Local Research of Interest?

[Nicola Green]

Dear EDF,

We - WEF@Home (OpenLab, Newcastle University) - are offering incentives of up to ?100 in supermarket/food vouchers as recompense for participation in a University project looking at how people in SE15 and SE22 use Water, Energy and Food (WEF) in their homes.

WEF@Home is part of a wider project across a number of UK Universities that looks at the use of physical resources and the possible impact of that use on our environments. We are looking to recruit households across SE15 and SE22 to work with us to think about how households ? singles, couples, house-shares and families ? organise their WEF routines in their everyday lives.

The research would involve daily activities of around 5 minutes (e.g. meter readings and collection of food receipts), and a weekly activity for around 20-30 minutes (e.g. a diary reflection on WEF). The research would also involve three estimated 60 minute interviews at the beginning, the middle and the end of people's involvement. Participants will be eligible for the ?100 in supermarket/food vouchers in two instalments of ?35 [Phase 1) and ?65 (Phase 2).

If you have any questions about the project, please don?t hesitate to contact us on the details below. If you wish to take part in the project, then we would be very happy to hear from you via the contact details, or via responses to this thread...

Have a great Weekend All!

Nicola

Research Associate

OpenLab

Newcastle University

M:

07976 791 345

E:

[email protected]

[email protected]

W:

https://facebook.com/wef.home.9

https://wefhome.wordpress.com

http://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/wefwebs/aboutus/

https://openlab.ncl.ac.uk/people/nng37/

https://digitalcivics.io/people/nicola-green/

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/people/profile/nicolagreen2.html#background

[Nicola Green]

Brief FAQ (or questions that I have been asked before or so far):

Q: If you are from Newcastle, then why SE London?

A: We have already done a similar study in Newcastle in 2016. Our proposal for (public) funding specified a London sample for comparison - and because I lived in South London for about a decade (in Brixton and Streatham Hill), taught at Goldsmiths for a while, and had family and friends who lived in SE London(Dulwich in particular), I appreciated the diversity of the area and therefore thought it would be a good reflection of both the Borough, and the diversities of London more widely - while of course having its own particular character!

Q: Presumably, the research will be anonymous?

A: The research has gone through a very rigorous ethical review process, and all data from the project will protect the identities of participants and both their confidentiality and anonymity. There are strict guidelines that we adhere to in respect of our participants having control over any and all of their own information for the duration of the research process.

Nicola

[edhistory]

How will this project mitigate for self-selection bias?

[Nicola Green]

Hello edhistory,

Thanks for your question - the response to which is that in some ways, it can't avoid self-selection bias. The crucial question is on what basis people might self-select...

The research is broadly ethnographic and qualitative - which means that it has all the strengths and limitations associated with those approaches. Unlike many quantitative frameworks, it doesn't seek to be representative (nor therefore generalisable)- which is to say, what we are seeking is a depth of understanding (in diversity), rather than a breadth that could somehow support generalisable statements.

In terms of mitigation - we are (as above) seeking diversity in the self-selection. We have a framework for research design, and a plan for a consistency of data collection. We are looking towards validity, rather than reliability, as the quality underpinning of the research results.

Hope that answers the question - by all means say if not, and I can expand or link if you or others want to know more...

Very Best,

Nicola

[Nicola Green]

More questions I have since been asked, after contact from a number of members:

Q: Does it matter if I am going on holiday?

A: We can work around what you have planned in the next couple of months. For some, we might just take a break in the research for a short period of time. In other circumstances, we might ask you to talk about your holiday experiences, and how you coordinate that with being at home before, during and afterwards. In all cases, we can work around the very many things that are happening in people's lives.

Q: I'm not sure what my partner/ family/ sharers will be doing - does that matter?

A: We are wanting to look at households, but recognise that coordinating that might be difficult depending on people's circumstances. Quite a number of things that we are asking people to do can be accomplished week on week by just one person. If one person in the household is leading, then we can have an ongoing conversation about whether and how others in the household might want to take part.

Very Best Again ED, and I look forward to hearing from more of you!

[Nicola Green]

Dear All,

Thanks so much to all of you who have responded to participate in the research so far - it has been brilliant to meet with you so far!

We are still looking forward to having other households work with us on the research - so if you are curious about the project, are someone who thinks about natural resources in your home - or someone who really doesn't care at all most of the time, but would just like to take advantage of ?100 in vouchers to spend some weeks with us - then please do get in contact, and we would love to hear from you. :-)

All take care in the meantime, and happy holidays to those who are due them soon. :-)

Best,

Nicola

[Nicola Green]

Dear All,

Thanks again to all of you who have responded - the EDF community is one where the virtual and the real are within neighbourhood doors of each other!

We've had a great response from people so far (hope you are treating yourselves with your vouchers!)

Now we are really trying to recruit some families - however broadly that might be defined. At the moment I am broadly defining it as 'more than two people'!! that should e sufficient?

All Best,

Nicola

Will be back and forth from ED over the next few months, don't hesitate to be in contact.

All Best on recovery from the Bank Holiday Weekend!

All Best,

Nicola

[nicolagreen]

Dear EDF-rs,

Hope you all had a very happy and peaceful festive season, and that the New Year is treating you all well so far!

In the second half of last year, our research project (on Water, Energy and Food in the home) posted the message below inviting households to sign up for participation in our project for ?100 of food vouchers. Thank you to all those involved in EDF who have taken part so far!

Into the New Year, we are now undertaking a second round of recruitment in East Dulwich and Peckham to extend the project. Some brief details of participation are provided below, but if you are interested in taking part, please do get in contact with me and I can send you a more detailed information sheet on what participation would involve. The design is very flexible, and the intention is for me to work around people's very busy time schedules as best as we are able.

All Very Best to Everyone, and I look forward to perhaps hearing from some of you!

K/R

Nicola

------------------------------------------------------

Dear EDF,

We - WEF@Home (OpenLab, Newcastle University) - are offering incentives of up to ?100 in supermarket/food vouchers as recompense for participation in a University project looking at how people in SE15 and SE22 use Water, Energy and Food (WEF) in their homes.

WEF@Home is part of a wider project across a number of UK Universities that looks at the use of physical resources and the possible impact of that use on our environments. We are looking to recruit households across SE15 and SE22 to work with us to think about how households ? singles, couples, house-shares and families ? organise their WEF routines in their everyday lives.

The research would involve daily activities of around 5 minutes (e.g. meter readings and collection of food receipts), and a weekly activity for around 20-30 minutes (e.g. a diary reflection on WEF). The research would also involve three estimated 60 minute interviews at the beginning, the middle and the end of people's involvement. Participants will be eligible for the ?100 in supermarket/food vouchers in two instalments of ?35 [Phase 1) and ?65 (Phase 2).

If you have any questions about the project, please don?t hesitate to contact us on the details below. If you wish to take part in the project, then we would be very happy to hear from you via the contact details, or via responses to this thread...

Have a great Weekend All!

Nicola

Research Associate

OpenLab

Newcastle University

M:

07976 791 345

E:

[email protected]

[email protected]

W:

[facebook.com]

[twitter.com]

[wefhome.wordpress.com]

[www.gla.ac.uk]

[openlab.ncl.ac.uk]

[digitalcivics.io]

[www.ncl.ac.uk]