[tomcdonnell]

When I was at university, one professor of electrical engineering would refuse to answer any student who asked whether their answer to a circuit theory problem was correct.

When asked why he would refuse to answer, he would say: "If you aren't confident that your answer is correct, then I would like to mark you as wrong even though you may be right. You are the expert. You should be telling me that your answer is right, not asking me whether it is right."

He would also say that another acceptable answer occasionally might be "Your question is wrong" (along with an explanation as to why it is wrong).

This professor's attitude bothered me at first when I was on the receiving end of this advice, but I have come to regard it as some of the best advice I have received.

Especially in a professional context, I have found that it pays to convince myself that my recommended solution is a good solution, perhaps by confirming it using a few independent methods, and also by anticipating the responses of detractors, and coming prepared with answers to likely objections that others might offer.

[mccorrinall]

This would have broken my neck when I had zero to none self-confidence a few years ago :‘)

[glenstein]

Yeah the road to confidence involves some intermediary steps where you begin to understand that your answers are correct, and walking that path brings you to confidence imo.

[annyeonghada]

I don't know why this antididactical bullshit is tolerated in STEM or even praised. Every single research in the field show us that feedback is one if not the most important part of learning, that's why self teaching is so difficult, but problem sets without solutions, no guidance on how to approach problem solving and, my favourite, fear of memorization and firm knowledge are the rule in that world. They were just annoying, frustrating, full of themselves and generally poor teachers.

[djmips]

I find this just annoying.