From: Brandon Enright <bmenrigh@brandonenright.net>
To: Dilaton Leckmi <dilatoproton@googlemail.com>
Cc: bmenrigh@brandonenright.net
Subject: [TAG] [TIME_INSUFFICIENT] Re: Shooting down high-level advanced topic theoretical physics questions on Physics SE
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2014 03:41:41 +0000
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On Sun, 2 Nov 2014 22:56:53 +0100
Dilaton Leckmi <dilatoproton@googlemail.com> wrote:

[...]
> The notion of "homework-like" is abused on Physics SE to stigmate very
> high-level technical questions (that contain LaTex) about advanced
> topics too


Hi Dilaton,

I think our difference in viewpoint on questions primarily based on
calculations.

For example, the site gets many questions about kinematics that are
basically asking for help applying a formula or calculating some
value.  I think everyone agrees those should be closed.

The site also receives questions where someone is working through a
sophisticated problem and they either need math help, or they're having
trouble following steps in the book, or they've gotten the wrong answer
and they want advice on where they went wrong.  Sometimes the question
is on general relativity, sometimes it's something like:
http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/141421/ope-of-fermionic-field-bosonization-in-string-theory-in-polchinski-10-3-12

I don't think we should discriminate based on an asker's physics
knowledge level.  If a question about help with a kinematics problem
should be closed, then I think a question about how to derive a
term in a formula from Polchinski should be closed too.

My suggestion would be to create a meta post specifically about the
questions you see as advanced that should be left open so the community
can discuss if there should be a line between basic "homework" questions
and advanced "homework" questions.

Brandon

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