protocol problems

If I could start all over again...

I would first seek the Statistician's advise and also the Social Scientist's advise before proceeding any further to plan and conduct a survey.

I would not be so short-sighted as to forget human emotions, human favors and the most humane way of doing things. For example, I no longer needed to survey Prof. Bernard Tan's and Dr. Pow's lecture classes anymore, but I should have still done it after they have agreed to it. Such that I will not make myself and my department and my Professor look stupid and also lose credibility.

I would be more realistic and less idealistic about completing tasks. This is one of my weakness, I have such great faith in things that do not warrant my faith at all.

I will not be a scaredy cat but to be more brave and manage my image less, so as not to miss out on opportunities to ask questions and to learn.

In a short span of a week, we visited Prof. Chua Tin Chiu, a very kind and humorous Professor who shared many anecdotes and advise on sampling. We decided not to survey the 2 lecture classes anymore. We decided to generate a list of the whole undergraduate population and pick a random sample of 5000 to email them. And then, we decided not to do it anymore and just take the results of the one class which I managed to perform the survey on, my own SSS1207 class.

In a short span of 2 days, with a little help from my friends, we got all the data into the excel file and I passed over the baton to Xingli, my mentor to analyze.

It has been a strange journey.

I am indebted to Prof. Bernard Tan and Dr. Pow. They have been so kind, so patient and so generous towards me. I must remember to wish them a Happy Christmas at the end of the year.

I am also very grateful for my Professor and mentors for their patience and care for a very inexperienced, very slow and not-so-smart student.