View Full Version : AT Thru-hiker Survey is now up and Running
Johnny Swank
05-17-2007, 13:53
All,
I hope everyone is doing well. I've got my AT Thru-hiker Survey up and running now. If you've attempted a thru-hike of the AT, could you please take a few moments and fill out this survey for me. The data will be used for my dissertation, and from early returns, looks like it'll be the largest data set on thru-hikers ever conducted!
Here's the link with background info and what-not.
http://www.sourcetosea.net/thruhiker/study.html
Thanks in advance,
-Johnny Swank (ME-GA, 2000)
Technically this does not belong in the forum. I hate to bring that up, but Neo left because of his photo thing so...
gstepclassical
05-17-2007, 14:21
Probably would get more participation over on WhiteBlaze.
Technically this does not belong in the forum. I Speaking as someone who's made the mistake of getting off topic and making a bit of an idiot of myself in the process, you're right.
angrysparrow
05-17-2007, 14:27
Probably would get more participation over on WhiteBlaze.
It looks like it's already posted there (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24560&highlight=Thru-hiker+survey) too.
If this discussion is about 'on topic' threads, there are several others that don't belong as well: Mother's day thread, 'My Sewing Machine' thread, and 'Hinterlands' thread. I'm not of the opinion that NO non-hammock discussion is possible, but if the line is drawn accurately, those don't qualify, IMO.
Johnny Swank
05-17-2007, 14:40
I certainly didn't mean for this to be an issue. Mods-take this post down you don't think it's appropriate.
I'm going to be posting something similar on every AT-related / backpacking forums I can get my hands on over the next week.
Soooooo, anyone want to take a survey? :)
See you at Traildays.
-J Swank
If this discussion is about 'on topic' threads, there are several others that don't belong as well: 'My Sewing Machine' thread
I don't know that I'd go that far on this one, Angrysparrow. The 'My Sewing Machine" thread very easily fits into the DIY category. At the last SEHHA Hangout in April, I got my first good look at DIY gear, leading me to a subsequent "infection" of the DIY virus. A large part of DIY is having and being able to use a sewing machine. My thread was in regard to obtaining a sewing machine, and, therefore, falls into a DIY thread. If you can't discuss sewing machines here, then we may as well not have a DIY forum at all. With regard to your comment, I respectfully dissent.
angrysparrow
05-17-2007, 14:48
I don't know that I'd go that far on this one, Angrysparrow. The 'My Sewing Machine" thread very easily fits into the DIY category. At the last SEHHA Hangout in April, I got my first good look at DIY gear, leading me to a subsequent "infection" of the DIY virus. A large part of DIY is having and being able to use a sewing machine. My thread was in regard to obtaining a sewing machine, and, therefore, falls into a DIY thread. If you can't discuss sewing machines here, then we may as well not have a DIY forum at all. With regard to your comment, I respectfully dissent.
Hey, I respect dissent! :) I'm not even of the opinion that there shouldn't be a little off-topic banter, but if the letter of the law is enforced, I thought that talking about 'getting' a sewing machine is off topic where 'using' one wouldn't be. Also, please don't get the impression that I was singling anyone out; just furthering the ongoing discussion.
to many people get their panties in a wad when off-topic stuff is posted:eek:
That is why Neo left :(
Hey, I respect dissent!
to many people get their panties in a wad when off-topic stuff is posted:eek:
Sparrow, same here, just keeping with the conversation and helping it along. We're cool, man. Ewker, I don't wear panties. :p
I personally don't care. I almost didn't post it, but I felt sine Neo left...
I personally don't care. I almost didn't post it, but I felt sine Neo left...
that is it in a nutshell..most don't care (except for a few) if something is off-topic.
Now if his survey was posted in the thread asking about who is doing a long distance hike with a hammock then it would have probably been ok.
oh well life goes on :p
Johnny Swank
05-17-2007, 15:41
Just for giggles and clarification, I added a fair amount of questions in the Gear section, and included "hammocks" as a distinct option (like tent, tarp, bivy, etc). There was no mention of hammocks being used in the '89 study, but I'd be willing to bet that I'll pick up a few hangers these days.
Johnny Swank
05-17-2007, 20:25
Just up in here kreatin' kontroversy! :)
Hang em high,
-J Swank
Wow, this tread went from off topic to on topic about being of topic then on topic... wait off then on then.... Well never mind its all so confusing
Johnny Swank
05-18-2007, 15:10
24 hours later, and 30 thru-hikers have completed the survey. I can not believe the great response this thing is getting, and as always, and forever humbled at the generosity of hikers to help out when asked. I was hoping for about 200 (or more) when all is said and done, and it looks like that's going to be the case.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I might kiss some of you if you didn't smell so **** bad!
Feel free to forward the link to whom ever. The more the merrier.
-Johnny Swank, ME-GA 2000
The problem I see with using this method to obtain data is that it is not quite reliable. There is no control. Sorry I have a degree in Mathematics and was getting one in Statistics. It won't matter if you are not really trying to get any hard statistics and you just want an idea of what someone intension and background is.
Johnny Swank
05-18-2007, 16:26
I agree with the ideal of having a control group, but with this sort of population, you have what you have. There's also the matter of non-response bias amongst folks that aren't online or won't get my business card shoved in their packs at Trail Days, but that's another ball of wax. Social science is what it is, and I can't stand when folks at conferences point out how "statisically significant" their findings based on a small population myself.
I'm as much into learning about the motives, communication patterns, and other qualitative stuff as anything else. I really want to see how the advent of the internet has changed the way folks get their info, as the original study this is sort of based on was done in 1989. All the gear answers have been neat to see as well. Hell, all of it is neat to see for me, and I can't wait to see what sorts of patterns start to appear given more responses.
This is a snapshot of the folks that chose to fill out an online survey, but given the population of hikers, that's about the best way to get ahold of these folks. I've moved a half-dozen times since my thru-hike, but my email address didn't change until I let it expire.
Thanks for the comment.
blackbishop351
05-18-2007, 17:30
Thanks to a fascinating course a couple years ago (that was actually listed in the Philosophy department), I'll point out that data can be "statistically significant" even though they're drawn from a small sample size. Lack of a realistic control group can even be accounted for.
On the other hand, it seems to me that statistical significance must be a term that was invented specifically for what I call pseudo-science - sociology, psychology, marketing, whatever. It accounts for a lot of subjective meaning as well - for example, studies have found that smoking increases the user's chance of contracting lung cancer by 0.2%, which is then called "significant" simply because of the subjective gravity of the disease.
Anyway. Enough of the rant. I personally try not to believe ANY reported statistics whenever possible...at least without a LOT of corroboration.
blackbishop351
05-18-2007, 17:33
On a slightly related side note, I guess I hadn't officially said anything - on May 11th (one week ago), I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a dual Bachelor of Science in Physics and Pure Mathematics. Hooray me! No more school for at least a year or two!
Incidentally, this should free up a lot more time for making gear and generally enjoying hammocks (happy, Jeff? :D ) !
angrysparrow
05-18-2007, 17:42
...for what I call pseudo-science - sociology, psychology, marketing, whatever.
I would add political science to that list.
On a slightly related side note, I guess I hadn't officially said anything - on May 11th (one week ago), I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a dual Bachelor of Science in Physics and Pure Mathematics. Hooray me! No more school for at least a year or two!
Thats great BB! Congrats on on reaching the end of the chapter (that's how I've come to remember the transition from college to 'normal life').
Incidentally, this should free up a lot more time for making gear and generally enjoying hammocks
Woot! Potomac's all around!
Johnny Swank
05-18-2007, 17:52
Amen, and pass the ammo. I'm sure as heck not trying to point to anything other than generalized trends and whatnot. Stats is nothing if not subjective to a point, especially when looking at such grey areas as motivations and the like.
"There was a significant differance between section hikers that carried tents and thru-hikers who did not wear underwear when controlled for their satisfaction level regarding tent stakes." ;) (Actually I'd like to sneak something like that into a journal article just to see if I could get away with it.)
Johnny Swank
05-18-2007, 17:54
Hey - I did (or should say, finished) my undergrad at UNCG. Only took my 13 years from start to finish to get the Bachelor's degree!
I am going back for a second master's, but not to UNCG. I will finally get a master's in Mathematics and then a PhD. I suppose I don't have to get the master's first, but...
blackbishop351
05-18-2007, 18:54
I am going back for a second master's, but not to UNCG. I will finally get a master's in Mathematics and then a PhD. I suppose I don't have to get the master's first, but...
Nah, do the straight PhD program. Much easier and (IMO) more rewarding.
FanaticFringer
05-18-2007, 21:14
Thanks to a fascinating course a couple years ago (that was actually listed in the Philosophy department), I'll point out that data can be "statistically significant" even though they're drawn from a small sample size. Lack of a realistic control group can even be accounted for.
On the other hand, it seems to me that statistical significance must be a term that was invented specifically for what I call pseudo-science - sociology, psychology, marketing, whatever. It accounts for a lot of subjective meaning as well - for example, studies have found that smoking increases the user's chance of contracting lung cancer by 0.2%, which is then called "significant" simply because of the subjective gravity of the disease.
Anyway. Enough of the rant. I personally try not to believe ANY reported statistics whenever possible...at least without a LOT of corroboration.
Dont kid yourself. Cigs kill. Give up your habbit. We need you around on this forum for a long time.:p
blackbishop351
05-18-2007, 21:28
Dont kid yourself. Cigs kill. Give up your habbit. We need you around on this forum for a long time.:p
Habbit...is that like a hairy rabbit? :D
Habbit...is that like a hairy rabbit? :D
Or a wascawy wabbit? :p
Even if they don't kill they stink and are unpleasant.
Just Jeff
05-20-2007, 22:19
Y'all are killin' me.
blackbishop351
05-27-2007, 18:19
Y'all are killin' me.
We know, Jeff. We know. :p
On a slightly related side note, I guess I hadn't officially said anything - on May 11th (one week ago), I graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a dual Bachelor of Science in Physics and Pure Mathematics. Hooray me! No more school for at least a year or two!
Incidentally, this should free up a lot more time for making gear and generally enjoying hammocks (happy, Jeff? :D ) ! Congrats, BB. Well done. Darn difficult degrees to get, so my hat's off to you. :D
The problem I see with using this method to obtain data is that it is not quite reliable. There is no control. Sorry I have a degree in Mathematics and was getting one in Statistics. It won't matter if you are not really trying to get any hard statistics and you just want an idea of what someone intension and background is.
I've found that quite often, statistics are like ladies of the night...lay them down and you can do whatever you want with them.
Miguel
Technically this does not belong in the forum. I hate to bring that up, but Neo left because of his photo thing so...
Just curious...has the subject of creating an "Off Topic" section of the Hammock Forum ever been considered. It seems like it would solve the only real problem I've seen here. Another forum I visit quite often has an Off Topic section which solved the same and much more rampant problem.
Miguel
Just curious...has the subject of creating an "Off Topic" section of the Hammock Forum ever been considered. It seems like it would solve the only real problem I've seen here. Another forum I visit quite often has an Off Topic section which solved the same and much more rampant problem.
Miguel D'oh! :eek: Now why didn't anyone think of that sooner? :p
Just Jeff
05-28-2007, 08:59
B/c the threads in the off-topic forum spill over into the other forums on the site. WB used to be (almost) all on-topic, then lots of off-topic, then there was the off-topic forum that helped for a little while, then they had to create the "straight forward" forum b/c there was so much off-topic stuff in the regular forums, and the subscription-only humor and politics forums, even though the politics stuff (or at least the anger in them) ends up in the regular forums. That's one reason some folks quit reading there.
We DO have a non-hammock gear forum, though. :D