I agree, too, any survey is skewed. What matters is whether it is skewed
in ways that make it invalid,. That is to say, skewed in ways that make it
inaccurate or inadequate for ithe purposes it serves and/or even for
generalizing usefully about whatever the survey is surveying. In other
words, given the methodology, to what extent does this survey allow us to
generalizing about Canadian 1st-year writing courses.
Rick
At 09:07 PM 9/13/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Thanks for this clarification. I agree that all surveys are skewed in
>certain ways. It is just interesting to see where the skewing is coming
>from.
>
>By the way, I appreciate all the effort that went into the survey.
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: PJ Finn <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 5:23 PM
>Subject: Re: Canadian 1st-year writing courses
>
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> By way of clarification, I am sure that the survey is skewed in many ways,
>> as all surveys are. I should however point out that on many occasions
>chairs
>> sent and/or included university handbooks and reports on writing centres
>and
>> in house writing courses such as Writing for Business. In addition, more
>> than half of the schools had multiple respondents including directors of
>> writing programs/centres and those overseeing literature options. Also, it
>> is probably worth noting that the survey was of First Year English
>Programs
>> in general and not First Year Writing Programs specifically, though the
>> latter was an important part of the whole.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Patrick
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: CASLL/Inkshed [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Catherine F. Schryer
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 1:32 PM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Canadian 1st-year writing courses
>>
>> Hmm. I have feeling the results of the survey are skewed because the
>surveys
>> only used Chairs of English as their sources. I bet a different picture
>> would emerge if they surveyed a group higher up in the food chain of
>> universities--a group that could see a larger picture of where "writing"
>> courses are really being taught.
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Robert Irish <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 3:29 PM
>> Subject: Re: Canadian 1st-year writing courses
>>
>>
>> > I hadn't noticed the absence of UT, but Cathy might be surprised how
>> > little U of T's results affect the overall numbers. If the chair at UT
>> > had responded, no doubt he would have forgotten to mention the monster
>> > course in Engineering (it really is well outside English's peripheral
>> > vision most of the time) and reported that their first year comp. course
>> > (and only one) has a very modest max enrollment of 30. Right in keeping
>> > with the national average.
>> >
>> > Rob Irish
>> >
>> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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>> >
>> > For the list archives and information about the organization,
>> > the annual conference, and publications, go to the Inkshed Web site at
>> > http://www.StThomasU.ca/inkshed/
>> > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>>
>> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>> To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
>> [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
>> write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
>>
>> For the list archives and information about the organization,
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>> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>>
>> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>> To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
>> [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
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>> For the list archives and information about the organization,
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>> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
> [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
> write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
>
> For the list archives and information about the organization,
>the annual conference, and publications, go to the Inkshed Web site at
> http://www.StThomasU.ca/inkshed/
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>
(Prof.) Richard M. Coe
English Department
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6
CANADA
(604) 291-4316
(FAX: 291-5737
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
[log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
For the list archives and information about the organization,
the annual conference, and publications, go to the Inkshed Web site at
http://www.StThomasU.ca/inkshed/
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