My Dissertation for Masters - wanted! Amateur writers!

Okay folks, who here has written a big project at some point in their lives and is willing on spending some time filling in a short questionnaire for me, plus being part of a focus group for an hour or so sometime in the summer?

My masters dissertation has officially been approved. It is on information literacy in amateur writers, concentrating on research they have done for larger pieces of individual or collaborated work. I will be seeing if people think they are better at research because of it, and what they see as the librarian's role in all of this. I.e. did you use a library at all.

I will be making a small questionnaire, and then running an online focus group or two later in the summer. It shouldn't take up too much time, but I need volunteers.

If you are needing I am willing on paying for this, as an incentive.

::hand raised::

*hugs Storm until he can't breathe anymore*

I am seriously desperate for people to help with this. Thank you so much. I haven't written my questionnaire yet but will get to it soon. Thanks

I'm intrigued by this and willing to help if I'm able, but money would probably muddy our friendship and I'd rather preserve that so you keep it.

I admit I wonder how qualified I am to help. When you say 'big project' what does that mean from your point of view? A novel? A book series? An important piece of literature that furthered the minds of mankind? ^_^

What would be involved with the focus groups, as I'm sure my Australian timezone will rear its ugly head when the time comes. A questionnaire though? Piece of cake.

What you would define as "big project". If you have ever written a novel that's maybe 20k words plus, then that's what I'm currently looking for. Something you researched for, in anyway.

And I already know Australian times well from Amari/Eteri on this site :P

I've written up multiple RPG campaigns where I've had to research mythology, ancient religions, architecture, and other things of the sort if that counts.

If so, I'd love to help you out.

Me too Phi!

*blinks with the sudden amount of people willing to take part*

Oh wow. Wow. Okay so this is awesome. Thank you so much. Please send me a PM if you need the money for this and we can sort that out internally from there.

Rev, if it would equate to around 20k + words of writing then yes. It's a project of a place you made up yourself so yes.

Thank you again!! I will be ok contact in due time. They'll at least be an Althanas gift for all those taking part.

Phi, is this strictly for fictional work? I've written a number of technical papers and major projects that require research as well as a few big projects here, so I think I'll qualify either way, but want to be clear and suspect others may have written thesis-style papers as well.

Hey, yeah it's purely creative writing as my dissertation is centred on that. Thanks for the offer though, that's really helpful and kind of you. If you do have something creative I'd love to have you :D

Hey, to everyone who agreed to help out I have made my questionnaire!!

If you have any friends who are interested, please feel free to send them this link as well. The aim is to try to get about 20 writers to take part in the questionnaire and the focus groups.

The link is below. PM me or email me if you have any questions. NOTE: You can fake do a project over the summer, or do a really small one.

LINK!!!

Done!

Astounded you didn't text me to ask me. Obviously, hand raised.

Edit: FUCK. I just ticked my first 31 - 50 box.

Edit 2: Survey completed, with a huge amount of me now feeling very, very old!

hallo, i am an amateur writerer, and thus have contributed to the Phifriend survey

You guys are all honestly amazing! Already I have some awesome data to use for this. Everyone who contributed form Althanas will get a small gift from me to them, just like when I asked people to help with an earlier assignment.

Thank you, thank you so much ^_^

Done.

For all those who did it before Rev did, I have added an extra question asking if people are willing on taking part in the focus groups, and to add an email if they are. Anonymous email, obviously, and you do not have to do it. But if you are willing, and did the thing before Rev, then please throw me your email on PM.

Thank you so much ^_^ this dissertation hopefully will be published too, apparently its a little rare so :D

NOTE: I have needed to stop the thing from accepting responses for now until I work in the correct ethics. I found out technically I need to get ethics approval, which I cannot get until May. However, if people who have taken part are still happy for me to keep the data, please let me know. I will reopen it when I have all the correct tick boxes for your consent.

Ailsa

Consider my consent to use my data given.

It's a formality, but of course you can keep my data.

Just make sure you delete the bit about where I store my porn.

Approved!

Hey folks!!!

I got ethical approval for my dissertation. I would still appreciate anyone who is able to help out. All the information is in the first paragraph.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...rm?usp=sf_link

Resubmitted my questionnaire.

OKAY FOLKS

Thank you to everyone who has so far participated in this.
My questionnaire has been updated heavily with GDPR stuff, but as long as those who have submitted are happy for me to use their information collected, then I will keep the results. I think most of you have said you are okay with it so far.

ANYWAY.

For those who do not know what this is, please read the first post in this thread. I appreciate any help though!

Here is the updated version with loads more info:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...rm?usp=sf_link

Done!

So we need to resubmit yeah?

If you want to. You don't have to, just need to agree to all the new terms. Which isn't too much but I have to ethically say you agree. I'll be making a form just with the participant information soon.

I just sent this email to participants. If you are willing on taking part in the second part of the survey please let me know and I will link you to the Focus Group information sheet.

For those who are interested in the first one, I will be closing the Questionnaire in two days, but here is a link nevertheless: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...rm?usp=sf_link

Quote:

---

Dear Participant

In late June and early July of 2018 you were willing to take part in my dissertation for my masters of Information and Librarian Studies at the university of Strathclyde that looks at the link between amateur creative writers, their research, and information literacy.

At the end of the Questionnaire you were asked if you were willing to part in the second part of the project, which involves partaking in a Focus Group. This was done in accordance that you will have done some form of creative writing in the time between the Questionnaire and the focus group, and possibly begun to consider your information literacy in more detail.

As you selected 'yes' to be part of the Focus Group, and submitted your email, I am now inviting you to be part of that. Below you will find a link to the information sheet regarding the Focus Group as well as another consent form.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. There is no requirement to take part in this next part of my study, and I will only email again if you are willing to take part, to notify you of a time slot for the Focus Group.

---

Focus group:

All the information can be found within.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...rm?usp=sf_link

Just to say ...

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who helped me in this. I have now sent my masters off to the printers, and have submitted it for electronic plagerism checks. I am hugely relieved that it is done and I could not have done it without all of you.

Special thanks to Storm and Shinsou who took part in the Focus Group for me. Your help will not go un-noted.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ct07Thanks.jpg

Also, Althanas now appears in a dissertation that may be getting published :D

Hooray! Congrats Phi!