Help a fellow MeFite out by answering a few questions? April 6, 2011 1:26 PM Subscribe
I'm a graduate student in library science and am conducting a research study project for one of my classes. Any volunteers interested in participating in a brief email interview about why you like to answer questions on Ask MetaFilter?
As part of my Information Seeking Behavior class, I'm conducting a pilot study examining the information-seeking behavior of a group of users, and, due to my many positive experiences here, have chosen to focus on Ask MetaFilter. Specifically, my research question is to study what motivates those who regularly answer questions on Ask MetaFilter.
The interview consists of six brief sets of questions, and will be sent to you via MeMail or your email address (whichever you prefer).
Please post here to let me know if you are willing to participate and I will contact you via MeMail, or send me a MeMail with the email address you’d like to use, and I will respond right away.
(Due to confidentiality requirements, interviews must be conducted off MetaFilter itself, and I will not share what you tell me with anyone outside my class, nor will I ever share your user names or real names. This project is intended to be primarily a means of learning qualitative research methods, and my results will not be published or presented.)
Thank you so much for your help! I look forward to speaking with you!
As part of my Information Seeking Behavior class, I'm conducting a pilot study examining the information-seeking behavior of a group of users, and, due to my many positive experiences here, have chosen to focus on Ask MetaFilter. Specifically, my research question is to study what motivates those who regularly answer questions on Ask MetaFilter.
The interview consists of six brief sets of questions, and will be sent to you via MeMail or your email address (whichever you prefer).
Please post here to let me know if you are willing to participate and I will contact you via MeMail, or send me a MeMail with the email address you’d like to use, and I will respond right away.
(Due to confidentiality requirements, interviews must be conducted off MetaFilter itself, and I will not share what you tell me with anyone outside my class, nor will I ever share your user names or real names. This project is intended to be primarily a means of learning qualitative research methods, and my results will not be published or presented.)
Thank you so much for your help! I look forward to speaking with you!
Define "regularly answer." I have 563 comments in askme, but that pales in comparison to many. I also often go weeks without even looking at the site, then I'll read it every day for a month. I also tend to hit that subsite in spurts. I'll get mad at something and be done with it for a while, then I see some question that I know, and I'm sucked back in.
posted by cjorgensen at 1:43 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by cjorgensen at 1:43 PM on April 6, 2011
I volunteer!
posted by bristolcat at 1:47 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by bristolcat at 1:47 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure.
If you don't mind, send the questions to both my MeMail and the email account listed in my profile.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:48 PM on April 6, 2011
If you don't mind, send the questions to both my MeMail and the email account listed in my profile.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:48 PM on April 6, 2011
I'll help.
posted by amicamentis at 1:49 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by amicamentis at 1:49 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 1:50 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 1:50 PM on April 6, 2011
I am raising my hand and waving it around a little bit. Possibly some "ooh! oooh!" noises.
posted by troika at 1:54 PM on April 6, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by troika at 1:54 PM on April 6, 2011 [4 favorites]
Of course, this is self-selecting a sub-group of people who like to answer questions, so they can answer questions about answering questions.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2011 [19 favorites]
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2011 [19 favorites]
Happy to help. I'll tell you now though that my primary motivation for participating in AskMe is a pathological inability to keep my damned mouth shut when I think someone is being an idiot.
posted by decathecting at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by decathecting at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
sure. I have an easier time with regular e-mail than I do with me-mail.
posted by bilabial at 2:08 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by bilabial at 2:08 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure.
posted by Silvertree at 2:09 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by Silvertree at 2:09 PM on April 6, 2011
I love to answer questions, though I'm not sure I'm a regular...
posted by patheral at 2:27 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by patheral at 2:27 PM on April 6, 2011
Yeah sure, man.
posted by klangklangston at 2:32 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by klangklangston at 2:32 PM on April 6, 2011
Sign me up!
posted by keep it under cover at 2:35 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by keep it under cover at 2:35 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure, I'll help, although I'm new-ish so might not qualify.
posted by Ragged Richard at 2:35 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by Ragged Richard at 2:35 PM on April 6, 2011
I'm happy to participate. You'll have to email me via the address in my profile (since the two options you gave include mefimail which I currently have turned off).
posted by shelleycat at 2:36 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by shelleycat at 2:36 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure, feel free to memail me.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:43 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:43 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure, please use the gmail in my profile. I'll be more likely to remember to respond.
posted by desjardins at 2:51 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by desjardins at 2:51 PM on April 6, 2011
Fire away.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:54 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 2:54 PM on April 6, 2011
Roughly how long will it take someone to complete these questions?
posted by box
Well, that depends on how much detail you go into. Personally, I recommend brevity, as it will make the data-collection simpler. Mind you, some questions might require more nuanced answers. Based on past surveys of this nature I've participated in, I'd say roughly 1/2 hour. YMMV of course.
Oh, wait.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 3:00 PM on April 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by box
Well, that depends on how much detail you go into. Personally, I recommend brevity, as it will make the data-collection simpler. Mind you, some questions might require more nuanced answers. Based on past surveys of this nature I've participated in, I'd say roughly 1/2 hour. YMMV of course.
Oh, wait.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 3:00 PM on April 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
I answer because I totally like talking! Which means I'll do it.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:05 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:05 PM on April 6, 2011
OK. Happy to help anyone's research. Would be interested to see your results.
posted by bearwife at 3:15 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by bearwife at 3:15 PM on April 6, 2011
Wow, thank you, everyone! I think I have more than enough to go on right now, so I think we can stop here. I will send out the questions tonight.
Roughly how long will it take someone to complete these questions?
Well, pretty much what PareidoliaticBoy said. Answers can be as long or as short as you make them. Probably anywhere from ten to thirty minutes depending on how detailed you want to be.
Define "regularly answer." I have 563 comments in askme, but that pales in comparison to many. I also often go weeks without even looking at the site, then I'll read it every day for a month. I also tend to hit that subsite in spurts. I'll get mad at something and be done with it for a while, then I see some question that I know, and I'm sucked back in.
Yeah, it's kind of subjective, hence my research pool being self-selecting. FWIW, I consider myself a regular user and I only have 201 comments, and what you described is essentially how I operate on MetaFilter, too.
posted by anderjen at 3:31 PM on April 6, 2011
Roughly how long will it take someone to complete these questions?
Well, pretty much what PareidoliaticBoy said. Answers can be as long or as short as you make them. Probably anywhere from ten to thirty minutes depending on how detailed you want to be.
Define "regularly answer." I have 563 comments in askme, but that pales in comparison to many. I also often go weeks without even looking at the site, then I'll read it every day for a month. I also tend to hit that subsite in spurts. I'll get mad at something and be done with it for a while, then I see some question that I know, and I'm sucked back in.
Yeah, it's kind of subjective, hence my research pool being self-selecting. FWIW, I consider myself a regular user and I only have 201 comments, and what you described is essentially how I operate on MetaFilter, too.
posted by anderjen at 3:31 PM on April 6, 2011
You can memail me.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:57 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:57 PM on April 6, 2011
Oops, see you have enough already. Well if that changes, offer still stands.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:57 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 3:57 PM on April 6, 2011
I know things. Things beyond the ken of the little people in their quotidian miasma.
That's right, I'm claiming to be better informed than leprechauns who drive about in what sounds like some sort of import hybrid minibus.
posted by Abiezer at 4:01 PM on April 6, 2011
That's right, I'm claiming to be better informed than leprechauns who drive about in what sounds like some sort of import hybrid minibus.
posted by Abiezer at 4:01 PM on April 6, 2011
I promise to respond with answers that are of the same quality as your questions.
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:18 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:18 PM on April 6, 2011
If people flake out and you need more people, send me a memail. Of course, I can't guarantee I won't flake out either.
posted by rtha at 4:38 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by rtha at 4:38 PM on April 6, 2011
Please do not contact me about this. I just want to be that one guy
posted by whir at 4:49 PM on April 6, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by whir at 4:49 PM on April 6, 2011 [5 favorites]
I'd be happy to help. Email's in my profile.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 4:53 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 4:53 PM on April 6, 2011
I promise I will have better answers than all these other fuckers if you contact me. I also promise not to use profanity in my answers.
posted by Rock Steady at 5:37 PM on April 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Rock Steady at 5:37 PM on April 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would love to volunteer!
posted by your mom's a sock puppet at 5:42 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by your mom's a sock puppet at 5:42 PM on April 6, 2011
You...may have underestimated our enthusiasm, here.
/librarian who likes to answer AskMe questions (but not while on the reference desk because that's too recursive)
posted by librarylis at 5:43 PM on April 6, 2011 [3 favorites]
/librarian who likes to answer AskMe questions (but not while on the reference desk because that's too recursive)
posted by librarylis at 5:43 PM on April 6, 2011 [3 favorites]
I'm in if you need any additional gabby-mouthed answerers.
posted by scody at 5:43 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by scody at 5:43 PM on April 6, 2011
I can also help if you need more participants. Memail me with and I'll send you my email address.
posted by DiscourseMarker at 5:44 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by DiscourseMarker at 5:44 PM on April 6, 2011
Ooh, ooh, I want to. (Come on, you can't have too much data, right?)
posted by ocherdraco at 5:45 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by ocherdraco at 5:45 PM on April 6, 2011
Happy to help a fellow (future) librarian! Where are you getting your MLIS?
posted by orrnyereg at 5:56 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by orrnyereg at 5:56 PM on April 6, 2011
I see you've already cut off the signups, but you can memail me if you need more respondents.
posted by Orinda at 6:29 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by Orinda at 6:29 PM on April 6, 2011
And done. Took about 1/2 an hour.
I think it's hilarious that my top-of-the head caricature of a typical Ask response was about right. Maybe we should just can some generic answers like that.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 8:18 PM on April 6, 2011
I think it's hilarious that my top-of-the head caricature of a typical Ask response was about right. Maybe we should just can some generic answers like that.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 8:18 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure, sounds good, if you need anyone else.
posted by unknowncommand at 9:17 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by unknowncommand at 9:17 PM on April 6, 2011
Sure, sign me up.
posted by chrisamiller at 9:49 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by chrisamiller at 9:49 PM on April 6, 2011
I'll do it. What can I say, I love answering questions.
posted by milk white peacock at 9:49 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by milk white peacock at 9:49 PM on April 6, 2011
That was fun.
posted by shelleycat at 10:26 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by shelleycat at 10:26 PM on April 6, 2011
I hope you'll post something about the aggregated results, or whatever paper you get out of this. It was interesting to think through your questions and I'd be curious what the common answers were.
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:05 PM on April 6, 2011
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:05 PM on April 6, 2011
anderjen, I see you have enough, but feel free to ask me if some of your previous respondents fall through or something.
Of course, this is self-selecting a sub-group of people who like to answer questions, so they can answer questions about answering questions.
I like to answer sexy questions like it is my profession. (Which is kinda good, because it is).
/librarian who likes to answer AskMe questions (but not while on the reference desk because that's too recursive)
I have been sorely tempted to log my AskMe answers on our enquires log, when my stats are down.
posted by Infinite Jest at 1:40 AM on April 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Of course, this is self-selecting a sub-group of people who like to answer questions, so they can answer questions about answering questions.
I like to answer sexy questions like it is my profession. (Which is kinda good, because it is).
/librarian who likes to answer AskMe questions (but not while on the reference desk because that's too recursive)
I have been sorely tempted to log my AskMe answers on our enquires log, when my stats are down.
posted by Infinite Jest at 1:40 AM on April 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm in if you need more.
posted by allkindsoftime at 2:52 AM on April 7, 2011
posted by allkindsoftime at 2:52 AM on April 7, 2011
Me too
posted by MustardTent at 9:21 AM on April 7, 2011
posted by MustardTent at 9:21 AM on April 7, 2011
When do you need this by? There are about 18 questions, many of them requiring quite a bit of elaboration, so this is going to take me more than half an hour.
posted by John Cohen at 9:41 AM on April 7, 2011
posted by John Cohen at 9:41 AM on April 7, 2011
Sign me up.
posted by reductiondesign at 3:56 PM on April 7, 2011
posted by reductiondesign at 3:56 PM on April 7, 2011
You...may have underestimated our enthusiasm, here.
Clearly; I should have known that a group who loves to answer questions wouldn't possibly be able to resist the opportunity to answer even more questions.
Oh, what the hell. I've gone ahead and sent the questions to everyone that posted here and that sent me MeMail—if I've missed anyone by accident, please give me a shout. And THANK YOU to everyone who has replied already. It's been fascinating to read your responses so far.
Where are you getting your MLIS?
I go to St. Catherine University in Minnesota.
When do you need this by?
By Monday would be great. I start my analysis next week.
posted by anderjen at 6:21 PM on April 7, 2011
Clearly; I should have known that a group who loves to answer questions wouldn't possibly be able to resist the opportunity to answer even more questions.
Oh, what the hell. I've gone ahead and sent the questions to everyone that posted here and that sent me MeMail—if I've missed anyone by accident, please give me a shout. And THANK YOU to everyone who has replied already. It's been fascinating to read your responses so far.
Where are you getting your MLIS?
I go to St. Catherine University in Minnesota.
When do you need this by?
By Monday would be great. I start my analysis next week.
posted by anderjen at 6:21 PM on April 7, 2011
St Kate's huh? Heard you guys just got formally accredited with ALA, congrats.
And yes, we love answering questions and we love navelgazing (MetaTalk, so useful in that regard) so combining the two is like Metafilter catnip.
Also, I didn't say it but feel free to send me a survey because I am no more immune than anyone else and also kind of curious, in a MLIS-comparison kind of way.
posted by librarylis at 7:50 PM on April 8, 2011
And yes, we love answering questions and we love navelgazing (MetaTalk, so useful in that regard) so combining the two is like Metafilter catnip.
Also, I didn't say it but feel free to send me a survey because I am no more immune than anyone else and also kind of curious, in a MLIS-comparison kind of way.
posted by librarylis at 7:50 PM on April 8, 2011
I might be late to this party but I would be willing to participate.
posted by mandanza at 1:22 PM on April 10, 2011
posted by mandanza at 1:22 PM on April 10, 2011
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by box at 1:37 PM on April 6, 2011