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Research assistance sought

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:33 am
by Ben
Dear Dhamma friends,

Please see below message from Michael Ireland who is a PhD Student at the University of Queensland:
Hello friends

I am very sorry for any cross posting or if you have received this already.

I am currently conducting scientific research at the University of Queensland to validate the beneficial effects of meditation.
However, I need help with completing a simple and confidential online survey. The survey explores meditation, happiness/wellbeing, personality, and psychological development. Participants have found it quite easy and interesting.

The results will be publicly available and have the potential to greatly improve our scientific understanding of meditation, how it works, and its potential benefits.

To learn more, please visit: https://surveys.psy.uq.edu.au/wellbeing.survey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I also need your help with forwarding this information to anyone else who practices meditation so we can include their input as well. Anyone can participate by clicking on the web address below or by typing it into a internet window/browser address bar.

Thank you very much your help is greatly appreciated.

Michael Ireland
PhD Student, UQ
https://surveys.psy.uq.edu.au/wellbeing.survey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:08 pm
by Rui Sousa
Answered, hope it is helpful.

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:08 pm
by genkaku
I only managed one question -- do you practice meditation? -- and figured that wouldn't help anything much. Sorry about that.

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:06 pm
by Ngawang Drolma.
Hi, I did the survey and I signed up to do it again in six months. I hope it helps this researcher.
:namaste:

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:44 am
by pink_trike
Did it, and will do again in 6 months.

I hope the next survey has "neutral" as an option more frequently.

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:07 am
by Ben
Hi

I contacted Michael Ireland and told him I posted his note on ZFI, e-Sangha and Dharma Wheel as well as here. He responded this morning and was very appreciative of the assistance.

Adam

If you've got the time and inclination, I would encourage you to go back and complete the survey. Someone of your experience, with over 3 and a half decades of regular meditative practice, would have some very worthwhile experiences to share. I actually found it really useful exercise as it made me think about what it is and why I am doing what I am doing.
Metta

Ben

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:42 am
by appicchato
This probably reflects on me more than our friend, but the typo in the very first sentence of the survey doesn't bode well for a PhD candidate... :popcorn:

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:10 am
by nathan
appicchato wrote:This probably reflects on me more than our friend, but the typo in the very first sentence of the survey doesn't bode well for a PhD candidate... :popcorn:
My father has two phdz and still c'ant spell wright without some kind of spell checker. We've all love him dearly and proofread for him as well as periodically enjoying his creativity. An educated man might pity anyone who only knows one way to spell a word but as you say, expectations can be high in the seats of higher learning. Maybe we can send him a note to amend that error and any others as well. I'll try it, maybe we will learn something.
:smile: :coffee:

edit- either fixed already or I'm not sure what typo you mean. Onwards.
:anjali:

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:21 am
by Ben
I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of you guys not making judgements about my fitness to moderate based on my butchering of the Queen's English.
I think I'll just go and sit in the corner and mangle some words!
Anyway, back to topic!

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:20 am
by zavk
Interesting.... will do it. Sadly, it seems to me that the Uni of QLD (which happens to be my alma mater) has shut down their Centre for Buddhist Studies. I believe there was a report from 2008 about how staff and students of the centre were feeling discriminated by the uni, which they claimed had a certain bias towards certain dominant religious traditions.

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:33 am
by pererin
appicchato wrote:This probably reflects on me more than our friend, but the typo in the very first sentence of the survey doesn't bode well for a PhD candidate... :popcorn:
Tell me about it. I once misspelt my own name in a book I wrote ...

:tantrum:

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:56 am
by michael ireland
genkaku wrote:I only managed one question -- do you practice meditation? -- and figured that wouldn't help anything much. Sorry about that.
Sorry i don't understand. could you please clarify?

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:58 am
by michael ireland
appicchato wrote:This probably reflects on me more than our friend, but the typo in the very first sentence of the survey doesn't bode well for a PhD candidate... :popcorn:
ha ha ha! well spotted my friend. it all helps to keep me very humble.
thank you for your eagle-eye!

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:00 am
by michael ireland
zavk wrote:Interesting.... will do it. Sadly, it seems to me that the Uni of QLD (which happens to be my alma mater) has shut down their Centre for Buddhist Studies. I believe there was a report from 2008 about how staff and students of the centre were feeling discriminated by the uni, which they claimed had a certain bias towards certain dominant religious traditions.
Yes this is very sad indeed! Within the school of psychology, there are a couple of academics who are either Buddhist or interested in meditation and mindfulness. Otherwise, it certainly is a topic still just outside the mainstream.

Re: Research assistance sought

Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:07 am
by michael ireland
Hello Dharma friends
I just wanted to say I am incredibly grateful and indebted to everyone who has given their precious time to help me with this research project.
I wish I could personally thank every one who has contributed.
I very much appreciate your time and effort and your personal contribution has made this research project successful.
Thanks to all your efforts, I now over 505 completed surveys form meditation practitioners and I am well on the way to reaching our goal of 600 with about 6 months to spare.
So if you have any friends or family who also practice meditation please feel free to share the link with them
https://surveys.psy.uq.edu.au/wellbeing.survey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and invite them to have their say also.
If you have any questions or ideas please do not hesitate to email me at mireland NO_SPAM @inbox.com (remove NO_SPAM before sending)
Thank you again
Yours sincerely
Michael Ireland