Using (real-analysis) tag

Question

User FrConnection has asked a series of questions regarding standard calculus exercises. I personally feel that the (real-analysis) tag should be removed on each of their posts. I removed the (real-analysis) tag on one of the user's posts, but afterwards I felt that it should be up to the user whether he/she should leave it or not. I also left a remark noting that the (real-analysis) tag should probably be removed, but I received no response. What should I do in this case? Should I retag the questions, or is the onus on the OP to choose the most appropriate tags? Put another way, to what extent is it my responsibility to retag such posts?

Note: The few other posts by the user in question are not my main concern. I really have no care whether the posts in question get retagged or not. I am more interested in learning what my course of action should be in the future.

Answer 1

Your course of action should be to use your judgement. If you are more than 50 but less than 100 percent sure about retagging, retag and leave a comment saying you have retagged but you'd be happy if someone with more confidence had a look at it. If someone decides you screwed up, and rolls back your retag, m.se won't fall apart, and you won't be bundled off to a re-indoctrination camp.

Answer 2

In regards to the tag in question: unfortunately there is a large variability between what individuals consider "real analysis". At some universities what passes for a real analysis course covers what, 50 years ago, would be called "advanced calculus". At some universities "real analysis" means "measure theory". (At some universities, depending on the department in which the course is offered, both meanings coexist.) And at some PhD programs, the definition of "real analysis" for the purpose of the entrance exams is quite ridiculously broad (encompassing basic functional analysis, theory of distributions, much of Fourier analysis, in addition to measure theory and integration, basic point-set topology and possibly more).

Given that for most tags there will be some (usually minor) disagreement about what actually belongs, I fully agree with Gerry's advice. Retagging questions when you think that tags are inappropriate is never a problem: what you are doing is actively trying to make the site better, and should be encouraged. What one should not do is to be pig-headed about it and get into a retagging/edit war with another user.