<p>Our guidelines for homework question say to use the self-study tag and tell what you've tried.  But what about when a person says, "I have no idea where to start?" </p>

<p>Should such questions be closed?  That seems to follow the letter of the rule (and I saw one "close" vote on such a question), but it doesn't seem like the best use of the site. </p>

<p>Surely many people have faced a question and had no idea where to begin. It's certainly happened to me!  I think this may be especially common when people are getting used to the idea of having to formally prove things. </p>
