New Guide to Posting - Discussion Thread

Original post by Zacken

Could we perhaps have some of the stickies either amalgamated together or unstickied (Like maybe merge both of Mr. M's threads? Or move TeeEm's thread to the sticky in maths exams, it's far more appropriate there given that the has A-Level exam content stickied there, uni-level content should be there as well?)

I'm going to make one posting guide with different posts inside it which will contain Mr M's threads.

Yeah the A-Level content is in maths exams, but I don't really think that's the most appropriate place for it. I think the normal maths forums should be the place for resources. I think it would be best to merge the two resource threads (a level and undergrad) and keep that as a single sticky in maths.

So I'm proposing having only 3 stickies in maths: posting guide, resources, proof is trivial.
This would also mean there are only 3 stickies in maths exams.
3 is a nice number in my opinion!

Reply 82

Original post by rayquaza17

I'm going to make one posting guide with different posts inside it which will contain Mr M's threads.

Yeah the A-Level content is in maths exams, but I don't really think that's the most appropriate place for it. I think the normal maths forums should be the place for resources. I think it would be best to merge the two resource threads (a level and undergrad) and keep that as a single sticky in maths.

So I'm proposing having only 3 stickies in maths: posting guide, resources, proof is trivial.
This would also mean there are only 3 stickies in maths exams.
3 is a nice number in my opinion!

Yep, that sounds perfect! (although maybe the MAT thread should be pulled down since it's virtually useless now? Another one will be put up in due course, I presume).

Reply 83

Original post by Zacken

Yep, that sounds perfect! (although maybe the MAT thread should be pulled down since it's virtually useless now? Another one will be put up in due course, I presume).

I've sorted out the resource thread, and I've taken the MAT off since it was a bit outdated now. :smile:

Reply 84

Original post by rayquaza17

I've sorted out the resource thread, and I've taken the MAT off since it was a bit outdated now. :smile:

Looking good. :woo:

Reply 85

@Indeterminate @Kvothe the arcane any requests, suggestions, or anything from you guys before I make a start? :h:

Reply 86

New guide is up: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4066671

I've tried to make it very simple and easy to read. Of course it's not set in stone and changes can be made!

Reply 87

Original post by rayquaza17

New guide is up: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4066671

I've tried to make it very simple and easy to read. Of course it's not set in stone and changes can be made!

It looks great! Just a few minor changes that I could suggest to satisfy my inner LaTeX-ist. :colondollar:

(warning: major pedantry coming your way)

For the square roots post, can you move the graph down a bit so that it's centered - basically just place your cursor before the image and hit the "enter" key once or twice. It currently looks like this (on my screen):

blah

In the formatting text section, can you centre the equation both horizontally and vertically using this snippet of code (including the way I've spaced the commands, otherwise it won't work):

[noparse]

Unparseable latex formula:

\displaystyle [br]\begin{equation*}\int_{-\infty}^\infty \int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-(x^2+y^2)/2} \, \mathrm{d}x \, \mathrm{d}y = \int_0^\infty \int_0^{2\pi} r e^{-r^2/2} \, \mathrm{d}\theta \, \mathrm{d}r\end{equation*}

[/noparse]

So that it forms this:

LaTeX is a system for typesetting mathematics using normal typed input plus commands. It is very powerful (it is used in professional mathematics typesetting) so using it you can produce equations like:

Unparseable latex formula:

\displaystyle [br]\begin{equation*}\int_{-\infty}^\infty \int_{-\infty}^\infty e^{-(x^2+y^2)/2} \, \mathrm{d}x \, \mathrm{d}y = \int_0^\infty \int_0^{2\pi} r e^{-r^2/2} \, \mathrm{d}\theta \, \mathrm{d}r \end{equation*}

(i.e: with the line spacing between the text "produce equations like" and the equation being aligned and the 'd's being properly text-ified).

The section "Please do not private message your questions to helpers. It is extremely difficult to reply to maths questions through PM, and posting publicly lets all of the helpers have a chance to answer."

It sounds slightly better if you say "posting publicly gives all the helpers..." but I was also wondering if you could add a bit about how it helps other users with similar queries and allows for faster response times?

Would it be cheeky to ask if you could emphasise the 'no full solutions' part so that we have something to back up our point when telling others; there's been many a time when I've told someone and they've been "it's just a suggestion/guideline and not an actual rule" - maybe just strengthen the wording a bit with some rhetoric (not sure how, myself - don't want to make it seem like it's completely banned but don't want to say just 'frowned' upon either).

I think it's worth including a sentence in the "attachment" bit about pictures being correctly orientated and not rotated the wrong way - that seems to be overwhelmingly common for no apparent reason.

Otherwise, I think it's great - thanks for taking time to do this.

Reply 88

Original post by Zacken

.

I've made the changes now.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4066671&p=64637549#post64637549 on this post, is there a massive gap from between the latex equations and the next paragraph? I can't get it to actually leave a line break on my screen, but perhaps there's a massive gap on other people's!

Reply 89

Original post by rayquaza17

I've made the changes now.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4066671&p=64637549#post64637549 on this post, is there a massive gap from between the latex equations and the next paragraph? I can't get it to actually leave a line break on my screen, but perhaps there's a massive gap on other people's!

Awesome! Thank you very much.

Nopes, there's no line break at all, but it looks fine really - if a little cramped. Are you putting the line breaks *before* the Latex Tags and *after* the Latex tags? If it doesn't work, it looks fine as it is - thank you, again. :smile:

Reply 90

Original post by Zacken

Awesome! Thank you very much.

Nopes, there's no line break at all, but it looks fine really - if a little cramped. Are you putting the line breaks *before* the Latex Tags and *after* the Latex tags? If it doesn't work, it looks fine as it is - thank you, again. :smile:

I think I've fixed it now.

Nah thank you for the improvements!

Reply 91

Original post by rayquaza17

I think I've fixed it now.

Nah thank you for the improvements!

Yep, looks good. Really liking the red colour, by the way. :teehee:

Reply 92

ghostwalker

Original post by Zacken

The section "Please do not private message your questions to helpers. It is extremely difficult to reply to maths questions through PM, and posting publicly lets all of the helpers have a chance to answer."

Couple of reasons I don't encourage PM'd questions: Time committments - not always available - and, the main one, there's no one to jump on it when I get it wrong.

Reply 93

Original post by Zacken

Yep, looks good. Really liking the red colour, by the way. :teehee:

Red = VERY IMPORTANT, YOU MUST READ THIS! :tongue:

Original post by ghostwalker

Couple of reasons I don't encourage PM'd questions: Time committments - not always available - and, the main one, there's no one to jump on it when I get it wrong.

I also don't think it's fair to ask someone directly to answer your question. I didn't know how to nicely word it though...

Reply 94

ghostwalker

Original post by rayquaza17

Red = VERY IMPORTANT, YOU MUST READ THIS! :tongue:

I also don't think it's fair to ask someone directly to answer your question. I didn't know how to nicely word it though...

Agreed - it's difficult. I'd considred disabling PM's in the past.

Perhaps emphasize the benefits of using the forum.

"Please don't send questions requesting academic help to individual members unless invited to do so. The forum is the place for asking them. This can often:

Generate a faster response.
Benefit other users.
Lead to improved accuracy (others members can pick up on any errors).
Give you various options and viewpoints on how to solve a problem, rather than just one way."

Reply 95

Kevin De Bruyne

21

I think - I've never tested it myself, so correct me if I'm wrong - but when a new user clicks on 'ask a question' at the top and sees 'A-level' or 'GCSE' (where you have to choose a label, otherwise it won't let you post the question) they'll go for that and that's why you get Maths threads in GCSE, A-level etc, so maybe it's worth speaking to the CT to see if Maths can be put on there as well.

Reply 96