (My university is not in the US by the way, just so you know) > [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > Speaking as someone who WAS an undergrad TA, and who worked his ass off to make sure students got the help they needed… go ask your TA. I had many students like you, who came to office hours expecting to be handed the answer, and upon not being spoon-fed what the wanted, left complaining “The TA doesn’t care and doesn’t know anything”. I bet they know a lot more than you give them credit for, just try not to be a jerk. OK, perhaps you are a very nice person and good TA, but that doesn’t mean that all TAs in the world will be as good as you. I am seizing every opportunity to get help from them, but most of my attempts fail. I am interested in programming since my childhood and I don’t want to be spoon-fed of course. > [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > Apologies if this seems hostile, it’s a pet peeve of mine since I was in the TA role, and sometimes got cussed out for not giving away the answers, or in one case, a free grade where they were not deserved. Since you posted something emotional like that, may I ask you a question? Are you a woman? 🙂 BTW, I felt bad when you called me a jerk. > [@Jragon](#): > > Is this an advanced class about Python, or an advanced class that uses Python?. An advanced class about Python. The course is described as follows: > [@](#): > > **Official Course Description:** > This lab unit is a continuation of the first semester lab Programming in Python I. It covers advanced topics of Python programming such as object oriented programming, advanced data structures, file handling, debugging techniques and problem solving using frameworks. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/17 "2014-03-06T10:04:20Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > B: Clearly show what work you have done so far, explain why it is not working to your satisfaction, and isolate the problem to the smallest area of your code. > C: expect to receive helpful hints and pointers rather than a complete answer. There is a statement from the original poster that > [@MaverocK](#): > > There are some … questions I can’t figure out. If I take that on face value, he is having trouble figuring out the questions. As you have agreed, Stack Overflow is not a good place for figuring out questions. After you have figured out your question, then Stack Overflow is a good place for help figuring out answers. I am aware that this is only one possible interpretation of what he said. I am also aware that this is a problem for some people, and one TA’s and Stack Overflow are ill prepared to address. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/18 "2014-03-06T15:14:39Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Need help developing a Silly Walk? Working on perfecting the Fish Slapping Dance? Trying to figure out how not to be seen? > Oh. Never mind. That’s something completely different. My first thought on seeing the thread title was that it was some kind of Monty Python study and appreciation. And I’m a professional software developer! Obviously, not one who uses Python. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/19 "2014-03-06T16:00:08Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > My first thought on seeing the thread title was that it was some kind of Monty Python study and appreciation. > > And I’m a professional software developer! Obviously, not one who uses Python. Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. I read this sentence: [QUOTE=MaverocK] Stackoverflow members are not willing when it comes to assignments. [/QUOTE] and thought, “There’s your problem, you’re using a member that’s overflowing the stack”. It took a few more posts for me the realize they’re talking about a web site. I’m so obsolete. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865/20 "2014-03-06T16:23:48Z")
> [@MaverocK](#): > > We had to make a complaint to university administration. I would have made a complaint too. > [@MaverocK](#): > > OK, perhaps you are a very nice person and good TA, but that doesn’t mean that all TAs in the world will be as good as you. Well, yes, not everyone can be perfect _preens_ 😃 > [@MaverocK](#): > > I am seizing every opportunity to get help from them, but most of my attempts fail. What exactly do you mean by this? You try to meet the TAs in person and you can’t find them? You send them an email and it’s ignored? You met them in person and they told you to jump in a lake? You ask questions and they give answers but not the ones you want? > [@MaverocK](#): > > Since you posted something emotional like that, may I ask you a question? Are you a woman? 🙂 BTW, I felt bad when you called me a jerk. _Ad hominem_ at it’s finest. No, I’m a dude, although I’m insulted on behalf of our female posters. You may also notice that I did not call you a jerk. I advised you to not be one - which is good advice for everyone, not just you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-help-for-my-python-class/681865.md?page=2)