View Full Version : At Hiker Needs To Graduate...please Look At This Survey
FallGirl
02-26-2008, 13:24
Good day. My name is Barbara Freidt; I am currently working on my thesis at Old Dominion University. Because I am very passionate about both hiking and the AT, I decided to research the user motivations, benefits, and trail preferences of day, overnight, section, thru and multi-use hikers in order to gather information useful to AT maintaining clubs and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). Currently, little academic research on these topics exists. Ten trail clubs have already participated in the study and five more have agreed to do so at a later date. I am posting the link to the survey on whiteblaze because I would like to ensure that both the voices of hikers who are not trail club members and the voices of thru-hikers are represented in the results of the study. Information gathered will be shared with AT maintaining clubs and the ATC with the hope that it will be useful in both better understanding current AT users as well as in acquiring funding for continued maintenance of the AT footpath and preservation and protection of its surrounding corridor lands. The survey only takes about 10-15 minutes and requires no contact information. If you would be interested in participating in this study, please click on the link. The link for the survey is: https://periwinkle.ts.odu.edu/surveys/PWXZAR/ (https://periwinkle.ts.odu.edu/surveys/PWXZAR/)
Interesting survey - I just completed it.
DesertMTB
02-26-2008, 13:46
Fun survey. A little long, but not so bad.
Loading, loading, loading after the 2nd page. Maybe I'll try later
Loading, loading, loading after the 2nd page. Maybe I'll try later
yup, slow for me too. i'll try it again when i get home!
bigmac_in
02-26-2008, 14:09
Very good survey - good luck !
Not slow at all for me ... ?
envirodiver
02-26-2008, 14:30
I completed it. Good luck on your thesis and completing your degree.
What is your degree in?
Thoughtful Owl
02-26-2008, 14:59
Yes, interesting survey. Just completed it. Allowed me time to think and focus.
Furlough
02-26-2008, 15:00
Anything for a Monarch. My daughter is a Sophomore attending ODU.
Well developed survey, not slow for me. Good luck on your Thesis.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-26-2008, 15:15
Done - good luck with your degree :)
Pennsylvania Rose
02-26-2008, 15:16
Took the survey - interesting
good luck on your thesis
It worked fine this time!
jersey joe
02-26-2008, 15:28
survey completed.
swamp dawg
02-26-2008, 16:01
Survey was easy to complete and interesting to do. Good luck! Life is good on the trail..Swamp Dawg
survey completed. best of luck to you!!!
Appalachian Tater
02-26-2008, 19:21
Share the results here, if you will.
Skidsteer
02-26-2008, 19:39
My favorite question:
I hike because I feel hiking reduces the amount of unhealthy foods I eat
Best laugh of the day. :D
Alligator
02-26-2008, 19:52
My favorite question:
Best laugh of the day. :DOnly the freshest fruits and vegetables for this hiker:jump. A little fresh pineapple for breakfast and tomato and cucumber salad for lunch on day 5;).
Not. Sometimes I gain weight after hiking.
The survey was interesting though and appeared well constructed. I am interested in how the correlation questions are to be analyzed, that series near the end.
Skidsteer
02-26-2008, 19:55
Only the freshest fruits and vegetables for this hiker:jump. A little fresh pineapple for breakfast and tomato and cucumber salad for lunch on day 5;).
Not. Sometimes I gain weight after hiking.
Heh he. Hiking is my excuse to eat crap I never eat otherwise.
Heh he. Hiking is my excuse to eat crap I never eat otherwise.
LOL. Ain't that the truth...
Alligator
02-26-2008, 19:57
Heh he. Hiking is my excuse to eat crap I never eat otherwise.Yeah, but now I'm stuck with 1/2 package of fig newtons. There's 60 calories in each one!
FallGirl
02-26-2008, 20:55
Wow! I can't believe the WB response. You all have made my day!!! I was so excited to see so many hits that I did a little dance; :bananaunfortunately, I'm not sure my dance looked much better than the above banana's. If you had seen my dance, I'm sure it would have made you laugh MUCH, MUCH harder than the 'When I hike I tend to eat healthier foods' question. Thank you all for your help; I really, really appreciate it. I am so glad I was told about this site. You are all so awesome!!! Thanks.
Skidsteer
02-26-2008, 20:58
Wow! I can't believe the WB response. You all have made my day!!! I was so excited to see so many hits that I did a little dance; :bananaunfortunately, I'm not sure my dance looked much better than the above banana's. If you had seen my dance, I'm sure it would have made you laugh MUCH, MUCH harder than the 'When I hike I tend to eat healthier foods' question. Thank you all for your help; I really, really appreciate it. I am so glad I was told about this site. You are all so awesome!!! Thanks.
No big deal. We love talking about ourselves. :D
cowboy nichols
02-26-2008, 21:09
As per another thread Are we selfish?? LOL
did the survey earlier today.
FallGirl
02-26-2008, 23:15
Wow! I can't believe the WB response. You all have made my day!!! I was so excited to see so many hits that I did a little dance; :bananaunfortunately, I'm not sure my dance looked much better than the above banana's. If you had seen my dance, I'm sure it would have made you laugh MUCH, MUCH harder than the 'When I hike I tend to eat healthier foods' question. Thank you all for your help; I really, really appreciate it. I am so glad I was told about this site. You are all so awesome!!! Thanks.
No big deal. We love talking about ourselves. :D
As per another thread Are we selfish?? LOL
I missed the thread on selfishness (because my anatomy book has more pages than the AT has miles :(), but I feel compelled to say that if this is selfish, I like selfish a lot.
warraghiyagey
02-26-2008, 23:28
I missed the thread on selfishness (because my anatomy book has more pages than the AT has miles :(), but I feel compelled to say that if this is selfish, I like selfish a lot.
Well said.:sun:sun:sun Some folks are having trouble with the meaning of the word and trying to apply it to one's desire to hike.
I felt like I was taking the MMPI... wait... didn't I already answer that one? :rolleyes: It felt kinda redundant at times.
As an online questionnaire, very nicely done.
Wise Old Owl
02-27-2008, 00:39
Well thought out good luck in College!
Hope you find the Button....
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg275/MarkSwarbrick/easy_button.jpg
warraghiyagey
02-27-2008, 01:13
Took the survey. A smidge redundant at times and a little constricting with answer choices but likely they are the questions you need for your study.
Best of luck and hope to see you on the trail!!
Peace:):)
hope it turns out well, just completed it
FallGirl
02-27-2008, 08:38
I felt like I was taking the MMPI... wait... didn't I already answer that one? :rolleyes: It felt kinda redundant at times.
As an online questionnaire, very nicely done.
:bananaThanks for all the compliments, everyone. :banana I spent a huge chunk of time developing the scale (survey), having professionals review it, field testing it, and redeveloping it. This has been a really cool project; one I hope will yield some interesting and useful results.
(:bananaWow, I'm addicted to this dancing banana!)
Sorry for the repetition...(of the bananas and the survey questions) :D; unfortunately, several questions, each meant to measure the same thing, had to be asked in order to use the types of statistical analyses necessary for answering my research questions. If the answers to those questions are consistent, this will show that the factor holds (i.e., the repetition is purposeful...and meaningful). I really appreciate your sticking it out.
jersey joe
02-27-2008, 10:04
Happy to help FallGirl!
Kerosene
02-27-2008, 10:09
One suggestion would be to re-frame the lead-in question where it asks something like, how many times do you hike in which season [annually]. I'd consider re-working to ask what percentage of your total AT hikes are in each season, which would cover multiple years and a thru-hiker might split by which seasons they walked.
warraghiyagey
02-27-2008, 11:12
:banana
Sorry for the repetition...(of the bananas and the survey questions) :D; unfortunately, several questions, each meant to measure the same thing, had to be asked in order to use the types of statistical analyses necessary for answering my research questions. If the answers to those questions are consistent, this will show that the factor holds (i.e., the repetition is purposeful...and meaningful). I really appreciate your sticking it out.
I kind of figured that was the purpous of the repeated questions. Hope your project is a success and leads you to the trail.
Thoughtful Owl
02-27-2008, 11:33
Wow! I can't believe the WB response. You all have made my day!!! I was so excited to see so many hits that I did a little dance; :bananaunfortunately, I'm not sure my dance looked much better than the above banana's. If you had seen my dance, I'm sure it would have made you laugh MUCH, MUCH harder than the 'When I hike I tend to eat healthier foods' question. Thank you all for your help; I really, really appreciate it. I am so glad I was told about this site. You are all so awesome!!! Thanks.
Just curious, how exactly did you hear about this site?
warraghiyagey
02-27-2008, 11:36
Just curious, how exactly did you hear about this site?
Yeah, good question - and have you taken your own survey??:)
took the survey
good luck
dixicritter
02-27-2008, 14:05
Survey taken. :)
I kind of figured that was the purpous of the repeated questions. Hope your project is a success and leads you to the trail.
In the short term, it will likely lead FallGirl to innumerable hours with SPSS. ;) :D :rolleyes: :o
FallGirl
02-27-2008, 21:29
Just curious, how exactly did you hear about this site?
I heard about this site from one of the clubs that is participating in the study. I need to email that fellow and thank him profusely. Joining was a great suggestion!!!
Yeah, good question - and have you taken your own survey??:)
Unfortunately, I cannot take the survey. :( I did take it several times prior to publishing it in order to work out the kinks (...or so I hope).
In the short term, it will likely lead FallGirl to innumerable hours with SPSS. ;) :D :rolleyes: :o
A fellow researcher!?!?
You are sooo right. SPSS and I are going to be spending a whole lot of time together. One of the great things about the survey program I used is that the information is automatically downloaded into SPSS; that means no data entry. :banana That deserves the banana dance. No data entry will save hours and hours and hours and hours...which I do plan on using to hike. I plan on hiking after graduating. However, I have to graduate first. Thanks for helping me get a few steps closer to that goal.
Alligator
02-27-2008, 22:04
SAS is better.
A fellow researcher!?!?
Not quite. I'm married to a psychologist, and I've heard all about the ordeals on the way to her doctoral thesis. ;)
HikerRanky
02-27-2008, 22:52
Just completed the survey, and good luck on the thesis!
FallGirl
02-29-2008, 09:12
In the last week, 150 fellow hikers blazed through my survey! :banana I think the WB is single handedly going to give me the numbers needed. Maybe I should actually buy my cap and gown!?! You guys are incredible, and I am very, very thankful. Please keep it going!!!
In the last week, 150 fellow hikers blazed through my survey! :banana I think the WB is single handedly going to give me the numbers needed.
Wouldn't you be a bit concerned about that? Not the most diverse population, exactly. You might want to try over at AT-L and PCT-L (sign up at www.backcountry.net) Also, the ALDHA membership list would be a good resource, and it's public info. Of course, there's a slght overlap between all these groups. Beyond that, there are the ATC contributing organizations.... AMC, GMC, PATC and all the rest.
FallGirl
02-29-2008, 10:28
Wouldn't you be a bit concerned about that? Not the most diverse population, exactly. You might want to try over at AT-L and PCT-L (sign up at www.backcountry.net (http://www.backcountry.net)) Also, the ALDHA membership list would be a good resource, and it's public info. Of course, there's a slght overlap between all these groups. Beyond that, there are the ATC contributing organizations.... AMC, GMC, PATC and all the rest.
The response from trail clubs has been great! Eleven clubs are currently participating (including several AMC chapters), and five more have agreed to do so but have not yet had the opportunity to disseminate the information (including ones mentioned above).:D Two outdoor shops have posted flyers about the survey too. Plus, AMC Outdoors has a submission for publication containing the survey letter and link; if this goes through, I think it will draw a huge response. I really appreciate the suggestions, though; I'll definitely check into backcountry and ALDHA.
In sum, I am not really sure that all 150 of the last responses came from the WB; I have not yet analyzed the data. The survey manager just sent an update of the numbers, not the entire data set. The number of responses in the last week (since posting on this site) doubled the number from the two weeks prior. I was expressing how extremely happy I am about that!!! :banana However, if all respondents came from one club or organization, this would be a concern and would be listed as a limitation of the study. Yet, because there is very little academic research on this topic, I think the information would still be valuable (if only to serve as a springboard for future studies). Had I chosen to conduct the research on one club/organization the information would still be valuable (but not as generalizable); I decided to go big because I would like for the information to be generalizable (and hence, more useful to trail maintainers, promoters and supporters). I thought if I was going to spend a year of my life completely devoted to something, the product better be something amazing and useful. The Mom and Pops taught me to aim high. :D