In addition to Philip Stone's astute remarks, I find it interesting that most (if not all) of the surveys posted to this list ask for feedback on people's motivations for visiting the London Dungeon and Auschwitz. 

Are there no other "dark" sites to explore? Are the students who are writing dissertations on this topic in communication with each other? It would seem useful to find out what other researchers in the field are doing--in order to prevent replication and to assess potential overlaps and/or divergences. 

Best,
Theresa



----- Original Message -----
From: Philip Stone <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, April 6, 2009 12:27 pm
Subject: [DARK-TOURISM] Observations about recent dark tourism surveys
To: [log in to unmask]


> Dear All (especially students)...
>  
> RE: Surveys
>  
> This JISC e-Mail service (Dark Tourism Forum), of which you are all
> signed-up members, is increasingly being utilised to solicit responses
> to a range of surveys, which in turn, appear to form an integral part 
> of
> a students' dissertation or other research project. I applaud such use
> of the facility and, indeed, I myself shall be posting an online survey
> via this Forum in due course for a new academic paper on dark tourism,
> and shall kindly request (some) participants to complete the survey.
>  
> However, may I offer some observations to those who have or are
> thinking of using this email distribution list to 'find willing
> participants' for survey work:
>  
> 1) I have seen students on this list requesting other members to
> complete surveys, without really considering a sampling strategy. No or
> limited sampling criteria has been used, and little attempt is
> apparently made to distinguish those people who have direct
> 'professional' or 'academic' interest in dark tourism, and those who may
> be considered 'lay people'. "Will you complete my Survey" is not a
> sampling strategy, even on a defined distribution list such as this
> one... if you are an undergraduate or even postgraduate student, please
> take appropriate advice from your academic supervisor before posting any
> survey to this list.
>  
> 2) I have also seen evidence of poor or lazy survey design. In
> particular, NO surveys for distribution should contain spelling mistakes
> or typos. Technology exists in the form of spell and grammar checks,
> even for non-native English speakers. 
>  
> 3) Beware of 'survey fatigue'. In simple terms, the more students who
> use this list to 'find a sample', run the risk of perpetuating peoples'
> sense of 'not another survey', and thereby, inevitably, reducing return
> rates (which are so important in terms of validity, reliability and
> research rigour).
>  
> 4) It is clear, from the surveys I have seen so far posted to this
> list, that no or limited pilot surveys have been executed. In other
> words, test and pilot your survey before going live with it, and
> submitting via this email group. This will clarify any questioning
> ambiguities and other design faults. Certainly my own students have to
> have their research methodology and methods 'signed off' before going
> out and using them for real. I would hope other educational institutions
> would do the same...
>  
> 5) Finally, in an age where technology appears to provide us with
> instant answers, and if you are a student studying dark tourism, do
> surveys distributed via a defined sample, such as this JISC Mail group,
> really address your research objectives and fulfil your research design;
> or it is, as I am beginning to suspect, just an easy way to concoct a
> (sometimes) ill-defined research tool and post it electronically in
> order to solicit as many responses as possible, with minium effort.
>  
> Anyway, please do continue to use this email group for research
> purposes and to ask for survey completion; but please, do so only if you
> have fully addressed my five points made above.
>  
> Best of luck, and thanks for reading....
>  
> Regards
> PHILIP
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Philip R. Stone 
> 
> Senior University Lecturer
> Editor - The Dark Tourism Forum
> Course Leader: [International] Tourism Management Undergraduate
> Programmes 
> 
> UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE (UCLan)
> Faculty of Management (SSTO)
> Preston
> PR1 2HE
> United Kingdom
> 
> Room: Greenbank 130
> Tel: (+44) 01772 894 769 (Direct Line)
> Tel: (+44) 01772 894 900 (School Admin Office)
> Fax: (+44) 01772 892 927
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> University Website: www.uclan.ac.uk ( http://www.uclan.ac.uk/ )
> Profession / Research / Teaching Profile:
> http://www.uclan.ac.uk/management/ssto/about_the_school/philip_stone.php
>  
> An International Conference: Tourist Experiences: Meanings,
> Motivations, Behaviours. (April 1st - 4th 2009). For further
> information, please visit
> ht
> tp://www.uclan.ac.uk/host/international-tourism-conference/index.htm
>  
> Dark Tourism is the act of travel to sites of death, disaster and the
> seemingly macabre... Learn more about the 'darker side of tourism' by
> visiting The Dark Tourism Forum at www.dark-tourism.org.uk (
> http://www.dark-tourism.org.uk/ )
>  
> Brief Bio: 
> Philip’s main research interests revolve around dark tourism and its
> fundamental interrelationships with (post)modern society. In particular,
> Philip is interested in the thanatological aspects of dark tourism
> consumption, and the societal consequences of contemporary mortality and
> morality issues. Philip, who is Founder and Editor of The Dark Tourism
> Forum (see www.dark-tourism.org.uk ( http://www.dark-tourism.org.uk/ )),
> has published in a range of leading international academic journals and
> presented at various international conferences, as well as writing and
> consulting for print and broadcast media across the world. A book
> co-authored with Richard Sharpley, The Darker Side of Travel: The Theory
> & Practice of Dark Tourism, is forthcoming.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> >>> Gayle Rogers <[log in to unmask]> 06/04/2009 16:04 >>>
> Form attached
>  
> > Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 20:29:11 +0100
> > From: [log in to unmask] 
> > Subject: Dark Tourism Servey Questionnaire
> > To: [log in to unmask] 
> > 
> > Dear Sir/Madam 
> > 
> > I am a student at Thames Valley University studying for a BA (Hons)
> in Travel 
> > and Tourism Management. I am carrying out a research for my
> dissertation 
> > into Dark tourism motivation for individuals that have visit either
> the London 
> > Dungeon Museum, The Holocaust Exhibition at the Imperial War Museum 
> 
> > (London) or both. It would be grateful if you could complete the
> attached 
> > questionnaire, which should take approximately five minutes. Please
> note that 
> > if you have visit both places, it would be appropriated to complete
> one 
> > questionnaire for each Museum. The questionnaire does not identify
> the 
> > respondent, thus you are assure of complete confidentiality. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Yours faithfully 
> > 
> > 
> > Frederico Sartori 
> > 
> 
> Get the New Internet Explore 8 Optimised for MSN. Download Now (
> http://extras.uk.msn.com/internet-explorer-8/?ocid=T010MSN07A0716U )
>