Telephone survey

“Hello. My name is Paul. I am calling from Ohio University, as part of a class assignment. I would like to ask you a few questions…”

From last Sunday to Wednesday, I spent 3 hrs every evening saying the same sentences to different people living in Ohio and West Virginia by telephone. The survey is one part of our boring tasks for Research Method. No one in my class likes conducting such stupid survey including me. But to my satisfaction, I did not fall behind other American students as I had worried about before. Because language is the only channel to communicate with respondents in telephone survey, I, as a foreigner, sometimes can not make me understood easily or understand others either. Although repeating the same questions in four evenings was absolutely tough and boring, I found something interesting, which will be more interesting if we do not need to repeat it again and again.

Scripps Survey Center is located in an old building, which looks like a warehouse. There are about 35 tables in the survey center. 35 interviewers can conduct survey at the same time. On each table, there is a computer, a telephone, a pen and some paper. Sometimes you may find some candy too.

The whole survey is conducted with a computer. First, the numbers are dialed randomly by a computer program. Every interviewer has an account, with which every person’s behavior and payment, if hired to do so, can be managed. We, interviewers, act like pc-game-players, sitting at the tables, logging on the cute system, clicking the bottom “Dial” and waiting for all kinds of Monsters. There are many options when dialing: no answer, busy, answer machine, fax or modem... and answer. When a call is answered and Answer is chose, another set of options is shown on the screen: yes, refuse, call back, business call. Most of time, we choose refuse because most people would not like to be bothered by a stranger. Some hang up rudely and some persons say “no interesting” or “busy” after you read the sentences I mentioned at the very beginning. If you are lucky or your voice is attractive enough, you have chance to finish the pc-game remained with that kind interviewee. When survey begins, each screen shows only one question. Your job is only to read them and record the answer and go on.

The most important is the first minute when a call is connected. Experienced interviewers can keep those who plan to refuse being bothered. Promotion skills and some key points of the survey contribute to a successful survey. For example, if you mention “class assignment”, some people would lower their anger. For me, the most crucial thing is to express myself clearly at first. On Sunday evening, when I was not familiar with the survey, I did not read the announcement clearly. A lot of people said “what? Who are you? I can not understand you!” Sign! Then, after I found my classmates, native speakers, do not read as fast as I did, I slowered my speed and I got it. At the last day of survey, I was so excited as to find I can read as fluent as others. I also learned a lot new words on environment, the main topic of the survey, such as asbestos, Caucasian and so on. Some pronunciations are corrected. For example, I read lead as lead before.

To celebrate National Day

I went to shopping this evening with my roommates.
This is the list:

from wal mart

PB kisses (candy) 1.50
honey buns 1.44
loaf cake 2.50
saltn cra (crackers) 0.87
kindney bean 0.44
spinach bnch 0.94
bananas 0.94
grn onions 0.50
cabbage napa 2.31
maxwel coffee 3.97
gv juice 0.97
tomato sce 0.25
pp wings 2.76
large eggs 1.16
gv 1 lf (milk) 1.88

total 24.57

from bob's

round steak 2.99
pork loin 2.92
ball park 1.99
ommt bologna(sausage) 1.79
total 9.69

3rd: Truth is Crucial in Journalism


Journalism has become one of the most significant industries in the modern society. Numerous newspapers, television stations, and other mass media supply a great deal of valuable information for the public every day. People begin to pay more and more attention not only to the news that media report, but also to the news industry itself. The profit of media tycoons, media celebrities or a remarkable press prize has attracted people’s interests. However, the most important issue in Journalism is to report the truth, which is an underlying claim on all the other aspects in news industry.

The influence of journalism demands the authenticity of news coverage. News is defined as information on recent events, including political activities, economic development, social affairs and so on. Once news information is published, it is expected to affect the organic society. If a piece of false news were created and transmitted to the public, it would cause serious results. A wrong number in business coverage will result in fluctuating of stock markets; a mistaken signal in news reporting accelerated the breakout of America-Spain War. Even if in an ordinary community, rumors may usually lead to a family’s tragedy. Consequently, reporting the truth is widely believed as the substantial requirement in journalism in terms of audience, managers and journalists.

Audience appeals to news media in order to receive true information about people’s daily life. Living in the information age, people encounter all sorts of unlimited information everyday, news stories, advertisements, science fictions, or music videos. Meanwhile, recoding true stories is the unique characteristic of news media, compared with novels, poetry or other literature. Readers will not be interested in newspaper if they wish to find some romantic stories to enjoy. Although, deals of news media also print some fictional content, such as essays, quiz, or continued story, they merely play an affiliated role.

As a business in most western countries, journalism can also produce profit that is always what manage men concern. Nevertheless, the operating performance of a news company is immediately affected by the validity of it reports. The truth is said the lifeline of news media. Journalists are encouraged to investigate any undiscovered fields. Because it is believed that the more sealed events a paper publishes, the more readers, i.e. potential profit, this newspaper wins. The Washing Post has built up such a successful model as it disclosed the historic “Water Gate” and overthrown ex-present Nixon. On the contrary, a fake reporting can ruin a media company. In the early 1900s, at the risk of being bankrupt, the New York Daily News, one of the major newspapers in New York City at that time, printed a number of rumors such as UFO’s attack to the earth, in order to appeal readers. However, this kind of stories did not satisfy the readers but buried the paper.

Based on the fact that readers and managers prefer true stories, to report the truth is therefore the primary demand to journalists. Reporters have the responsibility to investigate new events and record the events exactly. They need verify very details of coverage before it is printed. It is the professional ethics that requires journalists be honest, just as bankers should keep a reliable credit. If an inappropriate report is published, it usually leads to severe accusation for journalists as libel or slander.

In sum, news industry is attractive and competitive, but principally, the crucial issue in journalism is to record the world truly and exactly.

I was rejected

My application for credit card was rejected by a bank. The excuse they insist is I have not sufficent income guarantee and credit record.


I do not think the bank, creditunion, really considered my application. For, I received their rejection 2 days after I applied. Either they are efficent enough, or they did not read my materials at all. I would like to believe the ladder. I am confused how they can make such conclusion that I have no guarantee or credit history, because I did not have a chance to testify myself when I filled out their application form. Although most students like me will be rejected at the first application, I still would not accept such unkind rejection. Therefore I signed in again.

Actually, I applied 4 banks for credit card since I received my SSN--Social Security Number--last Saturday, when I was so exicited because SSN is as important as my passport. Without this number, you can not work in US, or apply a license, or apply credit card...Unfortunately, These happy time did not last that long.

laundry


American people introduced drying machine so that such familiar scenes as clothing-shows can seldom be seen in U.S. There are many public laundries in every community. People usually carry a big basket and go to public laundries once a week. Some one even drive to laundries which seems to me a little funny. I am lucky enough that the laundry of my apartment locates at the same floor with my apt. Today, it is my second time to use that efficient machines.

It costs me 8 quarters (2 dollar) each time to wash a basket clothes, 4 for washing and 4 for drying. First, fill in some detergent instead of soap powder we use, into washing machine. Then put clothes into the tub, adjust the temperture of water, and insert 4 quarters. It works! About 50 mins. later, it is done. Then take clothes out of the washing tub one by one so as to not leave any furrow on clothes, and put into the drying tub. Add some bounce over the clothes to make them fragrant. Next, Insert another 4 quarters and push start bottom. The last thing should be done is to wait another 50 mins and fold dried clothes into closet.

Sometimes, certain clothes will shrink after being dried. So preparing some a bit larger
clothes is a wise idea. Since people here change clothes everyday, a large number of cloth is necessory. Furthermore, machines sometimes like to play tricks. During my first time going to laundry, a drying machine ate my 4 quarters and did nothing! 4 quarters equals 8 yuan. :-(

On Journal


Journal is said to be a kind of literature that requires limited grammar and logic, and offers writers extreme freedom to record everything they thinking about. Even if they forget or do not have anything more to write down for the moment, they may continue to record something like “I forget what I want to say”, or “My brain is blank now”…In one word, the goal of journal is to encourage people to keep writing and writing. Ms Dawn, my teacher of Graduate Writing course, suggest me to write journals as much as possible so as to improve English writing. It is definitely a good idea, since I wish to record the days when I study in Ohio University.

Fortunately, I find Blog a excellent space for me to write and to save these journals. I have set up two categories: Journal and Assignment. Most of my journals should be kept in Journal, while some of my homework on every course may be read in Assignment. I do not care whether all those articles and paragraphs are good job or not, but I wish all my readers could leave something for me. Critiques, comments, and corrections are welcome.

Draft#2 Truth is the important issue in my field

The important issue in my field--Journalism--is to report the truth. Every aspect of journalism is related to this issue. The operating performance of a news company or a media group is affected greatly by the news contents. It is obvious that a newspaper reporting more reliable facts would win more readers and more profits on a long term than its competitors who printed false information. In the early 1900s, in order to attract readers, Hearst’s New York Daily News, one of the major newspapers in New York City, made a great deal of rumors such as UFO had attacked the earth. Those stories did not satisfy the readers but buried Hearst’s paper as well as his enterprise. Instead, New York Times, a more responsible newspaper began to take the leading place. On the other hand, the main task of journalists’ is to investigate recent events and provide audience with correct information. Any lies in news stories will not only destroy the media’s reputation, but also put reporters into trouble. For example, libel is a common accusation to journalists. As a matter of fact, reporting the truth is the key characteristic of journalism, compared with novels, poems or other literatures. Consequently, to satisfy readers’ desire of knowing the truth should be the important issue in journalism.

Can developing countries afford a free press?

Developing countries can sure afford a free press. There should be a presumption for this question: a free press would cost developing countries a lot not only on economic but also on social aspects.

I don't think economic reasons will lead to an authoritarian press in developing countries. On one hand, some mass media, such as radios, newspapers and internet, are not too cost for organizations even individuals to run. On the other hand, although a certain newspaper or a TV network should be affected by its boss, different bosses may have inconsistent positions, which somehow maintains the press a public sphere.

Speaking of social or political aspects, it is obviously true that a free press may bring more instability to a country. But on the long run, as one of the basic yardsticks of development, free press should become a part of people's life in developing countries.

Draft#1 Truth is the important issue in my field


The important issue in my field--Journalism is to tell the truth. As we know, the main task of news media is to provide readers with information on what actually happened. It is easy to understand that a newspaper reporting more reliable facts would win more readers and more profits on a long term than its competitors. New York Times and Wall Street Journal ect. are the best examples. On the contrary, cheating will never be excused in journalism. A couple of months ago, two major managers of New York Times resigned in shame because one of its reporters was found beguiled in his more then 50 stories, which provoked a heated discuss on the significance of reporting the truth. As a matter of fact, every single aspect of journalism is related to this issue. News media live on the truth; journalists are trained to discover tht truth; editors are responsible for proofs of the truth; and finally readers pay for acquiring the truth.