Academic Research
By bostonphil
@bostonphil (4459)
United States
September 25, 2017 8:46pm CST
I am on many sites where I take surveys for a small amount of money. Some of these surveys are for a researcher affiliated with a university. They often do not pay much but they are usually interesting and sometimes short. I have taken these type of surveys for years and always looked forward to being invited to one.
However, in the last year or so, I have had some bad experiences on these type of surveys.
They still pay low but some have become very long and even complicated. Even worse, I have been allowed to complete the survey and submit only to get a sorry message that I did not qualify or was over quota.
This is relatively new with these type of surveys. I have been over quota or not qualified in the past but it was usually fast.
Last week, I did two or three on the same day for these so called academic research studies. In all cases, I was allowed to complete the survey and submit only to get some sort of sorry message. One or two was very long.
I can clearly remember the last one. It was about travel and travel to Mainland China. There were columns and comparisons. It was about 20 minutes long and I got a sorry after completing and submitting.
I think they were looking for persons who were going to travel to Mainland China in the near future and I was not. It was conducted by a researcher who supposedly was affiliated with a university but also worked in the field of travel.
I have come to believe that some of these so called academic research studies are a little shady. They are looking like they are strictly academic research while more like market research.
2 people like this
3 responses
@Essjayd (1568)
•
26 Sep 17
I used to do surveys a
few years ago. Although I found them
boring it was an easy way to make a
little extra cash.
I decided to try again a few weeks ago I
was shocked at how many took you to nearly
the end before saying you didn't march the
profile. It seems like a huge con to get the info
they need for free!! I can remember getting
screened out of surveys before but it was
usually after 5 questions in the first minute
not 15 minutes worth for nothing!
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
27 Sep 17
It does seem like there has been a change. I sometimes complete a very long survey only to get a "sorry".
I love surveys. Some are boring but others are interesting.
1 person likes this
@Essjayd (1568)
•
27 Sep 17
@bostonphil Lol I have decided
that I do not have the patience for surveys!
I'm enthusiastic for the first 3 questions
but that quickly gives way to desperately
watching the progress bar at the top and
begging it to move faster
@GardenGerty (157555)
• United States
26 Sep 17
Most of the surveys I do are similar. They say they are short, they end up long, I complete them and I am not rewarded or compensated "sorry". It just gets harder all of the time.
@bostonphil (4459)
• United States
26 Sep 17
I have had many good experiences with academic research and I still have some. This problem that I have described only began about a year or so ago with one very bad day last week. I think more and more market researchers are making their surveys look like academic research.
