alteredloc

So a few months ago this happened- 'Survey Fail' -and I thought it was just fantastic how quickly we as a collective were able to stop that crazy train before it could pick up speed, and really represent ourselves as the intelligent, learned people we are, despite how others may judge us for our chosen pastimes.  (That came out a lot creepier then I intended.  We like to read and write.  People think that's weird.)

Yesterday this popped up which unfortunately I don't have screen caps for, of the original survey or their written disclaimer that has now been taken down.  I assume the account will be removed shortly and the link will no longer work.  However it was a survey geared toward Wincest fans asking the usual questions of 'what do you like and why.'  The survey itself was fine and I actually would be interested in the results if not only to see where I lie within the preferences of the general population of Supernatural fans.

The problem came from the fact that they refused to identify themselves or where they were affiliated, stating only that it was for a presentation for a class and that they were college students.  As someone who has done scientific research involving participants from the general population this survey wasn't adding up.  But I'm not going to get into that, I'll direct you to here and here for great explanations as to why this survey couldn't have been sanctioned for college research.

The surveyors have since retracted the survey apologizing for any trouble they have caused and stating that they will gather information on how to properly conduct such a survey before attempting again.

Now my initial thought when I found the survey, being the conspiracy theorist that I am, was that Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam found help (very polite I might add) to fix some of the problems from their first try.  But still weren't quite there yet.  (In this little world I created it was hilarious to see a commenter link the survey takers back to the Survey Fail website I have at the top of the post.  How angry Ogi must have been to see his first failure compared so quickly to his second.  But as I said this was just speculation, and I don't really think it was Ogi.)

I think whoever put up the survey handled it very well.  People were polite in pointing out the flaws, and they listened and took a step back to re-evaluate.  It happened so quickly I don't think many people know it happened at all.

But ultimately this made me wonder.  How long will it be before there is research done on how fandom reacts to bad research?