Dear all

I am aghast at this website if it is a serious 
construction; and very surprised at the list of supporting 
organisations. I have cc'ed my comments to the mailbases to 
encourage others to comment.

I may be speaking beyond my competence here as I am not a 
mental health specialist, but I have grave reservations 
about this site.  Aside from generally comments about 
affected 'wackiness' and flippancy, I will therefore 
restrict myself to issues about which I do have experience 
- website and survey design.

On the web side :

1) Excessive use of colour, boldening and font sizes.
2) Underlined text should be restricted to links.
3) Graphics should have alternate text for non-graphical 
browsers.
4) Use of graphics is spurious and unexplained.
5) No attempt to make the site disability friendly.
6) No explanation of content of links.
7) Page titles are blank or spurious.

There are many web style guides available on-line which can 
be found using a search engine.


On the survey side :

a) The first question is very direct - it is preferable to 
start a survey with more general questions to but the 
subject at ease.
b) Is there a Christian focus to this survey?  It seems 
strange to start a list of support networks with chaplains, 
especially with so many students of other faiths.
c) Do students have an understanding of what student 
services are?  If not, this needs to be explained.  Are 
friends and parents student services!?  Question 3 is three 
questions in one - bad practice.
d) Question 5 is leading.
e) The whole thing seems lightweight relative to the 
seriousness of the topic.  I doubt that students will reply.

I hope these comments help.


Neil...


On Fri, 17 Nov 2000 14:10:18 -0000 Neil Donnelly 
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Firstly let me introduce myself I am a researcher on the 
> CVCP/SCOP Student Suicide in Higher Education in the U.K 
> Project. The project is already underway, we aim to create 
> a database by next year and have some information on the 
> students perceptions of student services and what causes 
> the students more than usual stress. We have set up a 
> website, for students to answer a few questions but there 
> is also information and research for any students who may 
> wish to find out more about the subject or who may feel 
> depressed. The site is supported by CVCP/SCOP,AMOSSHE, 
> HUCS, NUS, PAPYRUS, Samaritans, NSF, Nightline, Jeremy 
> Paxman, Private Eye Magazine etc. I would like to ask for 
> your help in promoting the website at your institutions. If 
> it is successful it will be the first U.K site to ask the 
> students what makes them feel stressed, by answering the 
> few questions on the site the students will be working 
> together to hopefully prevent some other students in the 
> future from feeling depressed and not being sure of  who to 
> turn to.  The more we can find out the more that can be 
> done in the future to help.The site address is
> 
> www.studentsuicide.org/
> 
> Any help for promoting the site or any changes to improve 
> the site would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Natasha Donnelly ( Researcher CVCP/SCOP Student Suicide 
> Project,u.k)

----------------------------------------
Neil Harrison
Head of Student Advice and Welfare
University of the West of England
Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane
Bristol,  BS16 1QY
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel : (0117) 344 2322
Fax : (0117) 344 2895



%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%