Comments on: Twitter Used to Test Our “Psychic Abilities” http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/06/01/twitter-used-to-test-our-psychic-abilities/ Quirky, funny, and surprising science news from the edge of the known universe. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:17:48 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Do Ten Percent of Twitter-ers Send Ninety Percent of Tweets? | Discoblog | Discover Magazine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/06/01/twitter-used-to-test-our-psychic-abilities/comment-page-1/#comment-23632 Do Ten Percent of Twitter-ers Send Ninety Percent of Tweets? | Discoblog | Discover Magazine Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:03:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/06/01/twitter-used-to-test-our-psychic-abilities/#comment-23632 [...] Content: Discoblog: Twitter Used to Test Our “Psychic Abilities” Reality Base: Could Twitter Be a Tool for Terrorists? Reality Base: Caught in a National Disaster? [...] [...] Content: Discoblog: Twitter Used to Test Our “Psychic Abilities” Reality Base: Could Twitter Be a Tool for Terrorists? Reality Base: Caught in a National Disaster? [...]

]]> By: Jo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/06/01/twitter-used-to-test-our-psychic-abilities/comment-page-1/#comment-23627 Jo Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:19:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/06/01/twitter-used-to-test-our-psychic-abilities/#comment-23627 A waste of time and resources, only insofar as it won't convince anyone of anything. But as a feedback tool in general, it's useful. Most people won't participate in telephone surveys, but they'll take a few minutes to answer a poll or voice an opinion. Of course, when you leave it open to anyone, you have no idea how your sample set is being skewed (as PZ's minions love to illustrate). A waste of time and resources, only insofar as it won’t convince anyone of anything.

But as a feedback tool in general, it’s useful. Most people won’t participate in telephone surveys, but they’ll take a few minutes to answer a poll or voice an opinion. Of course, when you leave it open to anyone, you have no idea how your sample set is being skewed (as PZ’s minions love to illustrate).

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