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I'm a Java/C++ developer who is also studying psychology.

I would really appreciate it if you would complete a survey that I'm
using for a research project on programmers.

It's easy [Yes/No answers] and takes about 5 minutes.

I will be presenting the results at the American Psychological
Association convention in August.

The study link is:

http://www.elena.com

The survey measures "cognitive style" (analytical/intuitive) which
describes how you process information and learn. The people I've
pre-tested it with found it to be pretty interesting.

I can go to my friends, however it occurred to me that it might be
better to post in a newsgroup and get a larger, more diverse, and
random sample.

Thanks again for your time,

Elena

elena wrote:
>
> I'm a Java/C++ developer who is also studying psychology.

Try comp.lang.java.programmer or comp.lang.c++ (if you're not merely
a spambot, which is the explanation that most immediately comes to
mind).

Even if she is a Java or C++ programmer, shouldn't the post be in a
phychology newsgroup?

Interesting, she has her name (an awefully common one too) as an URL...

Even if she is a Java or C++ programmer, shouldn't the post be in a
phychology newsgroup?

Interesting, she has her name (an awefully common one too) as an URL...

In article <. com>,
elena <> wrote:
:I'm a Java/C++ developer who is also studying psychology.

:I would really appreciate it if you would complete a survey that I'm
:using for a research project on programmers.

That would be "self-selection", and such a proposal would not pass
the ethics department at any reasonable university that I have
heard of. Or don't research studies require approval anymore?
--
Are we *there* yet??

Walter Roberson wrote:
> In article <. com>,
> elena <> wrote:
> :I'm a Java/C++ developer who is also studying psychology.
>
> :I would really appreciate it if you would complete a survey that I'm
> :using for a research project on programmers.
>
> That would be "self-selection", and such a proposal would not pass
> the ethics department at any reasonable university that I have
> heard of. Or don't research studies require approval anymore?


Walter is absolutely right. Without a properly selected and controlled
survey group, the results are meaningless.

According to the web site, she's with Northcentral University, which
seems to be one of those "distance learning" universities.

http://www.universities.com/Distance...niversity.html



Brian

On 16 Feb 2005 09:00:12 -0800, in comp.lang.c , "Default User"
<> wrote:

>Walter Roberson wrote:
>> In article <. com>,
>> elena <> wrote:
>> :I'm a Java/C++ developer who is also studying psychology.
>>
>> :I would really appreciate it if you would complete a survey that I'm
>> :using for a research project on programmers.
>>
>> That would be "self-selection", and such a proposal would not pass
>> the ethics department at any reasonable university that I have
>> heard of.
>
>
>Walter is absolutely right. Without a properly selected and controlled
>survey group, the results are meaningless.

Not necessarily - a randomish sample also has meaning, provided you
understand and document the nature of its randomness. Whats at least as
important is the questions asked and how they're phrased.
--
Mark McIntyre
CLC FAQ <http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html>
CLC readme: <http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>

On 16 Feb 2005 09:00:12 -0800, in comp.lang.c , "Default User"
<> wrote:

>Walter Roberson wrote:
>> In article <. com>,
>> elena <> wrote:
>> :I'm a Java/C++ developer who is also studying psychology.
>>
>> :I would really appreciate it if you would complete a survey that I'm
>> :using for a research project on programmers.
>>
>> That would be "self-selection", and such a proposal would not pass
>> the ethics department at any reasonable university that I have
>> heard of.
>
>
>Walter is absolutely right. Without a properly selected and controlled
>survey group, the results are meaningless.

Not necessarily - a randomish sample also has meaning, provided you
understand and document the nature of its randomness. Whats at least as
important is the questions asked and how they're phrased.
--
Mark McIntyre
CLC FAQ <http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html>
CLC readme: <http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>

"Mark McIntyre" Writes:

>>Walter is absolutely right. Without a properly selected and controlled
>>survey group, the results are meaningless.
>
> Not necessarily - a randomish sample also has meaning, provided you
> understand and document the nature of its randomness. Whats at least as
> important is the questions asked and how they're phrased.

How about providing an example of a self selected sample where the results
are useful? As opposed to, interesting, say. Of course the questions are
important. Why bring that up??

I think this kind of sampling is done all the time and the results are
certainly readable, but I don't know what anyone can actually *do* with such
results. Perhaps one could refine the questions for a real survey to be
made later. Other than that, AFAIAC, self selected samples are interesting
but useless.

There was a show on PBS earlier this week on Kinsey, he used nonsensical
sampling techniques. And I suppose he made a lot of money out of it. But I
can't think of a single reliable inference one could make based on his
books.

On 16 Feb 2005 09:00:12 -0800, in comp.lang.c , "Default User"
<> wrote:

>Walter Roberson wrote:
>> In article <. com>,
>> elena <> wrote:
>> :I'm a Java/C++ developer who is also studying psychology.
>>
>> :I would really appreciate it if you would complete a survey that I'm
>> :using for a research project on programmers.
>>
>> That would be "self-selection", and such a proposal would not pass
>> the ethics department at any reasonable university that I have
>> heard of.
>
>
>Walter is absolutely right. Without a properly selected and controlled
>survey group, the results are meaningless.

Not necessarily - a randomish sample also has meaning, provided you
understand and document the nature of its randomness. Whats at least as
important is the questions asked and how they're phrased.
--
Mark McIntyre
CLC FAQ <http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html>
CLC readme: <http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>