user14726: I asked a question recently about a rumored biological mechanism that I was ignorant about.
https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/30078/is-there-any-truth-to-at-will-pregnancy-rejection
My question was answered and I am satisfied with the result, but it was put on hold, for what I feel, was the wrong reason.
The question is duplicate of a question asked over at skeptics, but it was put on hold for being off-topic. After consulting the help center more closely, I see that it is indeed off topic.

general questions about biological concepts 
questions about the biological mechanisms behind medical conditions 
questions about techniques in a biological or biochemical laboratory

I love SE. I think it has the potential to be on par with wikipedia and youtube when it comes to educating the planet.
My expertise is in the computer field, not biology. There are SE sites that welcome different degrees of educated questions.
I've seen questions on UX that don't know enough to know what they don't know, and have their questions welcomed and answered with open arms, even though the question could be interpreted as off-topic if someone felt like doing so.
I've also seen questions on programmers and security that require a stretch of the imagination to interpret the question as off-topic.
Ultimately, I've learned that what is off-topic is largely a reflection upon what kind of questions the moderation want to be asked. Of course that makes sense, these beta sites are created by those whom choose what kind of questions they want to welcome.
Biology is for academics. I didn't have any hand in the creation of this site, but I like any human, being a biological creature with things happening within me that I don't understand, will naturally have questions about it.
My big criticism with the SE network isn't that it enforces quality, thats the reason I prefer it, but rather that many of the sites have an ignorance barrier of entry. If you don't know enough to know what you don't know, its very difficult to formulate a question that meets the criteria.
For non-academics, if one has a question based in ignorance, which is a perfectly natural expectation for someone asking a question, SE is not for them.
Imagine back before you knew anything about biology. Anything at all, complete smooth-brained, wide-eyed student. Except you aren't in school anymore, you're an adult with a job and a family, and you have a question, but you aren't entirely sure what it is you're question is about. You don't know enough to know what you don't know, but you would like to know. Ideally, I would love for that person's questions to be welcome at SE, but ultimately, they are not. For them.. I guess they would need to use yahoo answers, or ask their (probably) ignorant friends on facebook.
And is that what we want? More people graduating from the University of Facebook?
Anyways, just a suggestion, broaden the scope of biology to not so narrow.

general questions about biological concepts
questions about the biological mechanisms behind medical conditions
questions about techniques in a biological or biochemical laboratory

Just be more open to questions about biological systems and mechanism. I think if someone has a question to how something within their own body works, even if its based on hearsay (remember, facebook university), it should be welcomed and answered here.

user3340: Andrew, your concerns are genuine. At this moment this site is still broader than many others. The problem is with questions that are very trivial. Some of these questions are not more than one line long which shows that the OP has not even made an attempt to look for the answer (No it is never the case that they are perfectly worded). Basic questions are not unwelcome but one should make it evident that the question is based on genuine curiosity and not a random thought of a Facebook graduate (I love that term :) .. ).
Your question does not qualify as the abovementioned kind. I did not downvote it; my reason for close vote was this:
It was based on a claim by a person who probably doesn't even have the rudimentary knowledge of biology (it is sad that such people are in high positions). Your question sounded like : "is this person saying the right facts?", which is mostly the domain of Skeptics-SE. A question about biological mechanism would sound like: "Can pregnancy be controlled by voluntary nervous system/pathways". This should be followed by some justification on why you think it is even possible ("Mr X said so" is not one of them). Moreover it had an answer in Skeptics-SE.
Since you are from the field of computer science I would want to ask what would your reaction be if I asked this question:

My friend (who has not studied computer science actually) told me that with the right computer programming you can
  convert normal printers to 3D printers. I found it ridiculous because
  I think that 3D printing requires special devices. Is there any
  element of truth in this? Can someone provide me details so that I
  could silence idiots like my friend who are spreading wrong
  information?


14726: <p>I asked a question recently about a rumored biological mechanism that I was ignorant about.</p>

<p><a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/30078/is-there-any-truth-to-at-will-pregnancy-rejection">https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/30078/is-there-any-truth-to-at-will-pregnancy-rejection</a></p>

<p>My question was answered and I am satisfied with the result, but it was put on hold, for what I feel, was the wrong reason.</p>

<p>The question is duplicate of a question asked over at skeptics, but it was put on hold for being off-topic. After consulting the help center more closely, I see that it is indeed off topic.</p>

<ul>
<li>general questions about biological concepts </li>
<li>questions about the biological mechanisms <strong><em>behind medical conditions</em></strong> </li>
<li>questions about techniques in a biological or biochemical laboratory</li>
</ul>

<p>I love SE. I think it has the potential to be on par with wikipedia and youtube when it comes to educating the planet.</p>

<p>My expertise is in the computer field, not biology. There are SE sites that welcome different degrees of educated questions.</p>

<p>I've seen questions on UX that don't know enough to know what they don't know, and have their questions welcomed and answered with open arms, even though the question could be interpreted as off-topic if someone felt like doing so.</p>

<p>I've also seen questions on programmers and security that require a stretch of the imagination to interpret the question as off-topic.</p>

<p>Ultimately, I've learned that what is off-topic is largely a reflection upon what kind of questions the moderation want to be asked. Of course that makes sense, these beta sites are created by those whom choose what kind of questions they want to welcome.</p>

<p>Biology is for academics. I didn't have any hand in the creation of this site, but I like any human, being a biological creature with things happening within me that I don't understand, will naturally have questions about it.</p>

<p>My big criticism with the SE network isn't that it enforces quality, thats the reason I prefer it, but rather that many of the sites have an ignorance barrier of entry. If you don't know enough to know what you don't know, its very difficult to formulate a question that meets the criteria.</p>

<p>For non-academics, if one has a question based in ignorance, which is a perfectly natural expectation for someone asking a <strong><em>question</em></strong>, SE is not for them.</p>

<p>Imagine back before you knew anything about biology. Anything at all, complete smooth-brained, wide-eyed student. Except you aren't in school anymore, you're an adult with a job and a family, and you have a question, but you aren't entirely sure what it is you're question is about. You don't know enough to know what you don't know, but you would like to know. Ideally, I would love for that person's questions to be welcome at SE, but ultimately, they are not. For them.. I guess they would need to use yahoo answers, or ask their <em>(probably)</em> ignorant friends on facebook.</p>

<p>And is that what we want? More people graduating from the University of Facebook?</p>

<p>Anyways, just a suggestion, broaden the scope of biology to not so narrow.</p>

<ul>
<li>general questions about biological concepts</li>
<li>questions about <s>the</s> biological mechanisms <s>behind medical conditions</s></li>
<li>questions about techniques in a biological or biochemical laboratory</li>
</ul>

<p>Just be more open to questions about biological systems and mechanism. I think if someone has a question to how something within their own body works, even if its based on hearsay <em>(remember, facebook university)</em>, it should be welcomed and answered here.</p>
 3340: <p>Andrew, your concerns are genuine. At this moment this site is still broader than many others. The problem is with questions that are very trivial. Some of these questions are not more than one line long which shows that the OP has not even made an attempt to look for the answer (<em>No it is never the case that they are perfectly worded</em>). Basic questions are not unwelcome but one should make it evident that the question is based on genuine curiosity and not a random thought of a Facebook graduate (<em>I love that term :)</em> .. ).</p>

<p>Your question does not qualify as the abovementioned kind. I did not downvote it; my reason for close vote was this:</p>

<p>It was based on a claim by a person who probably doesn't even have the rudimentary knowledge of biology (it is sad that such people are in high positions). Your question sounded like : "is this person saying the right facts?", which is mostly the domain of Skeptics-SE. A question about biological mechanism would sound like: "Can pregnancy be controlled by voluntary nervous system/pathways". This should be followed by some justification on why you think it is even possible ("Mr X said so" is not one of them). Moreover it had an answer in Skeptics-SE.</p>

<p>Since you are from the field of computer science I would want to ask what would your reaction be if I asked this question:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>My friend (<em>who has not studied computer science actually</em>) told me that with the right computer programming you can
  convert normal printers to 3D printers. I found it ridiculous because
  I think that 3D printing requires special devices. Is there any
  element of truth in this? Can someone provide me details so that I
  could silence idiots like my friend who are spreading wrong
  information?</p>
</blockquote>
