Student Seeks RV Dwellers for University Interview Project

[elook]

Hi Everyone,

I am a student at a Canadian University in an engineering innovation course. As a part of my project I need to interview someone who lives (at least for a part of the year/prolonged period) in a small space such as an RV.

I would really appreciate if anyone could help me out and join me in an online interview of about 20-30 minutes about their experiences.

Thanks!

 

[JudyJB]

You need to give us more information. What questions will you ask in this interview and what is the purpose of these questions? We also should be given the name of the university and contact information for your professor.

Are you looking for difficulties that might be solved with innovations? Or are you going to ask us about what suggestions we might have for improving the small spaces of an RV? Or is your focus on the psychological aspects of living in a small space?

Also, how will the information be used and will interviewees be named or otherwise identified?

As a former graduate student who conducted interviews as part of a thesis and as a part-time professor in a university, I also am wondering if your interview, the questions, and treatment and safeguards of subjects has passed through your university's academic research approval committee? Most universities require this before students are allowed to conduct any research, including interviews.

 

[JudyJB]

For those reading my comments above--I chose to interview a bunch of individuals as part of the research for my thesis. I had to fill out extensive forms covering what plans I had for things like a subject who became upset at one of the questions I asked. In other words, how would I handle this situation to make sure I was not harming anyone in conducting my interviews?

So this guy who wants to ask us a bunch of unknown questions is either a dumb freshman or someone who is not even a student wanting information from us for some reason. Any instructor who assigned students to interview anyone would know the rules and let students know of the university requirements, hence my questions. We are NOT going to answer unknown questions for someone who does not even give us his or her name and real contact information!!!!

 

[DonTom]

Every so often I see messages very similar to the OP in various forums on various subjects.

I have to wonder what the real motive is. I have no clue. Does anybody here?

-Don- Douglas, AZ

 

[Wasillaguy]

I figure it's a survey company and they think they'll get more cooperation if they pretend to be a dumb student.

 

[Martian]

What other kind of students are there?

 

[jymbee]

Every so often I see messages very similar to the OP in various forums on various subjects.

I have to wonder what the real motive is. I have no clue. Does anybody here?

-Don- Douglas, AZ

Same here. Many such postings on multiple topics. Cynical side of me assumes they are not at all what they seem to be.

 

[Domo]

Seems the best advice would be for OP to visit a campground that also offers cabanas/cabins so that the OP can stay a few days and interview people instead of web-responses.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Way back in the Usenet days I answered a technical question om a Usenet group, intentionally including a couple of errors. No mention was made of using the response for anything, but a couple of years later I found those same errors word for word in an online thesis on the same subject.

 

[Boat Bum]

Curious why you intentionally gave a bad answer to begin with?

 

[Domo]

Curious why you intentionally gave a bad answer to begin with?

I wonder if intentional errors would help support copyright when compared to the original? Kinda like a watermark.

But that doesn't answer why @Lou Schneider included errors.

Speaking for myself, I'm really adept when it comes to including errors in most responses... I think my DW keeps swapping the keys. After all, she does like a good laugh.

 

[Boat Bum]

I wonder if intentional errors would help support copyright when compared to the original? Kinda like a watermark.

I appreciate the scenario, kinda like saying You can tell I'm the originator b/c it's wrong.

 

[Domo]

I appreciate the scenario, kinda like saying You can tell I'm the originator b/c it's wrong.

Yes - that describes my daily posts!

 

[DutchmenSport]

Well elook (the OP), I think you just learned something about RVers and didn't have to interview anyone. And that is simply: Be friendly to everyone, but trust no one. Never divulge information about yourself, your financial standing, your travel plans, politics, religion, and life-history without knowing who you are talking to first, if that be on-line or face-to-face. Our lifestyle is one of caution. Yes, it's enjoyable, exciting, adventurous, filled with new experiences all the time, even full timers anchored down for months at at time. But in all the excitement, caution is the key to survival! RVers never let their guard down. Never.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Curious why you intentionally gave a bad answer to begin with?

The same reason mapmakers put fake communities on their maps as watermarks. It was a general question about an obscure part of my specialty (broadcast engineering) and I inadvertently swapped voltage for power at one point in the explanation. I decided to let the mistake stand as it should have been obvious if someone actually read the thing instead of just cut and paste copying it.

 

[jymbee]

Well elook (the OP), I think you just learned something about RVers and didn't have to interview anyone. And that is simply: Be friendly to everyone, but trust no one. Never divulge information about yourself, your financial standing, your travel plans, politics, religion, and life-history without knowing who you are talking to first, if that be on-line or face-to-face. Our lifestyle is one of caution. Yes, it's enjoyable, exciting, adventurous, filled with new experiences all the time, even full timers anchored down for months at at time. But in all the excitement, caution is the key to survival! RVers never let their guard down. Never.

Good advice across the board, not just RVers.