Paid Online Experiment Recruiting Chinese Learners [All proficiency levels needed]

[Dingo1213]

Dear Chinese language learners/teachers,

 

The University of Maryland is conducting a study on how second language learners of Chinese perceive/process the language. We are recruiting Chinese learners at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of proficiency to participate. Please see below for details.

 

Language learning study for adult learners of Mandarin Chinese

We are inviting learners of Mandarin Chinese to participate in a language study. The goal of the project is to understand the language abilities of experienced second language learners of Mandarin Chinese. We are interested in recruiting learners at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of proficiency.

 

This research is restricted to native speakers of English between the ages of 18 and 55,

who did not start learning Mandarin or other Chinese languages until they were teenagers or older,

with no history of hearing impairment or language disorders.

 

To participate, please send an email to Zhiyuan at umdslaexp@gmail.com to determine if you are eligible. If you are, you will be given an anonymous ID to use in completing the study using our online experiment website. The study will include proficiency tests, a listening task, and some short surveys. Participation in the study will take about 30 minutes, and you will be compensated with a $5 Amazon eGift card.

 

Participation is completely confidential and voluntary.

 

If you are interested in participating or would like more detail, please contact Zhiyuan at umdslaexp@gmail.com. If you have doubts about the validity of this study, I can also contact you via a university affiliated email by request.

[roddy]

I've been in contact with Zhiyuan via a umd.edu address, if that reassures anyone. Let us know how you get on. 

[Weyland]

25 minutes ago, Dingo1213 said:

... with no history of hearing impairment ...

Well... darn.

I'll send it on though.

[somethingfunny]

$5?  What can I get for $5?

[roddy]

Given it's presumably a $5 Amazon.com gift card, it'll be of less interest to those outside the US. 

[somethingfunny]

You can't use it in the UK?

[Dingo1213]

$5 Amazon US gift card will be sent via email. I'm sorry we are unable to provide other kinds of payment.

[mungouk]

1 hour ago, Dingo1213 said:

between the ages of 18 and 55,

 

OK, this time I'm not excluded...

 

[suMMit]

Completed this tonight. Took around 30 mins. Some interesting survey questions at the end.

[mungouk]

I did it earlier today, too.  Yes, interesting.

I'm still trying to work out what to do with a USD 5 Amazon.com voucher (seems it can only be used on the US site)... does anyone know of a way to donate these to charity?

 

 

[suMMit]

On 6/8/2020 at 8:38 PM, somethingfunny said:

$5?  What can I get for $5

I got a Mandarin Companion graded reader Kindle  version for $2.99 instead of $7.99. It was a fine moment.

[NinjaTurtle]

On 6/8/2020 at 5:06 AM, Dingo1213 said:

between the ages of 18 and 55,

 

Why the upper age limit? 56 year-olds don't study Chinese?

[Dingo1213]

On 6/10/2020 at 11:50 AM, NinjaTurtle said:

Why the upper age limit? 56 year-olds don't study Chinese?

The age limit was set to avoid introducing a confound (decline in cognitive abilities as one ages)

[NinjaTurtle]

22 minutes ago, Dingo1213 said:

The age limit was set to avoid introducing a confound (decline in cognitive abilities as one ages)

 

I am 'quite' older than 55 and I have not had a "decline in cognitive abilities as one ages". Your failure to include people like me introduces a flaw into your research. I recommend that no one take part in your research.

 

[roddy]

It's not about any individual, it's about the average case. And 55 might seem almost generous. 

Quote

 

Results from three methods of estimating retest effects in this project, together with results from studies comparing non-human animals raised in constant environments and from studies examining neurobiological variables not susceptible to retest effects, converge on a conclusion that some aspects of age-related cognitive decline begin in healthy educated adults when they are in their 20s and 30s.

 

I, for one, used to be much cleverer. 

[Lu]

I've seen a similar study with a cutoff at 35, so yes, 55 is generous. (I also once was rejected for having played the piano when I was young.) And I think it's unnecessarily hostile to call to others to boycott the study just because you feel you are unjustly excluded.