Reader Poll: Accessibility Results
Thanks to everyone who voted and left comments on the poll I put up last week asking about the accessibility of PsyBlog. I asked whether you find that PsyBlog is pitched at the right level of complexity for you.
Well, 305 of you voted and here's what you said:
- 1%: Usually too complicated for me, please make it simpler!
- 5%: Sometimes too complicated, it would be better if you explained things more.
- 7%: Sometimes too complicated, but that's fine with me.
- 51%: Almost always at the right level for me.
- 24%: Sometimes too simplistic, but that's fine with me.
- 5%: Sometimes too simplistic, it would be better if you skipped the easy stuff.
- 7%: Usually too simple for me, please increase the complexity!
I'm happy to see that the majority of respondents (just!) are finding PsyBlog is at about the right level for them. But, 36% of you find, at least some of the time, that PsyBlog's content is too simplistic for you; as opposed to 13% finding it too complex. Overall, then, your message as a group seems to be that including a little more complexity wouldn't hurt. I'm mindful, though, of not excluding readers.
It's worth pointing out that this poll is exactly what you would expect since the complexity of the content will tend to attract people who are happy at, or around, that level. And so we go around in a circle...
Still, it's nice to see you arrange yourselves into a fair approximation of a bell-curve type normal distribution. Well done!
[Image credit: Lumaxart]
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My guess is that you'd have a lot of sophisticated readers, so the bell curve would be skewed toward overly simplistic.
I guess if you're targeting a mass audience then you're right on track. If you want your blog to appeal more to psychological professional, then you may need to change.
I'll read anyway.
I am no psychologist and not even in the field science! I love your blog because of its simplicity. Even as an accountant, I am able to grasp most of the presented concepts.
If we see this as a psychology study, surely we should think about the sample frame? Surely people who find this easy to read and use will be more likely to take part in the survey?
I just found this blog, so I missed the poll, but I've been looking around the archives. I could definitely use more details - on the other hand, I read this blog when I'm eating dinner and relaxing after a day of medical classes, so if it was more complex I'd have a tough time finding the energy to read it! Make of that what you will.
Myself and my partner are both psychologists (research and educational respectively) and i understand everything you post.
Bits and pieces like when you explained what a meta analysis was are overly simplistic to me but i understand their purpose and they don't distract from the main focus. Also if this were a more complex website i wouldn't read it, you inject personality and opinions into otherwise dull research and the simplification makes it more casual to read.
When reading your blog I don't feel like i am doing another journal crawl, but do feel like i am learning just as much.
Most psychologists have their dry and complicated sources for information, i sure do. I like having a nice casual opinionated one like this as well.
Don't change a thing
Seth (Pseudonym BTW)
(Thought you would like some Qualitative data to go with your stats)