Getting and Giving Help

Why is it vital

1. Computer science is a field that is always changing. Therefore there will always be new things that you will need help on. Learning to do that now is essential
2. , Getting help is a sign of someone who is good at someone. Asking for help that takes 5 minutes to solve a problem is much wiser than trying to solve the problem on your own and taking 30 minutes, getting very frustrated, and/or having to settle for a bad alternative because you can't do it on your own.
3. The field of computer science is built on people helping each other. It is what is expected.
4. People like to help. Asking for help can be a nice thing to do.
5. When you ask for help, others might need the same help. The instructor might realize that this is something the class could benefit from.
6. Sometimes you just need a little hint to know where to look.

1. By helping someone, you learn it better than if you did not help that person
2. The field of computer science is built on people helping each other. It is what is expected.
3. Helping others is a good thing for Christians to do.
4. In helping others you might end up solving one of your own problems.

Guidelines on how to do it

1. When asking for help, try to be specific. It is rare that you are "totally lost". You might not know where to start. You might be confused about one issue that seems overwhelming. But typically you know some things. Figure out what you know and what you don't. Being overwhelmed or very frustrated is not the same as being "totally lost". The person trying to help needs to know where to start. You need to figure that out. Maybe you think your code is a "total mess". But you should know if it can do the input, if it identifies the major tasks to do, etc. Spend time figuring out where you are confused. Sometimes just doing that will answer your question. Not usually, but who knows? It might.
2. Get help early. Don't wait until the "last moment" to get help. There might not be time to get the help or use it. Also the problem may be hiding other problems.
3. Come to lab at the stage where you need help. The idea in lab is that this time is set up specifically to get help. If you spend the time doing things you don't need help on, you have wasted that opportunity. You could have done that work on your own.
4. When looking for resources to help, refer to the wiki's page for getting help to try to find the best source for your problem.
5. The goal of getting help is NOT to solve the problem but to learn how to solve the problem. Learning how to do something is much more important than the final product. Make sure you understand how to do the work and can repeat it on your own after getting the help.
6. When asking for help, esp. from Dr. Bareiss, start with the question, then explain the circumstances around it. This allows her to actively listen to your circumstances and know what is important and what is not.

1. The goal of giving the help is not to solve the problem but to help the person learn to solve the problem on their own
2. Never share anything electronically (except maybe a URL of a good resource). It is too easy for the person you are helping to just take the solution and not understand how to do it.
3. Don't try to solve everything at once. Sometimes the person asking for help just needs a little help and then can do the rest on their own. By solving everything, you are cheating them of the opportunity to learn to do the rest themselves.
4. Finish with asking, "Did that answer your question?" or something like that.
5. Do not hesitate to refer the person to the instructor. This will not only help the person but also help the instructor understand that there is some confusion that might need to be addressed

Requirements for credit

1. How often do you give help? How well do you think you do (using the guidelines above)?
2. How often do you get help? How well do you think you do (using the guidelines above)? This includes not getting help when you should.
3. List three things you think you can do to improve. Prioritize this list.
4. Try each of these things at least once. Report on the success and/or failure of each