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Currently homework questions are classified as off-topic, meaning this close option is in the close question as off topic reason for closing question.

I think the homework question should atleast be reclassified into some other category.

The fact that a question is closed as homework itself shows that it is on topic in Biology.

What are your thoughts?

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    $\begingroup$ I don't think homework questions are off topic. I think it is more a function of effort or the lack of effort not the origination of the questions context. $\endgroup$
    – dustin
    Feb 25, 2015 at 14:58
  • $\begingroup$ I agree. But it is classified as off-topic in the close reason. $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 25, 2015 at 15:18
  • $\begingroup$ Have you seen my post here? $\endgroup$
    – dustin
    Feb 25, 2015 at 15:19
  • $\begingroup$ Yes I have. But I am telling even if what you have proposed is not accepted, at the minimum homework should be re-assigned to a different category or given as a separate reason $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 25, 2015 at 15:21
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    $\begingroup$ We need to vote on it. I wonder if the mods can set up voting on the topic like for a mod election since they are hesitant to change it. $\endgroup$
    – dustin
    Feb 25, 2015 at 15:22
  • $\begingroup$ @dustin One of the upvotes for your posts is from me :) $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 25, 2015 at 15:22
  • $\begingroup$ @dustin I don't think the mods can change it. The change has to be made by devs, the people who run the SE sites. The final decision is not in the hands of mods in cases like this (I think). $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 25, 2015 at 15:24
  • $\begingroup$ Every site has there own custom close reason so I doubt the devs are he ones making changes on request for closing reasons. $\endgroup$
    – dustin
    Feb 25, 2015 at 15:24
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    $\begingroup$ @dustin We mods can't change this, custom close reasons alway appear in the off-topic category. $\endgroup$
    – Mad Scientist
    Feb 25, 2015 at 22:03
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    $\begingroup$ This topic has been discussed several times $\endgroup$
    – WYSIWYG
    Feb 26, 2015 at 6:03
  • $\begingroup$ @WYSIWYG I could not find by searching any post discussing this issue. Please point me to them and I will close this post $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 26, 2015 at 7:42
  • $\begingroup$ @WYSIWYG This is not about homework being a wrong reason for closing or anything like that, but about classifying homework as off-topic while the very name suggests otherwise $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 26, 2015 at 12:00
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    $\begingroup$ @CRags Well off-topic means off topic for the site; not the field of biology. $\endgroup$
    – WYSIWYG
    Feb 26, 2015 at 12:04
  • $\begingroup$ This has recently been resurrected in a different way as a meta post for the proposal for homework off-topic explanation $\endgroup$
    – James
    Dec 18, 2019 at 10:53

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I think you can label them as within the subject of biology but outside the scope of the site (as currently defined). I think all site-specific close reasons (for all SE-sites) show up under the "off-topic" label, irrespectively of what close reason that is specified.

A similar situation is found at e.g. AcademiaSE where they have "Questions that cannot be generalized to apply to others in similar situations are off-topic." as an off-topic close reason, even if the question is dealing with issues in Academia (so on-topic in that sense).

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    $\begingroup$ Outside scope is somewhat better than off topic. Still can't really say outside scope. I think better wording should relate to the policy directly. The policy is that questions that show no research effort is not encouraged and the OP should point out what research (s)he did. $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 25, 2015 at 8:06
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    $\begingroup$ My point is that this an SE-wide issue (I think) and not something we can change at BioSE. All site-specific close reasons show up as off-topic @CRags $\endgroup$
    – fileunderwater
    Feb 25, 2015 at 8:09
  • $\begingroup$ Oh, ok got it. This is not a feature request though. I am just asking if there is a reason for status quo and if people here think it is wrong. $\endgroup$
    – One Face
    Feb 25, 2015 at 8:12

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