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Sampling 1: Sampling-based studies as case studies   Daniel Gile 12 July 2006 The concept of sampling implies the idea that what is sampled is representative of a larger entity with similar characteristics. Thus, the most fundamental property sought in a sample is its representativeness with respect to the larger entity. In statistics, samples are subsets of populations (of people, light […]

Where to get the questions from? The importance of preliminary qualitative research. Delia Chiaro, University of Bologna at Forlì In questionnaire based survey research wording is all important because the way in which a question is couched affects respondents’ understanding of what is being asked of them (see “Reasons for piloting questionnaires”). However, not only is careful wording essential, but the type of

Reasons for piloting questionnaires   Daniel Gile March 30, 2006 In a previous text (Do respondents to surveys tell the truth?) explanations were given as to why bias from respondents in surveys might distort the image of reality generated by collected data. Such bias is only one obstacle in the way of researchers who carry

Publishers and Academics: Partnerships or Power relationships? February 19, 2006   Daniel Gile Université Lyon 2, France daniel.gile@laposte.net Elsevier has just published its 14-volume Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Just before publication, authors received a circular mail informing them that according to “company policy”, they would receive no off-prints or pdf files of their own contributions. No further explanation was

Do respondents to surveys tell the truth?   Daniel Gile February 16, 2006 One way to obtain information about translational behavior is to ask translators to answer questions about it, essentially through interviews and questionnaires. Despite appearances, the efficient conduct of surveys is far from simple. One fundamental question is whether respondents tell the truth. The

Combination and Triangulation of Methods and Data Gyde Hansen, December 29, 2005   In empirical TS, combining methods and data has become an important research technique. This procedure is often called “triangulation”. For example, data from first-person observations (TAPs) are combined with data from third-person observations (the observer) in order to reach inter-subjectivity. Qualitative approaches are