🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <46c07d02$0$20175$882e0bbb@news.thundernews.com>,
	mjb57@kent.ac.uk writes:
> As part of academic research being conducted through the Univerisy of Kent
> you are invited to complete a web based questionnaire URL:
> 
> http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/projects/ethics-questionnaire/
> 
> The questionniare is anonymous and designed to get an idea of the
> understanding of ethics and law within the computer / software sector.   The
> bias is to UK laws but we would appreciate if you completed the
> questionnaire whereever you live.

I tried responding to the questionnaire. I can't see how it will give
the pollster any idea at all about the "understanding of ethics and law
within the computer / software sector". I can't imagine how it could be
possibly be part of any respectable academic research.

The questionnaire wouldn't allow a question to remain unanswered, though
rarely offered a choice anywhere near what my reply would have been. I
wonder what "results" the author will deduce from the answers obtained
in such circumstances.  They can have very little value.

I'm sure many have heard of that classic loaded question, "Have you
stopped beating your wife yet? Answer yes or no". That Kent questionnaire
made me think how the modern day multiple choice version might appear:

Have you stopped beating your wife yet?
- yes, I stopped last week
- yes, I stopped last year
- no, it is my right
- no, she enjoys it

-- 
Tim Clark