Internet Genealogy Research

Moderator: MOD_nyhetsgrupper

Svar
klfriday@googlemail.com

Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av klfriday@googlemail.com » 13 feb 2006 13:12:36

***Apologies for cross-posting***

Researching e-Genealogy

I am conducting a PhD study at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen,
examining Internet family history resources and their users. This will
investigate the users themselves, how users view both e-genealogical
resources and libraries, and how these resources are used within the
research process. An eventual aim of the project is to highlight
methods of promoting the "added value" of UK Local Studies Library
Collections, increasing their visibility to users online. The research
also aims to identify, categorise and examine the available resources:
developing specific evaluative criteria and promoting increased
awareness and understanding within the library community in order to
maintain a quality level of service for genealogical researchers in
libraries.

II am looking for anyone accessing UK information online for their
family history research to complete a 5-minute online survey, available
on the project website:

http://www.researchingegenealogy.co.uk (if not linked, please cut and
paste into your browser)

This is the intital stage of the project, running until mid-April, and
hopes to gather more information about online researchers. The second
stage will involve an in-depth examination of individual search
approaches. ***You are under no obligation to take any further part in
the research.***

I would also be grateful if you could pass this information on to any
potentially interested parties.

Many thanks,

Kate Friday
prs.friday@rgu.ac.uk
klfriday@googlemail.com

CWatters

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av CWatters » 13 feb 2006 13:39:02

<klfriday@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:1139832756.874116.78530@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
***Apologies for cross-posting***

Researching e-Genealogy

I am conducting a PhD study at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen,
examining Internet family history resources and their users. This will
investigate the users themselves, how users view both e-genealogical
resources and libraries, and how these resources are used within the
research process.
An eventual aim of the project is to highlight
methods of promoting the "added value" of UK Local Studies Library
Collections, increasing their visibility to users online.

I've just completed the survey and I'm afraid I can't really see how the
questions asked will help achieve the goals you have set. For example you
don't ask any questions about which online tools or methods a person uses to
find genealogical data sources. I would have thought that was essential info
for the last objective above.

People might well take the view that you are just trying to collect email
addresses for the purposes of spamming us later - for that reason I declined
to leave mine.

Ann

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av Ann » 13 feb 2006 14:34:36

CWatters wrote:
klfriday@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:1139832756.874116.78530@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
***Apologies for cross-posting***

Researching e-Genealogy

I am conducting a PhD study at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen,
examining Internet family history resources and their users. This will
investigate the users themselves, how users view both e-genealogical
resources and libraries, and how these resources are used within the
research process.
An eventual aim of the project is to highlight
methods of promoting the "added value" of UK Local Studies Library
Collections, increasing their visibility to users online.

I've just completed the survey and I'm afraid I can't really see how the
questions asked will help achieve the goals you have set. For example you
don't ask any questions about which online tools or methods a person uses to
find genealogical data sources. I would have thought that was essential info
for the last objective above.

People might well take the view that you are just trying to collect email
addresses for the purposes of spamming us later - for that reason I declined
to leave mine.

I agree, it seems a very woolly sort of survey which will elicit only
the information which common sense would have told you anyway.

klfriday@googlemail.com

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av klfriday@googlemail.com » 13 feb 2006 14:47:05

Dear Chris

Thank you for completing the survey. You are indeed correct - the
survey does not address those particular objectives. When designing the
study, it was evident that different methods would need to be used to
collect information in different areas. As stated in the original
posting:

The second stage will involve an in-depth examination of individual search approaches.

Anyone responding to the survey that indicates that they may be willing
to take further part in the research, where I will be examining
resources used and research approaches on an individual basis. This
will be undertaken with the use of diaries and focus groups.

No-one is under any obligation to (a) participate at all, (b)
participate any further, or (c) leave their email address. With the
frequency of spam these days your concerns are understandable and not
unanticiipated - my staff page at the Robert Gordon University is
included below.

http://www.rgu.ac.uk/abs/staff/page.cfm?pge=23688

I hope this addresses your concerns.

Best wishes,

Kate Friday

A. Gwilliam

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av A. Gwilliam » 13 feb 2006 14:59:34

I didn't find anything objectionable about any of the questions, and
they seemed to be pretty sensible. But I was left with a sense of "Was
that it?" at the end. I was very surprised to not be asked what sort
of online resources I was using!

I can't as yet see this as being much of a contribution towards a
doctoral thesis!

Oh, and it's probably too late, but I would've thought that if you were
to ask what people's level of education was, it'd be sensible to
distinguish between those of us who left at the minimum age or so, and
those who carried on and did A-Levels.

Good luck with it all, anyway.

--
Andrew

Steve Hayes

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av Steve Hayes » 13 feb 2006 15:14:58

On 13 Feb 2006 04:12:36 -0800, "klfriday@googlemail.com"
<klfriday@googlemail.com> wrote:

***Apologies for cross-posting***

No need to. If it's relevant in all newsgroups where you posted it, it isn't
spam. Multiposting, however, is a no-no.
Researching e-Genealogy

I am conducting a PhD study at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen,
examining Internet family history resources and their users. This will
investigate the users themselves, how users view both e-genealogical
resources and libraries, and how these resources are used within the
research process. An eventual aim of the project is to highlight
methods of promoting the "added value" of UK Local Studies Library
Collections, increasing their visibility to users online. The research
also aims to identify, categorise and examine the available resources:
developing specific evaluative criteria and promoting increased
awareness and understanding within the library community in order to
maintain a quality level of service for genealogical researchers in
libraries.

Sounds like a laudable aim.


--
Steve Hayes
E-mail: hayesmstw@hotmail.com (see web page if it doesn't work)
Web: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7783/

Steve Hayes

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av Steve Hayes » 13 feb 2006 15:33:02

On 13 Feb 2006 05:34:36 -0800, "Ann" <anngodden@anngodden.karoo.co.uk> wrote:

People might well take the view that you are just trying to collect email
addresses for the purposes of spamming us later - for that reason I declined
to leave mine.

I agree, it seems a very woolly sort of survey which will elicit only
the information which common sense would have told you anyway.

"Commonsense" will tell you how many users have high-speed broadband and
low-speed dial-up modems?

That seems to be a statement singularly lacking in commonsense.

People on these newsgroups bitched and moaned and whinged for months and
months and months after the 1901 census fiasco, and complained that the people
concerned had not done their homework.

And now when such people DO try to don their homework, what do people on the
newsgroups do? Why, they bitch and moan and whine, of course. Because that's
what they are on these newsgroups for.

And if that's the attitude, why should libraries, record offices, archives etc
give a damn what genealogists think?




--
Steve Hayes
E-mail: hayesmstw@hotmail.com (see web page if it doesn't work)
Web: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7783/

katefriday

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av katefriday » 13 feb 2006 15:42:32

Hi Andrew

Thanks for participating. As I mentioned in one of my earlier messages,
this is the first stage of data collection. It will indeed provide very
valuable data for the study, but is a small section of the data that I
am collecting.

Many people have commented on the survey's brevity, and a lack of
questions about resource use. This will be addressed on an indivual
researcher basis at a later stage, with those who have agreed to
participate further. Also, another PhD study in Australia in a similar
area had a much more extensive survey as the main instrument of data
collection, and did ask such questions. There was no point, therefore,
in duplicating another's work. I am simply approaching internet
genealogy research from a different angle.

Best wishes,

Kate

Jeff

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av Jeff » 13 feb 2006 15:54:52

"Steve Hayes" <hayesmstw@hotmail.com> wrote in message

An eventual aim of the project is to highlight
methods of promoting the "added value" of UK Local Studies
Library
Collections, increasing their visibility to users online.
The research
also aims to identify, categorise and examine the
available resources:
developing specific evaluative criteria and promoting
increased
awareness and understanding within the library community
in order to
maintain a quality level of service for genealogical
researchers in
libraries.

Sounds like a laudable aim.


Very much so.

Local Studies Libraries are an undervalued resource. They
are also frequently even more underfunded than Libraries in
general

David

Re: Internet Genealogy Research

Legg inn av David » 13 feb 2006 23:41:34

Kate,

Looks like a typical prelim. The only point I'd like to make is that you
might have considered expanding the number of options on computer and
Internet usage to include time frames beyond five years.

And that's it for my backseat driving! :-)

Good luck with your thesis and best regards,


David


katefriday wrote:
Hi Andrew

Thanks for participating. As I mentioned in one of my earlier messages,
this is the first stage of data collection. It will indeed provide very
valuable data for the study, but is a small section of the data that I
am collecting.

Many people have commented on the survey's brevity, and a lack of
questions about resource use. This will be addressed on an indivual
researcher basis at a later stage, with those who have agreed to
participate further. Also, another PhD study in Australia in a similar
area had a much more extensive survey as the main instrument of data
collection, and did ask such questions. There was no point, therefore,
in duplicating another's work. I am simply approaching internet
genealogy research from a different angle.

Best wishes,

Kate

Svar

Gå tilbake til «alt.genealogy»