On 7/17/2020 1:11 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
> On 2020-07-17 9:37 a.m., jmcquown wrote:
>> On 7/17/2020 9:05 AM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>> On 2020-07-17 8:47 a.m., jmcquown wrote:
>>>> On 7/16/2020 8:20 PM, Dave Smith wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> The kid is supposedly working on his masters. We didn't have
>>>>> personal computers and the internet when I was at university. A
>>>>> significant amount of my course load involved research and
>>>>> critiquing research methods, and I was TA for my thesis advisor in
>>>>> his course on experimental psychology.Â* I just can't see there
>>>>> being any validity to polls distributed through Usenet groups.Â* I
>>>>> am not going to click on that link to figure out why they are
>>>>> trying to bait people into clicking on it.
>>>>
>>>> Too bad they didn't have personal computers in your school days,
>>>> Dave. I can't imagine how else someone in Milan would be able to
>>>> ascertain the pasta buying habits of people in the US during the
>>>> Covid-19 pandemic. Bocconi University offers Masters programs in
>>>> economics and management, among other things.Â* (I looked it up
>>>> before I took the very straightforward survey.)
>>>>
>>>
>>> You are so trusting Jill. Anyone can go online and check out the
>>> names of universities and the programs offered and then make up a
>>> plausible story about the research they are doing. This one was
>>> pretty Mickey Mouse.
>>
>> I'm actually very much a cynic, Dave, but I get your point.Â* Having
>> said that, it's exactly what the OP said it would be.Â* The survey
>> asks, among other things: are you buying pasta online vs. buying in
>> physical stores due to the pandemic?Â* Do you prefer to buy certain
>> brands and if so have there been any brand shortages/interruptions in
>> the supply chain as a result of the pandemic?Â* Any economic impact
>> [presumeably regarding the price of pasta] as a result of Covid-19?
>> If you're stuck at home, which is more important, the price,
>> availability, having recipies on the the box to give you ideas of what
>> to cook?Â* Recipes your kids could make?Â* I found it interesting. <shrug>
>>
>
> It's just not the way legitimate research is done. They need a reliable
> sample of the population. The whole thing stinks of click bait.
>
Whatever, Dave.

Jill