Data Doctors Project Member Participation Poll 2020

Question

Hi, Data Doctors:

Are you stuck at home? We will email you the poll link sometime Saturday, 4 April, regarding your project membership and work in progress so this can help pass some time. Answering the poll will take about 30 minutes. This is a short time for you and a huge help to us. 

Last year we got some dynamic suggestions. You can review those results here: 2019 Survey Results & FAQ.docx.  

How about a contest? The first person and several other randomly-selected members responding by Thursday, April 9 will receive something special. You can reply here with a genealogy topic you'd like to know more about. 

Spoiler Alert: your prize could be related to that and you can be a winner!   

We sincerely hope you and your loved ones are sheltered and well during this global crisis. Enjoy your weekend and stay safe. 

PS - I am in Eastern Time Zone US so realize my morning here may be your nighttime.

I apologize for any confusion.

Comments

That's a great point, Maggie.  That was a reason I included location and language questions in the 2020 Poll.  We're not being nosy, we want to see what we can do for improving communication with all our global members.  

If you have any ideas, please let us know.

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I have only gotten halfway into the poll so I have not sent it yet, had to run some errands.

But one thing I would like to comment on is to ask members to work on errors in an area they are familiar with.

Example; Do no work on Swedish names, for instance, if you are not familiar with patronyms and when in history family names started to be used and when in history females were actually forced to take their husbands last names. That just creates more work for those who manage the profiles to edit back a profile that was correct from the beginning.

And, of course, I would not be saying this if it did not happen occasionally now and then to profiles I manage myself (or managed by Sweden Project).

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Another good point, Maggie.  We have been stressing that since the last survey.  

This year we will be adding a requirements table for each suggestion.  Items included are language knowledge and project knowledge.

This is one reason we asked for location and language questions so we can add the appropriate restrictions.  We do have on the suggestions involving patronyms that knowledge of Swedish/affiliation with the Swedish Project is required to work on those suggestions.

Thank you for the reminder, and the opportunity to give an example of what we are doing for project improvements now.

Stay safe out there.

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I didn't receive the email

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Helen, check to see if you have an auto folder called "Forums". If you use gmail, google sometimes has a nasty habit of forwarding google group messages to a folder called "Forums" instead of one's "inbox."

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Helen,

I am checking into it.  I will email you to resolve.

Best,

Sheryl

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Thanks, Jillian.  That doesn't apply here as individual emails were sent to members through email, not the Google Group.

If anything, the Spam or Junk Mail folder should be checked.

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Just imagine, I went to school in both England and Canada. No matter what I did, my English teacher always told me my spelling was wrong on one of those words. So, I know first hand how different the “English” English is as apposed to the Canadian or even the American version which is different also from Canadian.

I try to spell according to the subject matter.  ie: if I’m writing a bio for an English/ British person, I will use their spelling.

If I’m writing a Canadian bio, I use Canadian spelling, etc.

No one is ever right, it’s just a matter of opinion!  

Stay well and safe everyone!

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Perfect example, Elaine.  Everyone works with what they know.  There is US English and British English and Australian English, then English as a 2nd language for others where their English is based on where they learned it.

Nothing written within the Data Doctors Project is meant to favor or exclude the different forms English takes; it is written how taught and residence where spoken.  No offense intended if it isn't in the format of others.

We do try to take all forms into consideration now to accommodate as many as possible.

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Maggie,

You're Amazing! Thank you for your brilliance!

Answer 1

Yes, Maine is under a stay-at-home order.  Being Maine, it has variations.  Essential trips are allowed, food, gas, medical.  But also residents are encouraged to spend time outdoors.  Being Maine, it is easy to do this without coming in contact with other people.  To promote the outdoor life, the Governor has opened the fishing season to anyone whether they have a license or not.

Personally, I have not been very active lately.  I have been suffering from what was recently diagnosed as Polymyalgia Rheumatica, which made daily living a struggle.  Now that we know what it is I am receiving treatment and am on the road to recovery.  I should be able to contribute more soon.

Comments

Michael, sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but happy to hear you're on the mend. At least you have a beautiful environment up there to recuperate in.

Answer 2

I'm confused.  Where is the poll?

Comments

Hi, Peggy,

That is the 2nd sentence above:  We are emailing you this weekend regarding your project membership and work in progress so this can help pass some time.

It will go out in the next few hours to your email address.

Take care.

You are welcome to reply to the rest of the post.

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Thank You Sheryl,

 I haven't been very active here because I have been exploring other sources. My apologies.

However, that will change due to our quarantine and I will not be having unnecessary expenses.

I do look forward to adding my collected information in the next month. I am also Loving the New! Research avenue's being offered on Wiki Tree.

I started the Survey and will post as soon as I finish.

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Did you receive the email, Peggy?  If so there is a link in it.  Here it is:

 

Here is the link for the 2020 Data Doctors Project Member Participation Poll:  https://forms.gle/tvTGcqq6e3wqQyMr6. 

 

There are specific answers to put in the poll from the email so if you didn't get it, please email me directly and I will resend.

Thank you.

Answer 3

Only 2019 Poll results are showing. Where is the new one?

Comments

Hi, Kimberly,

That is the 2nd sentence above:  We are emailing you this weekend regarding your project membership and work in progress so this can help pass some time.

It will go out in the next few hours to your email address.

Take care.

You are welcome to reply to the rest of the post.

Answer 4

Hi Sheryl

Look forward to receiving the email sometime today. Results will be interesting to read once completed

Comments

Yes, it will be interesting reading and keep me off the streets and out of the bars.  Oh wait, they are closed back to the pool, or poll.

I think I need a nap.

Answer 5

Out on the west coast

Playa Vista--Los Angeles, CA, USA

Been keeping busy with genealogy but recently a pigeon decided he liked my balcony outside my computer room.  Darn bird is driving me nuts with his incessant coo-coo-ing.  Wouldn't mind if it was a song bird but  this guy has to go!!!

Comments

Hi, Don,

That is funny.  I have 4 feral cats on my deck outside my living room that would love to coo with your bird. Ha!

My cat loves to lay on the keyboard but has recently learned to walk on the desk and stop at the edge of my computer to exfoliate my forehead and purr.  

By now you should have received the poll link in an email.  If you haven't, please let me know.

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Sheryl

Please Please send your cats!!!!!

Darn bird driving me nuts.

I'd shoot it if I had a shotgun but that probably would get the HOA mad anyway.

Not fair to add additional stress to being locked down

Maybe I can buy a stuffed owl  on amazon to scare him off

anyway, I sent the survey back.  Might spend some time watching the videos if I can get the speakers on my computer working again.

:-(

Don

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Have no fear, the Terrific Trio has launched

The Winged Wonder will work

Answer 6

Texas is stay at home if possible. Children are at home being schooled via conference calls and parents. If you can work at home that is great. Take out food at restaurants is your only option and most doctor visits are also a conference call. I love that I can do pickup orders for my groceries. I'm staying home and working on wikitree profiles!

Comments

Our lockdown started last night in Georgia.  My 14-year-old niece is a Freshman and they are doing online learning for the remainder of the school year, canceled prom and graduation.

Take care.

Answer 7

Thanks for the survey, Sheryl! Completed this morning.

Comments

Hi, Azure,

Great to hear - for those tracking you were luck #25!

What burning desire do you have regarding genealogy topics?

Answer 8

Hello Sheryl, I did my participation poll and found it very, very informative!  I learned new things and found very valuable tools for the job of Data Doctoring.  Thank you so much for offering us such a great opportunity to become better WikiTreers!!

By the way, my interest at this time lies with the 1918 Influenza pandemic.  I just wrote my last column on it and my sister alerted me to a PBS American Experience about it and watched it the other day.  I find it very helpful to get through our current pandemic by learning about the past.

Comments

Cindy,

Fantastic to hear.  We do try to get all the info out and more is coming after the review and analysis.  

You are doing something that I thought should be done when the posts started about WTers creating profiles for this pandemic victims.  Since it is a disaster and the criteria are those that occurred 75+ years ago for privacy and family respect reasons, that the concentration during this disaster should focus on the 1918 pandemic.  There is a 1918 flu epidemic topic in the Disasters Project and I am sure they would love to hear from you.

I really appreciate your help and advice and let us know if we can help you.

You are the 1st person to respond in full to the poll - You win.

I know what your prize will be; will announce after the weekend rush.

Stay safe.

Answer 9

Thank you Sheryl !

Comments

And thank you for your participation, Sandie.

Answer 10

Got the poll and have completed. I like to focus on my home territory - Saskatchewan. Would like to learn more about the Russian/German/Galatian immigration to the province.

Comments

Good answer and thank you, Shirley!

I Will update early next week.

Take care.

Answer 11

I just finished the poll.  Big (big) improvement over last year!

Some of the questions I did not understand so I skipped them.  Perhaps next year we could have explanations for some (all) of them.

I appreciate the work eveyrone has put into this!

Comments

Many, many thanks, SJ, that means a lot coming from you!

I can look at your response and see what you might have missed, or email me and let me know.

The responses from last year indicated they didn't understand the purpose of the questions so I tried to include the reason for each question including the basic and demographic questions.

In the analysis and results, I can make sure to explain all if that helps.

How would you lie to proceed?

Answer 12

I answered the poll 17 hours ago, when I received it in my email. Then I received a second email last night, 4/3/2020 at 11:30 CST. "I am reposting this message as I am not sure my email went through.

Hi, All:

 I just announced that I will be sending an email to all members this weekend for the annual member check-in.

Illinois has been under a stay-at-home order for well over a week now. Essential traveling only.  Grocery stores have limited number of people in at a time - 1 cart, 1 person. All parks are closed. We cannot drive our vehicles around town just to get out of the house, or we will be arrested.

Comments

Last night I sent a DDGG email that didn't go through as my email wasn't synced with Gmail or DDGG.  I resent it from the DDGG forum which is here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/wikitreedbeproject

That is where emails from or to the DDGG goes - the website:  https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/wikitreedbeproject/6efcbd93-d69e-4a73-b02d-f7445aae23cb%40googlegroups.com.

The email for the group is this:  wikitreedbeproject@googlegroups.com.

You should go here and see all the posts and Welcome Message:

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/wikitreedbeproject/6efcbd93-d69e-4a73-b02d-f7445aae23cb%40googlegroups.com.

The emails last night gave the results to the 2019 Survey [last year's] and the email this morning around 10:40 AM EDT gave the link for the 2020 poll which is in Google Forms in My Drive.

So what are you looking for?

Sounds like you are under a stage below martial law.  Stay safe and well.

Best,

Sheryl

Answer 13

We are under stay-at-home order in Florida. I've been sick with unrelated lung issues since October, so I've been hunkered down since February.

I don't think I ever received the poll on Saturday?

What I would like to know more about? Finding military work. I can find Navy Muster Rolls for WWII, but would like to be able to find other military sources.

Comments

Hi,

I will check on that.  Have you checked your Spam/Junk Mail folders?

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Yes, I checked my deleted and my spam. I don't have the email. Thank you for looking into it

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Hi, Alicia,

I resent the email to you a few hours ago.  Did you get it?

Thank you.

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Yep! Thanks :) I got it that time and filled it out. Thank you

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Great! Thank you.

Answer 14

Sadly, "Do you use the Data Doctor Spreadsheet?" did not have the choice "I made it" so I selected "What Spreadsheet?" LOL

And where the heck did page 8 go?????

Anytime you need help, email me. I'm often around but lately have been swamped with personal issues, work, and getting ready for the Clean-a-thon.

Also being a Mainer, it is a little confusing trying to get the garden started with seed banks drying up, stay at home orders, and mandatory mask usage without having masks available. Good advise to go with that is zinc suppliments and tonic water if available.

Comments

Hi, Steven,

What is ____?  - There were a few questions and rather surprised how often that was picked.  Thought you would chuckle.

Have you heard of question branching?  It is much better developed in other survey sites [paid] where if you answer a "yes" you go to the next questions, and a "no" answer will go to and skip questions.

In Google Forms question branching requires setting up an entire section in order to branch.

So for the ones answering Yes to continuing in the project they continue to the next section [and then all sections in order].  Those saying NO go to a separate section - Section 8 - which gets their departing comments.  In the form, each section shows as a page, so it will appear to continuing members that Page 8 is missing.

Good to see you are continuing, Steven.  You will never see Section 8.  

It would be better if Google Forms allowed question skipping, but that isn't in it now.

Google Forms was made free after the 2019 survey went out.  It still has issues, but works.