Reseaches conducted among PF members

[یاسمینه]

Some people join the PF because they want to conduct their researches, questionnaires etc here. Usually they don't inform the community about their intentions.
I would suggest Admins to create a new section/policy for these incomers. They would have to introduce themselves shortly, tell us more about their projects and then post querries. So PF members would know that by answering questions they participate in the study. And it would be informed participation.

[Tjanaparh]

I support this idea!
I think there are also tecnical possibilities to do so!

[IamDZJ]

Why? So we can have a better chance at misrepresenting ourselves?? Why do we need to know their intentions ahead of time?? Why can't we be our best at any other given time??
Besides, you can't literally stop people from using the information they gather from here for whatever purpose that pleases them because you can't tell peoples intentions from behind a computer screen. if someone wants to make an assessment based on random *information gathered from here and be biased and wrong about it, that is their fault/choice..*
We do what we have got to do.

[Tjanaparh]

DZJ(with or without Dear, how You prefer I still do not know), You made me think with Your post!
I am also not the one in right to decide!
I see only that somehow stranges users appear who seem soetimes to be the same user!
That is all!So hopefully it is possible to change it somehow!
Sure - it is All computer - so nothing will be 100%

[shehazadi]

I agree with yasmeenah. We are not guinea pigs.

[IamDZJ]

I don't understand or relate to most of*the things that some users post in here and to be honest, it does makes me feel very uncomfortable in terms of how outsiders might perceive us but I also understand that I can't expect everyone to think the way I do.. People have to understand that one individual's opinion doesn't speak for everyone else , be that in pf or out there. Most people do actually.. *And those *who don't understand it, don't have a legitimate argument.
People who come back with different names after being banned 3+ times should be reported to the police. There is a certain point after which the joke loses it's novelty.
Yeah, don't call me "dear" or anything relatively close to that. It makes me feel like a blob.

[badmash_khel]

Dear DZJ made some some good points there.
I think PF does reflect the reality because its made of of real members and the diversity of opinion might be startling to some but we have to keep in might that annonimity gives people courage to say what they want and some times to misuse this previlage.

[یاسمینه]

Well, since it's the public forum anyone can read and use our posts as so-called data-existing. Forum can be used for semantic field analysis or simple content analysis etc and it's ok.
But when a new member comes and in the first post ask specific questions I think it's simply unfair. Usually by the way questions are asked it's easy to figure out that they are posed due to some reason.
It wouldn't hurt the "researcher" to mention the purpose of collecting data or just say that he is going to collect some data.
Another thing - doing any reseach informed consent is a must.
Next aspect- knowing that that someone needs our help in researches there is a chance we could give exact answers without off topic discussion what happens quite often.

Beside, some questions here are adressed also to non-Pashtuns and personally when Im asked to help, I'd like to know to whom I talk.

[Talal]

yasmeenah no researcher uses people from online forums as case studies and as far as the rest of the stuff shared here is concerned..articles, and journals are not properties of members who share them and in most cases they are available to be viewed by anyone

I dont really understand what you are getting at here

[یاسمینه]

yasmeenah no researcher uses people from online forums as case studies and as far as the rest of the stuff shared here is concerned..articles, and journals are not properties of members who share them and in most cases they are available to be viewed by anyone

I dont really understand what you are getting at here

Are you sure of what you say? I remember it was maybe 1 month ago someone started investigation here about nationalism among Pashtuns or so. Then after my direct question he said he was collecting data here for Ph.D. thesis.
I also have long experience in qualitative and quantitative studies and I read lots of strange "papers" written based on at least strange methodology.

Going back to your question, what I am getting here, answer is simple - decency. If someone comes here to start open investigation he/she should at least inform PF about. That's what I think.

[Talal]

^ idk man kinda seems like a non-issue to me..research is done digging through journals and it just sounds comical to me that a guy would go up against a panel and say "therefore based on my online interactions with the good people at pashtunforums.com"

But yah it's your right to know who you are adressing just as much it is their right to not disclose information that they don't feel comfortable sharing with everyone

[Tjanaparh]

Yeah, don't call me "dear" or anything relatively close to that. It makes me feel like a blob.

Ok ok, please do not melt!

[Admin Khan]

^ idk man kinda seems like a non-issue to me..research is done digging through journals and it just sounds comical to me that a guy would go up against a panel and say "therefore based on my online interactions with the good people at pashtunforums.com"

But yah it's your right to know who you are adressing just as much it is their right to not disclose information that they don't feel comfortable sharing with everyone

Talal,
You would be surprised. Many people email me asking me "Can I use xyz thread in my research thesis?".

So with all due respect, Yasmeenah does have a valid point. Members should know what they are participating in. PF has a policy where it states:" No part of this site may be copied without permission of the administration." To actually publish a thread of ours, permission would be necessary. And like I said, you would be surprised to know that many media outlets have contacted me in this regards.

Thanks for your concern Yasmeenah. I am aware that your concern stems for your desire of the betterment of our community.

[Talal]

^ but do you guys have copyright protection from the US office though ? Cuz simply stating that no one can copy stuff from here doesn't make it binding ..users can still take the information without consent, and then vice versa too like the books and research papers that are posted here do people have explicit permission to share them ?

I agree with one thing though, people may actually copy entire arguments and use it as their own .. That's an ethical issue though technically unless you got copyright protection (it's like a $40 fee for a website ) you can't really say anything to them

[graveyardofempires]

not just that

on this sid eyou also have pakis and indians who want to win our "hearts and minds" for their own sake.

and also people who want to learn pashto from us,who we gladly help and use that pashto to damage our people rather than to help or have friendly relations.