flyboy
Harmless
Posts: 3
Registered: 1-11-2014
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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how can i possibly contribute when i'm a beginner?
Hey everyone, I'm on a lot of forums around the web and am usually a strong contributer, but as a complete newbie to chemistry learning alone via
youtube khan and crashcourse, etc. I can't forsee being much help to anyone.
Therefore i ask, what is the etiquette here, how do i avoid bugging the hell out of everyone since i obviously have non-stop questions all the time. I
try to research myself but often even if i THINK i know the answer, i can never be quite sure at this point.
Thanks for your help.
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Zyklon-A
International Hazard
Posts: 1547
Registered: 26-11-2013
Member Is Offline
Mood: Fluorine radical
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Since you're on a lot of other forums, you probably know the biggest thing: Search. Always search before posting. Other than that, you probably won't
annoy many people here unless you do things like, give wrong/ misleading answers, post way too much and start new threads for existing topic (goes
with searching, if you search, but still ask the same questions that where already answered, you might as well not have searched) insult other members
too much (especially if you're wrong and they're right), and some people get annoyed if you use incorrect spelling and grammer - generally not a big
deal, but it makes you look dumber and makes people less likely to take you seriously.
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Texium
Administrator
Posts: 4522
Registered: 11-1-2014
Location: Salt Lake City
Member Is Offline
Mood: PhD candidate!
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I felt the same as you when I first joined the forum. Now, I regularly contribute.
I'd suggest reading a lot on the forum and in books, and to start doing some experiments. You can also watch some YouTube videos by members here.
Those are very helpful and inspiring.
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Brain&Force
Hazard to Lanthanides
Posts: 1302
Registered: 13-11-2013
Location: UW-Madison
Member Is Offline
Mood: Incommensurately modulated
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Try Brauer and Vogel.
At the end of the day, simulating atoms doesn't beat working with the real things...
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diddi
National Hazard
Posts: 723
Registered: 23-9-2014
Location: Victoria, Australia
Member Is Offline
Mood: Fluorescent
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@flyboy do you have special interests in chemistry that you would like to expand. there is bound to be someone who can suggest some easy pursuits in
that direction
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chemrox
International Hazard
Posts: 2961
Registered: 18-1-2007
Location: UTM
Member Is Offline
Mood: LaGrangian
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Why feel pressed to contribute? It is better to hang out and get a feel for where people are coming from. In the beginning there were some Hive types
around and it was kind of fun. Then it became energetically oriented and that was fun too. There's a certain nanny-force that surfaces from time to
time. In general they're trying to protect the site's rep so I don't quarrel too much with them. Hang out and enjoy and when you have something to
share you'll be welcome.
"When you let the dumbasses vote you end up with populism followed by autocracy and getting back is a bitch." Plato (sort of)
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Chemosynthesis
International Hazard
Posts: 1071
Registered: 26-9-2013
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
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Don't feel pressured to contribute yet, but I feel confident that you will be able to in time, and the sentiment is very noble of you. I second
ddiddi's question of what interests you most about/in chemistry? That may help us direct some advice.
[edit: and don't forget that asking an insightful or productive question is very much contributing to the forum.]
I recommend reading the free texts available in the Beginner section sticky, and trying to use the search function both here, and through available
literature. A good rule many new members ignore is that you should post in Beginings if you don't have a source (which you should always cite).
Learning the theory of a reaction before trying it is obviously very important. Even if other members stray off-topic, try to remember the site is
about science.
Follow standard scientific comport, such as nomenclature, citation, etc. Common names for chemicals are acceptable, and the source may be requested
for clarity, but above all, your goal in posting should be to convey information such that a chemist should understand what you are trying to do.
If you have several questions, please try to post them in existing threads where possible. Safety is something we espouse, so do not hesitate to ask
about safety precautions. No one wants you to injure yourself, but even if we did... we wouldn't want the negative and unprofessional light that would
place on hobby chemistry.
Try to avoid anything that violates U.S. law as the site is hosted from the U.S. Personally, I loathe "drug chemistry," though I have a strong
background in relevant sciences, and enjoy them professionally. If you can discuss a topic like a professional and show interest in chemistry, you get
more leeway about questionable topics. It's the people who come in asking questions about questionable subjects, not demonstrating any knowledge or
interest in chemistry, and not taking part in the community that get the least welcome.
If you really want to get positive attention, read through some threads and once you feel you understand every aspect of it, try an experiment someone
proposed. Post results.
[Edited on 3-11-2014 by Chemosynthesis]
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