user5431: Should questions that can easily be answered through some commonly-available reference on-topic here?
E.g:
https://biology.stackexchange.com/q/14547/5431
And could the above stated example question serve any good if allowed to remain open?

user231: This has been brought up on a number of StackExchange meta sites.  I think there was a flurry in 2011 following this SE Blog post.  Some of the discussions:

Mathematics
Physics
Cooking
Bicycles

One site that is currently closing such questions is the English SE (with ongoing discussion).  Apparently SciFi SE used to use it but no longer does.

user791: 
Why is it not sufficient to say "if a question is trivial, boring, and demonstrates little to no research, downvote it"? Note that the hover-text for downvoting states quite clearly that a question or answer should be downvoted when it "does not show any research effort" or "it is unclear or not useful"!

-Beofett, 7 Nov 2012

I think the situation on SciFi & Fantasy is largely the same as that on Stack Overflow: a lot of simple questions that can be answered easily by external resources, some that probably should be, and folks who would rather post a lazy question here than do any of the legwork to find the answer themselves. Down-voting lazy questions should always be the first option, closing or deleting when they have serious problems of scope or quality, and directing folks to other sites (summarizing the answer found there) when there's nothing to be improved upon.

-Shog9, 31 Dec 2013
One passerby's opinion. Bio.SE is free to make its own decision on what to do with these questions, obviously, but I think these points are important to consider.

user5369: I am wondering about the gray zone: Sometimes non-experts ask questions, baceuse they cannot google the answer up themselves, although I easily can. The non-experts often do not know the keywords for googling. I am at better position for finding the answer, even if it is on wikipedia. 
To what extent is this site supposed to serve non-experts ?

5431: <p>Should questions that can easily be answered through some commonly-available reference on-topic here?</p>

<p><em>E.g:</em></p>

<p><a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/q/14547/5431">https://biology.stackexchange.com/q/14547/5431</a></p>

<p>And could the above stated example question serve any good if allowed to remain open?</p>
 231: <p>This has been brought up on a number of StackExchange meta sites.  I think there was a flurry in 2011 following <a href="http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2011/02/are-some-questions-too-simple/">this SE Blog post</a>.  Some of the discussions:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://math.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/4376/why-dont-we-have-a-general-reference-close-reason">Mathematics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://physics.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1052/should-general-reference-questions-be-closed-on-physics-se">Physics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://cooking.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/1023/should-general-reference-questions-be-asked-and-answered-here">Cooking</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bicycles.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/263/questions-that-are-too-basic-for-stack-exchange">Bicycles</a></li>
</ul>

<p>One site that is currently closing such questions is the English SE (with <a href="https://english.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/4013/please-help-define-the-limits-of-general-reference">ongoing discussion</a>).  Apparently SciFi SE <a href="https://scifi.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/2902/did-we-effectively-burninate-general-reference/2904#2904">used to use it but no longer does</a>.</p>
 791: <blockquote>
  <p>Why is it not sufficient to say "if a question is trivial, boring, and demonstrates little to no research, downvote it"? Note that the hover-text for downvoting states quite clearly that a question or answer should be downvoted when it "does not show any research effort" or "it is unclear or not useful"!</p>
</blockquote>

<p>-<a href="https://scifi.meta.stackexchange.com/a/2402/2380">Beofett, 7 Nov 2012</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I think the situation on SciFi &amp; Fantasy is largely the same as that on Stack Overflow: a lot of simple questions that can be answered easily by external resources, some that probably should be, and folks who would rather post a lazy question here than do any of the legwork to find the answer themselves. Down-voting lazy questions should always be the first option, closing or deleting when they have serious problems of scope or quality, and directing folks to other sites (summarizing the answer found there) when there's nothing to be improved upon.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>-<a href="https://scifi.meta.stackexchange.com/a/2545/2380">Shog9, 31 Dec 2013</a></p>

<p>One passerby's opinion. Bio.SE is free to make its own decision on what to do with these questions, obviously, but I think these points are important to consider.</p>
 5369: <p>I am wondering about the gray zone: Sometimes non-experts ask questions, baceuse they cannot google the answer up themselves, although I easily can. The non-experts often do not know the keywords for googling. I am at better position for finding the answer, even if it is on wikipedia. </p>

<p>To what extent is this site supposed to serve non-experts ?</p>
