Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

These fora are provided by Eng-Tips.com solely for the discussion of engineering topics of a professional nature. Subscribed members of this forum community should use these fora to increase their productivity and knowledge. They should also use this platform to share relevant field experiences within this community.

These fora should not be used to bypass your own in-depth research on the issues that affect you, nor is it intended to be a substitute for appropriate professional assistance within your field or geographical region.

The following guidelines have been established by the forum administrators for the efficient and courteous use of this site:

[ol][li]Please conduct internet-based research (such as Google.com) and review the site FAQs, along with performing an Eng-Tips.com site search prior to posting a new question on these fora.[/li]


[li]When replying to comments, stay within the discussion topic of the original post. If you wish to branch the discussion into a new direction, start a new thread. [/li]


[li] Please do not ask a new question at the end of a thread on a different subject. It may well not get answered. If it's important enough to post, make it a new thread.[/li]


[li]Please do not cross-post the same question to two or more fora. If you feel strongly that your post needs to reach the audiences of two different fora, post your question to one forum and then post a link to that thread in the other forum. [/li]


[li]Use a descriptive title in all new topics that you start for discussion. Topic titles such as "help", "please help" or "helloö are not descriptive and may not provide you with the assistance you are seeking.[/li]


[li]The "bold" feature doesn't work in the titles. Neither does the italic. Titles automatically show up as bolded when they're new.[/li]


[li]This forum reaches out to engineering professionals worldwide, many of whom are not native English speaking. When responding to non-native English posters, please refrain from disparaging their use of English; ask for clarification where necessary.[/li]


[li]When posting, please try to ensure spelling and grammar are as correct as possible. If required, use a word processor or email editor to check for spelling and grammar corrections, and then cut & paste your post. Please use the "Preview Post" option to review the final formatting of posts. Using proper punctuation and capitalization helps to get your thoughts to other community members in a clear and concise manner.[/li]


[li]Academic related posts are discouraged. If you post topics related to undergraduate course-work or projects, your posts will be red flagged and marked for deletion. Students generally have vast resources available to them (libraries, professors, etc), and need to learn how to use those sources instead of relying on the Eng-Tips.com fora (it is similar to having someone else do your homework for you; not a good idea.)[/li]


[li]Homeowner "do-it-yourself" posts are strongly discouraged. This is not a purpose of the Eng-Tips.com fora and non-engineers should not substitute asking questions on this site for obtaining appropriate professional assistance.[/li]


[li]If you need to express your emotions on a subject, use an emoticon . Do not use profanity or vulgarity in your posts. If someone's advice appears to be "off the mark" do not start or perpetuate posts that single out individuals or topics in a combative manner (ôflamesö or ôflame warö). Instead, politely provide the correct information and, if necessary, red flag the incorrect information.[/li]


[li]Please check out the "Process TGML" link û it provides a number of useful features to provide mathematical formulae in a readable format. It also provides instructions on how to include pictures in your posts. Then use the "Preview Post" feature to make sure your post is reading the way you'd like it to.[/li]


[li]If you wish to sell a product or services, click the Advertise link below. Do not try to sell directly in the fora. These types of posts will generally be red flagged. [/li]


[li]While there is a forum for seeking career advice, do not try to recruit services or solicit employment availability on the fora. This is not the purpose of Eng-Tips.com. These types of posts will usually be red flagged.[/li]


[li]Before you post on a topic, please make sure you have the experience or qualification to provide reasonably accurate engineering advice. One of the reasons engineers come to Eng-Tips.com is because of the quality of the responses.[/li]


[li]Members of the Eng-Tips.com community who may respond to your questions assume no liability, and are only offering you their opinions during discussions on the fora. As an engineering professional yourself, you are responsible for all final engineering work and calculations, not anyone else.[/li]


[li]If you feel someone has been helpful, then please acknowledge their efforts. Give them a "Star", post a thank you, or do both.[/li]


[li]Please consider providing a personal profile when you join, as it helps others to know your background and areas of experience.[/li]


[li]In order to maintain clear and concise methods of communication through these fora, every member of this community has the ability to ôred flagö any topic of discussion if members feel a post violates any of the above Forum Policies. When a post is ôred-flaggedö it is brought to the attention of the forum administrators for review. Upon review, the flagged post may be modified or deleted at the discretion of the forum administrators. The original poster may also be contacted to discuss the flagged post. Misuse of this site may result in your access to the fora being temporarily or permanently banned.[/li]


[li]You may also use the "red flag" to correct your own entries, if you find a mistake. Inform the forum administrators and they will take any necessary actions.[/li]


[li]Regardless of how intelligent you think you are, you are not infallible. Please preview your post before you send it! Previewing posts and correcting errors prior to sending helps to promote the standard of professionalism.[/li]


[li]If you've found these policies to be helpful, please add them to your signature line.[/li]


[li]Come back often and be sure to tell your friends and coworkers about the site![/li][/ol]


This FAQ was prepared and reviewed by a number of senior forum members and administrators. It is not the work of only one individual, despite there being only one person's name by it.