1 Overview

Piazza is a free, community-based question and answer platform. This course uses Piazza to ask and answer questions that might be of value to a large number of students in the course.

If you would like to participate, you must register with Piazza (if you have not already done so). You are not required to do so.

2 Appropriate Use

You should only use Piazza for generic questions and answers. That is, you should not post either questions or answers that are specific to you or your work.

So, it is appropriate to ask/answer questions about things that were discussed in lecture or things you read. It is even appropriate to ask/answer clarification questions about programming assignment.

However, it is not appropriate to ask questions about source code that you have written for a programming assignment or for an answer to a question to include source code written for an assignment. Also, it is inappropriate to ask questions or give answers that might unduly help another student complete a programming assignment.

If you are not sure whether a question/answer is appropriate, use email to ask the instructor before posting it.

3 Process

Before using Piazza, try to find the answer on your own. Then, an only then, you should use Piazza as follows. Piazza should be used as follows.

1. Check to see if your question has already been answered. (It's annoying to ask questions that have already been answered.)
2. Draft your question. (In your question you should describe what you know about the answer. For example, "I know the problem isn't X because I've already tried Y."
3. Proofread your question.
4. Post your question.

Remember not to post new questions in the discussion of an existing question because it will only be noticed by people who happen to be following the discussion.