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Originally Posted by Cyberman tM
Probably because to anyone who isn't learned in these fields it IS a ridiculous request.
It is like asking me about my dietary preferences and requesting a copy of my local train schedule.
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Until I saw the request I was clueless about the research methodology, so I asked the OP about it. They gave me a bit of info, which I followed up. Now I know a bit more than I did - and so the request doesn't appear as ridiculous to me. Though I do think the OP could have done more to explain what they were talking about. As you say, (well, actually you don't, but it's implied by what you say), given what you know about the research methodology, the request appears ridiculous. But that's as much to do with what you know about the the methodology as it is to do with something intrinsically ridiculous about the request.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyberman tM
We're on the internet here - it isn't too farfetched to assume that someone is making a weird request just for the sake of it.
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Well, there's a choice I guess - assume that something I don't understand is in some way suspect and respond accordingly, or assume that it's in good faith. Maybe we just disagree about what it is reasonable to assume.
My other point was that if what you assume is that the request is suspect then you have the choice to just ignore it - there is no necessity to ridicule the OP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyberman tM
I still don't see the relevance of pictures.
Or how I'm supposed to take a picture of myself while reading. (Unless you mean a picture where see at best me minus one arm, which again should make the picture rather useless. Or is it assume that I have my personal photographer? :-)
Where is the difference between telling them "I usually read on my way to work, in train and subway" to me somehow taking a picture while doing so?
Is my word not credible? Then the picture is even less so, it can be staged without problem.
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There was an email on the OP. Anyone could have asked these questions of the student making the request.