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[multicoastal]

I recently got two questions e-mailed to me by people who are not my students and not at my university asking me to answer somewhat controversial questions that are vaguely related to my field.  In both cases the questions seem to be out of personal interest, although it is also possible that they are asking me to do their homework for them.  Or that they are looking for a quote for a newspaper article.  Also in both cases they are asking for my opinion and my reasons for it, so I can't just send them to some books on the topic. 

Do any of you get these questions?  How do you respond to them?

I'm trying to think of as tactful a way as possible to say "I do not want to engage with this".

[pink_]

I tend to ignore them. If you want to respond and have time to do so, then go ahead, but I'm usually too busy responding to my students and taking care of other responsibilities.

[mleok]

although it is also possible that they are asking me to do their homework for them.

This is always my first thought when I receive such emails, which I tend to ignore.

[msparticularity]

If people I do not know email me to ask questions without taking the trouble to introduce themselves and explain why they are asking, I just ignore them. Occasionally, though, I do get an email from someone who is a grad student at another institution, and who introduces him/herself nicely and explains why they are emailing me. In those cases, I always respond--although sometimes to explain why I can't/won't just answer the question!

[seniorscholar]

If people I do not know email me to ask questions without taking the trouble to introduce themselves and explain why they are asking, I just ignore them. Occasionally, though, I do get an email from someone who is a grad student at another institution, and who introduces him/herself nicely and explains why they are emailing me. In those cases, I always respond--although sometimes to explain why I can't/won't just answer the question!

Nicely put. This is generally my response, too.

[polkadott]

I am in a creative field and so get emails from fellow creative aspirants, often asking me to do a huge amount of reading or evaluating on their behalf.  I always say yes, and always regret it. 

Sigh.

[larryc]

I work at a public institution so I always answer. And how long does it take to type a couple of paragraphs?

[marlborough]

I've learned to avoid the local reporters and our own journalism students, who always seem able to cut whatever you tell them into something that makes me sound like an idiot.  I've also dodged the local talk radio people, most because they tend to call the morning OF December 7, or D-Day or whatever and expect me to drop everything and come down to the station for historical commentary.  I've also learned to deflect the crazy genealogy people who email with demands that I send them all of my research about their recently discovered 18th century criminal ancestors (usually tagged with, "because I don't have time to read your book.")

I've had to have words with local social studies teachers who assign all History Day participants to email and "interview" any professor the student can lay hands on, usually early enough in the project they said student has no clue what to ask and ends up sending crap like, "if you could tell people one thing about Anne Frank, what would it be?"

On the other hand, I get email from people who have attached scanned photos from WWI and want help identifying places and things, and they're eager to learn stuff.  I was once called upon to judge the historical accuracy of several Halloween costumes.  I also broke up a fight at a local pub trivia game after being called in as an arbiter by a student who was a wait person there.  So, it really depends.

[aprilmay]

Delete unreasonable questions. Many questions I am asked could be answered through a web search.