take an online research survey and enter to win a $200.00 gift card (1 Viewer)

[Scott_lb]

Hello! As an active forum member, I have seen many members do what they can to help others in times of need. I would like to know if any of you can spare a few minutes and help me out with a research project I am performing. I am currently finishing my doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology and am in the data collection phase of my dissertation research. Ironically, one of the most difficult aspects of performing social science reserach is obtaining participants. If any of you would be willing to fill out my reserach survey I would greatly appreciate it!

To encourage participation, those who fill out my online survey have the option of entering into a random drawing for a $200.00 gift card from any U.S.-based retailer of his/her choice (e.g., Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, etc.). To qualify as a participant, you must:

a. Be an adult (i.e., over the age of 18)
b. Work at least 37.5 hours per week for a single employer (i.e., working two part-time jobs at two different places totaling 37.5 hours doesn't count)
c. You must have worked at the organization for at least 90 days (the typical probationary period)

If interested in taking my online survey (and entering into the random drawing for the $200.00 gift card), please follow this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=81663891986

I sincerely thank you for your time and effort! It is much appreciated! If you have any questions, please send me a PM.

*please note that I gained permission from Ron Epstein to post this message prior to doing so

 

[BrianB]

Scott, really interesting survey & I can definitely see the ideas behind it (measuring burnout potential through how someone sees themselves) as being very applicable to the industry I'm in as it suffers terribly from stress/cynicism/burnout.

 

[Scott_lb]

Brian - thanks for the response. What type of industry do you work in? Just curious. Thanks again for taking the survey.

 

[Pamela]

Took the survey. Gee, it looks like I'm not too happy with my job!

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Took the survey as well. I'm fairly happy with my job but I know better is out there.

 

[Scott_lb]

BrianB - you sent me a private message, however, nothing shows up in my PM inbox. Can you re-send it? Thanks!

 

[David Galindo]

Cool, I feel even better about my job now.

 

[BrianB]

Done.

 

[David Galindo]

When is the raffle for the certificate?

 

[Mark Murphy]

I did the survey and it basically reminded me of what I already knew. I like my job and I hate it at the same time. Since I am a shop steward I have work two jobs in one so I combined both aspects of my occupation into one.

 

[Scott_lb]

David - the drawing for the gift card will be held after I obtain a sufficient sample size (the sooner the better!)

 

[David Galindo]

Ok, sounds good!

 

[Jon_Gregory]

Just finished the survey. I think your topic is well worth the study. Job burnout is a big thing especially in my type of work. We sit in the dreaded cubicles and either you surcome to the 8 hours of no sunlight and cramped quarters or you go mad and leave and find another job. And in my geek driven world of Engineering, it is also hard to find a normal person to talk to during the work day. It seems like engineering does something to people that makes them not socialize in the outside world of sun and fun. I have seemed to come out unscathed, but man engineering does something to most people.

 

[Al.Anderson]

Wow. I found the survey particularly negative; meaning I would be afraid to work with people who continually answered in the negative. To put it even another way it seemed as if the questions were looking for extreme examples of discontent/discomfort; to the point where very few would fall in that category.

One other observation, particularly in the early portion of the survey the positive and negative answers fell on the same "side" of the page. Then all of a sudden the tone of a few questions switched. (At one point I had to triple read the question to make sure I understood it correctly because of a sudden change from negative to positive phrasing.) Then toward the end of the survey they seemed to alternate. I'm not studied on survery logistics, but it would seem that takers would start to assume the "good" would remain on one side or the other. How much do you look for skewed results based on misplaced responses?

 

[Doug:Li]

I took your survey...

 

[Scott_lb]

Hi Al - in response to your questions and comments:

"Wow. I found the survey particularly negative; meaning I would be afraid to work with people who continually answered in the negative. To put it even another way it seemed as if the questions were looking for extreme examples of discontent/discomfort; to the point where very few would fall in that category."

Whether or not people respond to the positive or negative extreme end depends on which specific scale you are talking about. This entire survey is actually comprised of 11 validated and published instruments. Some will certainly seem more "negative" than others - it sort of depends on what you are measuring.


"One other observation, particularly in the early portion of the survey the positive and negative answers fell on the same "side" of the page. Then all of a sudden the tone of a few questions switched. (At one point I had to triple read the question to make sure I understood it correctly because of a sudden change from negative to positive phrasing.) Then toward the end of the survey they seemed to alternate. I'm not studied on survery logistics, but it would seem that takers would start to assume the "good" would remain on one side or the other. How much do you look for skewed results based on misplaced responses?"

Again, the specific rating scale will vary according to which specific test or inventory you are taking at the time. The fact that you had to triple read certain questions is a good thing - many poorly written instruments are written in the same manner all the way through, and it can be difficult to tell how valid the responses are (because the individual could have just "blown through" the questions without really tending to each of them).

Regarding looking for skewed results on misplaced responses, the data will be analyzed for various types of reliability. For example, it is common for some test takers to notice that certain questions seem to ask the same thing but are worded a little differently (and sometimes get upset by, essentially, have to answer the same question twice). That type of strategy is usually testing to make sure that participants are responding the same to each of the questions. If they don't, the results on that particular factor don't mean much which must be considered during the detailed portion of the data analysis.

Hope this helps!

Thanks again for taking it,
Scott

 

[Lew Crippen]

I did not take the survey as I recently retired and therefore do not meet the criteria.

I do have views about job satisfaction and burnout and will fill out the survey or comment should you feel it helpful.

 

[Scott_lb]

Hi Lew - Thanks for your comments. I'll ask that you do not take the survey, as I'd like to keep my sample as "pure" as possible. I am, however, interested in hearing your views on burnout and job satisfaction which you alluded to in your post. Thoughts?

 

[Scott_lb]

I just wanted to let everyone know that the survey is still open, should anyone still be interested in taking it. Also, thank you again to the people who have taken the time to do so - I sincerely appreciate it!

 

[Jerry Almeida]

I took your survey.