Allotments 4 All

Hi all! Sorry if this shouldn't be on here (if anyone could point me to the right direction or anywhere else I could try also) but I promised my cousin to give her a hand with gathering research. For her GCSE in Design and Technology she has chosen to focus her assignment on allotments and needs some data to work from and inform her next steps.

We'd both highly appreciate it if you could fill out this short questionnaire, it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfYw66AJHBJN0yv9yEps9v2ZPvwoaheSYQFciYyPb8TQHCQFw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Many thanks!!🙏🙏🙏

Hi. I've had a look at the questionnaire and suggest that it might be good to pilot it with one or two gardeners or allotmenteeers, then ask for participants. Some of the questions aren't clear to me ( for example when it asks about water use, is it referring to allotment only or home use? If allotment why would I filter water there?). Not criticising, just wanting to help you to ask questions in a way that allows you to analyse and understand the answers. Good luck!

Quote from: gwynleg on August 22, 2019, 10:42:29
Hi. I've had a look at the questionnaire and suggest that it might be good to pilot it with one or two gardeners or allotmenteeers, then ask for participants. Some of the questions aren't clear to me ( for example when it asks about water use, is it referring to allotment only or home use? If allotment why would I filter water there?). Not criticising, just wanting to help you to ask questions in a way that allows you to analyse and understand the answers. Good luck!

Hi, no I  fully appreciate that - I'll ask her to amend and clarify a bit as to what she is asking! Thanks! :)

Done. I took the filter question to be about filtering debris out? leaves etc but I cover my water barrels .

Also done... made a couple of suggestions about refinnig questions

Hi ya rtsunyee, Done the questionnaire. Good luck in your cousins progress. Quite often allotment holders are asked. Cheers

Completed the questionnaire.

A few observations. Sample surveys only work correctly if the participants are a random sample of the population being studied.  This may be impossible to achieve but there could be extra marks available for being aware of this limitation.

Open ended questions are very hard work to analyse.  Many questionnaires may involve 1000 participants. Imagine 20 questions each with an open written answer. That is 20,000 separate bits of script to read and somehow consolidate into broad conclusions.  Unlikely you will be dealing with such a large sample size but the general point is worth bearing in mind. It is the reason most questionnaires contain far more tick box / select nearest answer / enter number questions. These can be analysed to give quantitative results.

This is about a balance between quantitative research and qualitative research.  These days the latter is often done using focus groups and similar. Depth interviews with a small number of allotment holders would be a possible alternative to gaining some good qualitative information. Then larger questionnaires with bigger numbers of participants to measure the numbers.

Now I fully appreciate this is a GCSE project, but being aware of these issues will help. If your cousin wants top marks, a research program based on a few depth interviews ( say three ) to inform the design of a short quantitative questionnaire will blow the examiners minds.

It will show a good understanding of proper research procedure.  Grade A guaranteed

P.S.

Quiz question.  Beersmith is now retired.  Question. What did he do before retirement?

Well, he certainly wasn't a politician, as there are too many good ideas, facts and a clear path forward in that statement!

From the name Brewer... personally I think Alewright ... has more kudos..

Quote from: saddad on August 27, 2019, 09:14:55
From the name Brewer... personally I think Alewright ... has more kudos..

Wrong answer, but I enjoyed your comment. I have always been fascinated by the number of our common surnames that relate to trades and occupations. Smith, of course, but as you point out, Wright, as in someone who works or shapes things covering so many. So many other specific ones too - Fletcher making arrows, Cooper making barrels, Kempster combing out wool, Potter, Tailor, Mason, Weaver, Baker, Cook, Fisher, Shepherd, Clarke, Skinner, Gardener. There are Abbots and Barbers, Carpenters and Glazers, Hoopers and Judges, Millers, Mercers and Merchants etc, etc.
 
I won't go on but you get the idea.  Some are stylish. Shoesmith sounds so much classier than Cobbler. Arkwright sounds traditionally northern. Usher sounds a bit sinister but is only a gatekeeper.

Anyone got any really obscure or rare ones?

There are quite a lot of Farts in Russia - I hope this helps.

Wheelwrights are unusual, but Cartwright and Wainwright's both make carts, Arkwright just makes more basic chests and cabinets, without wheels. Being from a textile area Fullers and Walkers.. both shrinking cloth to make it more water resistant but treading it with Fullers Earth.
Having done some local history research you get some strange combinations, I have a friend called "Christian" Priest (His mother was German) who married a Ruth Abbot.
What is the "Beersmith" alluding to then... Publican?

Many apologies to all as I feel I have inadvertently caused confusion.

My user name reflects my main hobby and interest, just ahead of my allotment and my bee hives, not what I used to do before retiring.  When I was rambling about surnames it was just musings about a topic I find interesting.  Before retirement I was a statistician, working in all sorts of settings, mostly scientific data analysis, but including at times sample surveys and similar.  So I was hinting that I had some previous experience about questionnaires.

QuoteMy user name reflects my main hobby

I have always thought your user name had a 'home brewing'connection , just as my user name is T  he  G  ardener

QuoteBefore retirement I was a statistician,

P.S. Sorry for not getting my answer in before now but I have just had a few days in hospital to become a 'Bionic Man' so there is another conundrum for you all to solve!

A new knee perhaps Tee Gee?

QuoteA new knee perhaps Tee Gee?

Nope!

It was a pacemaker!

Well, hope it's doing a good job for you

Thanks! Its doing well its firing on all cylinders.

 my name is CURTIS  formally GREGORY  before that SCOTT I wonder where they come from   Gregory is Cornish as is Scott as far as I know  but Curtis  may be London area But what  trades does it signafy