US Beekeeping survey.

[Poly Hive]

I, along with Wendy Schweigert and a team of her students from Bradley, will be conducting research about beekeepers and their characteristics. The results of this research will be used to identify characteristics of those who chose to become beekeepers, to compare various subgroups of beekeepers with each other, and to compare other groups with beekeepers.

If you are 18 years or older and keep bees you are invited to be a part of this research by completing short anonymous survey about beekeepers. We are interested in new beekeeper as well as those who are experienced. Hobbyist, sideliners and commercial beekeepers are all invited to participate. The survey can be found at [URL for survey on surveymonkey.com]. The survey will be available online until February 14, 2010.

If you have any questions about this research please feel free to contact Dr. Wendy Schweigert at [email protected]

To access the survey click on the following link, or cut and paste it into your browser. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9NSWHZ5

Larry Krengel

 

[hedgerow pete]

I ve done my bit

 

[RoofTops]

My first act of 2010. But I wouldn't class formic acid as a "hard" chemical and no mention of oxalic acid. Which proves yet again how difficult it is to put together surveys like this.

 

[Finman]

My first act of 2010. But I wouldn't class formic acid as a "hard" chemical and no mention of oxalic acid. Which proves yet again how difficult it is to put together surveys like this.

By no mean formic acid and OA are in same series. Why they should be?

Farmers here use formic acid to make cattle silage and then they use same stuff in beehives.

 

[RoofTops]

Finman, glad to hear you are still alive and escaped the shooting at Espoo.

The survey put formic acid in the same class as coumophos - which I did not agree with.

 

[Poly Hive]

At the end there is a part where one can add comments.

I mentioned if they wanted help from abroad then the political aspect needed addressing. Also the chems aspect too.

PH

 

[tonybloke]

well, that's the first survey of the new year completed!!

 

[PaleoPerson]

Bailed out of the survey halfway through.

It is basically a psychometric test.

These tests can be uncomfortably accurate if used correctly i.e. the correct set of questions aimed at the correct group of people (I know, we used them extensively in a previous job and being part of the department that issued them, we were the 'Guinea pigs' for accuracy - they often scared me how accurate they could be).

My concerns were in the political and religious areas which may be appropriate in North America, but will skew the results outside of the U.S. as does some of the bee-keeping questions that do not fit fully with European scenario.

I felt that not answering all of the questions or answering some of them incorrectly would blur the data set and give a false impression of those outside North America.

So, sorry PH, but I bailed.

 

[oliver90owner]

but will skew the results outside of the U.S.

That may be the case, but as the origin of the punter was called for this should be taken into account by the surveyors, if they do not have an agenda already set.

Comments like from PH will warn them, if they are not already aware already!

Punters outside the US will be compiled separately and I would be relatively confident they will not comment on the polical leanings of those surveys.

I answered the questions just exactly as asked. Democratic or republican - no leaning either way! If formic was included, it was included. Oxalic acid is related chemically so that was tacitly inlcuded. They may have meant not a natural extract (although we can extract formic from ants!).

Presumably the Wendy is a Phd or equivalent so is relatively sharp with respect to skews in data

Regards, RAB

 

[snoop]

Seems to be more about religion & politics than bee keeping

 

[Black Comb]

I've read why they are doing it and can't really see the point.
Some of the questions seem unrelated to beekeeping.
Not for me.

 

[Finno]

Completed the questionnaire ......but on reflection, I feel it was a waste of time. I appended comments regarding the Americo-centric political questions.

P F

 

[MuswellMetro]

Bailed out of the survey halfway through.

It is basically a psychometric test.

My concerns were in the political and religious areas which may be appropriate in North America, but will skew the results outside of the U.S. as does some of the bee-keeping questions that do not fit fully with European scenario.

the Religious question to me were quite strange as England is such a secular society with its supposed estasblished church of england as a state religion that it seem to be too in your face

i mention in the after commnets that as england appears to be amore secular society then uk participants would perhaps not fit well with both political and religious questions

wonder waht the survey made of me,

A dyslexic Solar physicist, who recylces to preserve the worlds resources, doesn't believe in global warming and is a very un religious lapsed Quaker

 

[tonybloke]

yes, but isn't the square root of minus one = i ?

and beekeeping is possible!!

 

[oliver90owner]

yes, but isn't the square root of minus one = i ?

But only if you have an imaginational(?) mind?

Regards, RAB