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Reminder! Website Environment Survey - Need help!
by Samah Ahmed 15 Apr '04

15 Apr '04

Dear Colleagues, Thank you for everyone who took the time to respond to my suvey, your input has been very helpful. I have received wonderful comments that have been very instrumental to my researh. However, I still need few more responses, so I am sending the message again in case some were not able to respond to the first notice. Below is the note and link to the survey website. Thank you again. For my dissertation, I am examining perceptions of website environment. I am writing to request your help. If you have researched the topics of usability, human-computer interaction, and/or human interface design -- If you have experience with conducting usability tests and/or site evaluations -- If you have designed websites and feel you have gained knowledge from within the process -- If any of these conditions apply to you, I would like your expertise evaluation for one or more websites. It would take only a few minutes to click through a commercial website, complete a short survey and type a few comments. If you are interested or willing to help, please go to the following link http://68.186.191.219/project1/expert.asp For information about the survey please do not hesitate to contact me Samah Ahmed email: ahmedsa(a)auburn.edu Thank you and appreciate you sharing your expertise!! Samah Ahmed Samah H. Ahmed Ph.D. Candidate Department of Consumer Affairs Auburn University Ph. (334) 844-1339 Fax (334) 844-1340

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--> Mobile Research Forum
by Richard Tee 15 Apr '04

15 Apr '04

The following announcement might be of interest to some of you. Feel free to forward this message! Best regards, - Richard Tee -------------------------------------- Announcing the Mobile Research Forum --> http://mrf.ecdc.info/ The Mobile Research Forum (MRF) is a knowledge repository for people involved in mobile communications research. The MRF is a site that links to high quality research papers and other reports, facilitating dissemination of research and in the process bringing together people interested in similar research questions. Areas of investigation include questions about mobile business models and economic changes, usage and development of mobile devices, roll out of networks and standardization, and social impact questions. Bringing together people in the mobile research community, the MRF acts as a knowledge repository containing articles, opinion pieces, numbers and diagrams, links and other resources. Membership to the MRF is free of charge. Find out more at --> http://mrf.ecdc.info/ For questions and comments contact the coordinator of the Mobile Research Forum at mrf(a)ecdc.info The Mobile Research Forum is created by the European Centre for Digital Communications - Infonomics. For more information about ECDC research institute at http://www.ecdc.info

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Meta-analysis on response rates in Web surveys
by Katja Lozar Manfreda 15 Apr '04

15 Apr '04

META-ANALYSIS ON RESPONSE RATES IN WEB SURVEYS Apologies for cross-posting. The WebSM research group (http://www.websm.org) is working on a meta-analysis to compare response rates in Web-based survey to rates in other survey modes. We already searched relevant scientific journals and conferences proceedings for relevant publications. But we are aware that we might miss important reports and articles. That is why we ask for your help. Please send us references and papers reporting on studies where data from a Web-based survey were compared to data from other survey modes. We are interested in the studies having following characteristics: (1) One of the survey modes used should be a Web-based survey, i.e. a survey where a survey questionnaire on the Web was used for gathering responses from respondents. (2) Data from the Web-based survey should be compared to data from one or more other survey modes (e.g. email survey, mail survey, telephone survey, face-to-face survey, fax survey, etc.). Comparable samples should be used in both (or all) modes. The use of split-sample experimental design is preferable. (3) Data on response rates from the Web and the other survey mode(s) used should be available. As an incentive for your help, we will send you a copy of our final report, and acknowledge your help in the report! Papers in English, German, French, and Italian are welcome. Our contact e-mail address: katja.lozar-manfreda(a)fdv.uni-lj.si Snail-mail: Katja Lozar Manfreda, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Kardeljeva ploscad 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. P.S. Papers and reports that you will send us will not be published on the WebSM site (unless you explicitly request it). They will be used exclusively for the purposes of the meta-analysis. ************************************************************** Lozar Manfreda, Katja, PhD Assistant Professor Faculty of Social Science, University of Ljubljana Kardeljeva ploscad 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Tel. +386 1 5805 284 Fax. +386 1 5805 101 Email: katja.lozar-manfreda(a)fdv.uni-lj.si, katja(a)ris.org Methodology of Web surveys: www.websm.org Faculty of Social Sciences: www.fdv.uni-lj.si Research on Internet in Slovenija: www.ris.org

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RE: [Air-l] the september project
by ericka menchen 14 Apr '04

14 Apr '04

In an effort not to further the silence on the subject, my reading of the project web site lead me to Gina's interpretation as well. Perhaps this is not directly stated but I clearly read it between the lines, although perhaps I'm an optimist. -Ericka Menchen --- air-l-request(a)aoir.org wrote: > Send Air-l mailing list submissions to > air-l(a)aoir.org > > > Message: 1 > From: "Gina Neff" <ginasue(a)panix.com> > To: <air-l(a)aoir.org> > Subject: RE: [Air-l] the september project: > invitation to get involved > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 17:47:55 -0700 > Reply-To: air-l(a)aoir.org > > I'm going to respond on list with the expectation > that several of us may > need to move the conversation off list if it > develops. > > I think that the conceptual work behind the > September Project is > actually brilliant -- the project offers a way to > subvert the > overwhelmingly militaristic definition of a > historical moment that, > frankly, resonates deeply with people inside the > United States, > regardless of their political tendencies. The > September Project does > this by refusing to continue to allow the unexamined > association between > Sept. 11 and a right-wing agenda, and it does so > *without* resorting to > a politics of contention. Within the current, > highly-charged political > environment here in the U.S., this dual move is > critical to the success > of any oppositional politics. > > What it means to be American in a globalized world > will prove to be the > most challenging and important question for > progressive social movements > within the United States. I would argue that any > movement *within* the > United States that attempts to be a mass, broad > social movement must > take on some kind of answer to that question; and > cannot as those of you > abroad might say, "quite enough already." Nor can > this answer be framed > in anti-patriotic terms if it is to be a successful > mass movement within > the U.S. If there's anything "sinister" in the > September project, it is > that is the pure subversion of dominant ideological > paradigms within the > United States. > > I think many activists in the U.S. would agree that > these expressions of > re-thinking and re-defining 9/11 would necessarily > happen in different > ways in different countries (and might even hope > that those expressions > include mass protests against the behavior of the > U.S. government). And > different responses are to be expected given the > cultural and historical > differences in the dominant ideological paradigms > within different > countries. But frankly, the world can't afford to > have American citizens > to throw up their hands and cede the rhetorical > control of 9/11 to the > U.S. right wing. Nor can the world afford to have > citizens in other > countries sit idly by and watch. > > Gina Neff > > > > > --__--__-- > > Message: 2 > Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 23:42:50 -0300 > From: Maximilian Forte <mcforte(a)kacike.org> > Subject: Re: [Air-l] the september project: > invitation to get involved > To: air-l(a)aoir.org > Reply-To: air-l(a)aoir.org > > This is very interesting Gina, as an interpretation > of what I said the > original message left unspoken. When I visited the > website, I personally got > no sense whatsoever of anything you mentioned in > your message. Perhaps you > have more intimate knowledge of this project. Let me > just say that I hope > you are right in the interpretation you offered in > your message. > > In the event that you are correct, and that this is > a brilliant project, I > would be interested in learning the methods and > means by which messages such > as yours will be conveyed and coordinated through a > vast network of > libraries, and who the prime movers will be in > ensuring that just such a > message gets across. > > As for my comment on the exact quote I extracted, I > believe that my comment > still stands. Anyhow, I very much appreciate your > comments. You will be > probably be one of the very few with the courage to > address this topic on > list...otherwise, as you will notice, the silence is > deafening. > > Cheers, > > Maximilian C. Forte > >

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Re: Disabilities
by Jonathan Robin 14 Apr '04

14 Apr '04

Good Evening, you might also contact Mike Burks mburks952(a)worldnet.att.net and take a look at http://www.icdri.org Best regards Jonathan Robin _____________ air-l(a)aoir.org,Internet a écrit: >Send Air-l mailing list submissions to > air-l(a)aoir.org > >To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l >or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > air-l-request(a)aoir.org ./. > 3. Re: Disability (Matthew J Eliot) (Sue Cranmer) ./. >Message: 3 >From: "Sue Cranmer" <sue(a)jcranmer.freeserve.co.uk> >To: <air-l(a)aoir.org> >Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 11:38:38 +0100 >Subject: [Air-l] Re: Disability (Matthew J Eliot) >Reply-To: air-l(a)aoir.org > >Hi Matthew > >You may find the following sites useful for UK provision: > >1) http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/content/home.htm >for all disabilities > >2) www.rnib.org.uk/technology >for those related to sight loss. > >Cheers >Sue > > > >Matthew J Eliot wrote: > >>>I am looking for information, websites, technologies, >>>studies etc on disability issue in the context of new >>>technologies. I would be grateful if you could >>>provide me leads. >>> >>> > > > > >-- __--__-- > >_______________________________________________ >Air-l mailing list >Air-l(a)aoir.org >http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l > > >End of Air-l Digest > > > > >--__--__-- > >_______________________________________________ >Air-l mailing list >Air-l(a)aoir.org >http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l > > >End of Air-l Digest >

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re: September Project
by Jonathan Sterne 14 Apr '04

14 Apr '04

Dear Maximilian: I hear your criticisms loud and clear. Please understand that right now the US left is in a really tough position. Rhetorically, the right wing has basically asserted complete control over the date and its meaning. If the project wants to reach people who aren't already convinced of its necessity, it needs to engage with discourses like patriotism at some point in order to be heard. While I agree that it's offensive to people outside the US (and I am often offended by expressions of "patriotism" by people who have never met someone from outside the country), I think that's the purpose of bringing up patriotism in the first place. I know it's got to look ugly in light of the US's military aggression of the past four years. It does to me too. And yet, there's also the question of the terms on which one is allow to enter into a public debate in the US. Our political culture, is in my estimation, really messed up. So yeah, you're right. But at the same time, my sense of what David and crew are up to has more to do with rhetorical strategy. I'm hopeful he'll join the conversation as well. Best, --Jonathan PS -- For more on US patriotism, check out an essay I cowrote with some friends on patriotic roadsigns. It's here: http://eserver.org/bs/59/rentschler.html

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the september project: invitation to get involved
by david silver 14 Apr '04

14 Apr '04

Dear everyone, I am aware that I begin most of my emails with a request to forward, distribute, blog, etc. Yet this one comes with a special request: *please* forward, distribute, blog this post as far and wide as possible. We are especially interested in having it reach folks in libraries, information studies, and informatics. Actually, everyone! Here's the plan: On December 18, 2001, by a vote of 407-0, Congress designated September 11th as Patriot Day. We believe the most patriotic gesture citizens can make on this day is to come together in public places like local libraries. Through talks, roundtables, deliberations, and performances, citizens will participate collectively and think creatively about our country, our government, our community, and encourage and support the well-informed voice of the American citizenry. Public libraries provide all citizens open and free access to information. Almost all communities in the US have at least one library. There are over 16,000 public libraries in the US, and that's not including university libraries, K-12 libraries, and church libraries. In other words, libraries constitute an already existing national infrastructure. Moreover, 96% of all public libraries in the US are wired, partly due to the Gates Foundation's successful library initiative. Therefore, libraries also constitute a national and distributed media infrastructure. The September Project has three goals: 1. to coordinate with all libraries -- public, university, research; local, national, global -- to foster multiple public spaces for citizens to come together and participate in events on September 11, 2004; 2. to work with all modes of media -- popular and alternative; streaming/digital media, radio, television, print -- in order to transform local conversations into national and international interactions; 3. to continue doing this annually and internationally on September 11th. The aim of The September Project is to create a day of engagement, a day of community, a day of democracy. Our goal is to foster a tradition for citizens around the world to recognize and give meaning to September 11th. We invite you to visit our web site http://www.theseptemberproject.org and to get involved. Although our initial organizational strategies have been focused primarily on the US, our aim is international. Thank you for your time, david silver

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Web site research studies
by gdtaylor＠uiuc.edu 14 Apr '04

14 Apr '04

Hi Everyone, I am looking for some information and wondering whether any of you might be able to help me out. For my Ph.D. early research study, I am assessing an emerging workplace trend by locating and reviewing information available on organization web sites. I will be collecting qualitative and quantative data from the organization home page and other pages linked to it where information is not password protected. The quantitative data will be analyzed using statistical methodologies. I have been trying to locate other empirical studies where researchers have employed similar data collection and analysis procedures for comparison purposes with respect to methodologies. Do you know anyone who might be conducting research in this manner? If so, I would appreciate your sharing the names of these individuals with me. Thanks! Gail D. Taylor, Graduate Teaching Assistant University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Human Resource Education

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Re: Disability (Matthew J Eliot)
by Sue Cranmer 14 Apr '04

14 Apr '04

Hi Matthew You may find the following sites useful for UK provision: 1) http://www.abilitynet.org.uk/content/home.htm for all disabilities 2) www.rnib.org.uk/technology for those related to sight loss. Cheers Sue Matthew J Eliot wrote: >>I am looking for information, websites, technologies, >>studies etc on disability issue in the context of new >>technologies. I would be grateful if you could >>provide me leads. >> >> --__--__-- _______________________________________________ Air-l mailing list Air-l(a)aoir.org http://www.aoir.org/mailman/listinfo/air-l End of Air-l Digest

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CFP: New Research for New Media - Innovative Research Methodologies :: extended deadline April 30 and confirmed scientific board
by dds＠correu.urv.es 13 Apr '04

13 Apr '04

Call for papers and participation: extended deadline April 30 and confirmed scientific board NEW RESEARCH FOR NEW MEDIA: INNOVATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES Second edition - September 30th to October 2nd 2004 Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) Abstract submission extended deadline: April 30, 2004 Participant application deadline: June 15, 2004 Panel moderators / scientific board: Opening Speech: Nicholas Jankowski (University of Nijmegen, Netherlands) Ethnograpy: Chris Paterson (University of San Francisco, USA) Content and discourse analysis: Susan Herring (Indiana University, USA) Quantitative research: Vicenç Meléndez (Idescat, Catalonia) Historical research: Patrice Flichy (Université Marne-la-Vallée, France) Research ethics: Bruce Henderson (Colorado University, USA) Organizers: Institute for New Media Studies at the University of Minnesota Communication Department of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili Info and application form: http://www.inms.umn.edu/convenings/newresearch_2004/main.htm ================================== DETAILED INFO New media offer both new research techniques and new communication arenas to be studied. This Symposium will bring together researchers who a) use new media technologies to further their existing research methodologies or b) use innovative research methodologies (or rethink traditional methods) to further their research into any aspect of new media. Perspectives from around the world and from several disciplines will meet in a dialog with the goal of sharing experiences. The Institute for New Media Studies at the University of Minnesota and the Communication Department of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili have joined efforts to offer researchers an engaging environment in which to reflect on the craft of new media research. Invited chair persons will summarize the state of the art and selected papers will be presented describing the methodological procedures of actual research projects. Symposium participants will serve as discussants, elevating the examination of these techniques and their implications for research. After a successful and exciting first edition at the University of Minnesota, USA, the Symposium moves to Europe with the aim of broadening the research traditions sharing experiences. The goal is to provide an examination of current practices and an opportunity for reflection on future directions new media research methods might take. Panel participants will be selected based on current research they have conducted. Symposium participants will be selected through application to the event. We will look for a mix of highly credentialed as well as promising new voices in the area of new media research to participate in the workshop. The dynamics of the Symposium will avoid the traditional paper presentations format. Papers will be distributed to all the participants prior to the conference so everyone will be familiar with the research methods that will be discussed. Sessions will be organized in discussion groups, coordinated by a chair person invited by the organizers. Participants will work in small groups to discuss the implications of the research methods presented in terms of ethics, logistics, impact on results, and other open questions about application of this type of research. The reports from the small group discussions will be an important part of the symposiums outcomes. Participants are expected to join all the discussion sessions in order to enrich the debate with his/her own methodological and disciplinary perspective. PANELS *Ethnographic research: Using ethnographic and new research techniques for the study of new media organizations and populations. While ethnographic research means the investigator goes into the field, instead of bringing the field to the investigator, what are the techniques that have been used to identify and study organizations and populations? Use of chat rooms or instant messaging, ways of contacting individuals in populations, technological monitoring techniques for observation of work processes, etc. *Content and Discourse Analysis: Examination of new media messages, communication, web content, etc. Papers could cover different programs or technological aids used in conducting content and discourse analyses as well as the challenges of capturing the "moving target" of online content and communication. *Research Ethics and Issues: New or unusual ethical issues raised in conducting new media research, methods for dealing with human subject concerns, confidentiality and privacy issues, sampling and verifying issues. *Historical Research: Research focused on examination of the evolution of new media. Techniques used to find and analyze earlier forms, methods for anticipating and capturing current media for future examination and comparison. Issues of access to archives of materials. *Quantitative Research: Development of lab experimentation into new media effects, surveying techniques, and other methods for gathering and analyzing quantitively the impact of new media. CALL FOR PAPERS The call for papers for the Symposium is open to any researcher interested in writing a paper on the research method/s used for an actual research project on new media he/she is conducting or has conducted. These papers will focus on the methodology used rather than the outcome of the research. The papers will discuss in depth the methodology, how they came to decide to use that method, challenges faced in the application of the method, and questions they have about effective use of the method. Papers should be 5 to 7 pages long. 20 lines abstracts along with a brief research interests profile should be sent before April 30, 2004 through this webform: http://www.inms.umn.edu/convenings/newresearch_2004/application.htm Notification of acceptance is due by May 15th. Full papers, 5 to 7 pages long, will be delivered before June 15th 2004, once they have been accepted. Approaches from any discipline are welcomed, and diversity will be a criteria in the selection. Communication, socio-technical, psychological, cultural, linguistic, anthropological, sociological and gender studies are examples of possible areas of new media research suitable to be selected. Each of the panels will have a chair person who will select the most insightful papers and will write up a summary of the research status, concerns and challenges of that methodological area. Papers will not be strictly presented at the sessions, which will be focused on discussion. Papers submitted but not assigned to a panel will be able to be presented in a poster session if the papers writer chooses. CALL FOR PARTICIPATION Participation is open to any researcher interested in being part of the discussion, submission of a paper is not necessary. In the interest of creating a dynamic discussion atmosphere, the total number of participants will be limited to 50. Participation applications can be sent before June 15th 2004 through this webform: http://www.inms.umn.edu/convenings/newresearch_2004/application.htm The work language of the Symposium will be English. REGISTRATION FEE 100 euros, includes coffee breaks, lunches and official dinner. People whose papers are selected for the panels will have registration fee waived.

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