Readers Rate the 'Drift
First off, thanks to all the 'Drift readers who took the time to fill out our recent reader survey! This survey is our primary mode of getting reader feedback. Enabling us to fine tune the 'Drift, it allows us to find out what subjects and features you like and don't like, and helps us gauge how changes like our new format are going over. We listen closely to your input -- it really does shape the publication. And if we love hearing comments like "marvelous job" and "excellent newsletter, I wish it were longer," we don't ignore criticism like "too much horn tooting," either.
Responses to the survey came from all over the U.S. and Canada, and as far away as India. Significantly, the subject areas that most interested you were water quality, fisheries, nonindigenous species and contaminants.
You cared least about coastal business development, diving and seafood technology news.
Sea Grant research news, Great Lakes news, Sea Grant publications and Sea Grant program news were the regular 'Drift feature areas you said you liked best, though you concurred in your dislike of student/graduate profiles, staff news and awards, honors and appointments. Sorry to hear that, but this is still somewhat of an institute newsletter, so we hope you'll forgive our occasional mentions of personnel changes and staff news.
As for how we're doing our job, it turns out weÕre not doing too bad. Here are a few of the more pertinent and gratifying results: ¥ 94 percent of you gave the 'Drift the big thumbs up Ñ 31 percent rated it "excellent", 63 percent "good;" ¥ 92 percent Ñ 41 percent "excellent," 51 percent "good" Ñ called it a highly comprehensible publication; ¥ 88 percent Ñ 36 percent "excellent," 52 percent "good" Ñ liked the graphic design; ¥ 87 percent Ñ 28 percent "excellent," 59 percent "good" Ñ said theyÕre satisfied with the newsletterÕs content; and ¥ 45 percent said our new format was easier to read than the old one; 53 percent rated it about the same.
You also told us that you were happy with the current number of graphics and photos, and liked the existing mix of five to six stories/news items per issue. We should keep publishing the newsletter monthly, you told us, rather than go to a bi-monthly or quarterly schedule.
What else? Sixty-seven percent of you have been reading the 'Drift for three years or more, which in publishing constitutes a long-standing and faithful readership. (Of course, you're getting it for free, which probably helps.) Only 24 percent knew that you can access the 'Drift on the World Wide Web (http://www.seagrant. wisc.edu/publications.html ), and only nine percent had actually read the newsletter online, which means we'll keep printing and mailing it to you unless we see stronger online interest.
And finally, the majority of you told us you get most of your Great Lakes-related news from newsletters like the 'Drift and newspapers. Interestingly, that contradicts current media studies, which show that people get the majority of their news from television.
- Phil Davis, Editor
Special thanks goes to Ms. Julie Winding for her recent gift to UW Sea Grant's Carl J. Weston Memorial Scholarship Fund for undergraduate support.
Anyone who would like more information about contributing support for undergraduate students contact Mary Lou Reeb, phone (608) 263-3296, or email mlreeb@seagrant.wisc.edu.
F E B R U A R Y 11-12, 1996
A round goby workshop, co-sponsored by the Illinois Natural History Survey and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program, will be held at the Clarion Hotel at OÕHare Airport in Chicago, Ill.
The first day features presentations reviewing basic biological information, describing the gobiesÕ range and population expansion, and summarizing research on their effects on native species.
The second day of the workshop is reserved for discussion. Contact: Ellen Marsden, Illinois Natural History Survey, phone (708) 872-8677; or Phil Pope, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program, phone (317) 494-3591.
To be added to the mailing list, contact:
Linda Campbell / Communications Office
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute
Goodnight Hall, 1975 Willow Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1103, U.S.A.
Telephone (608) 263-3259
FAX (608) 262-0591
or email us at lecampbe@seagrant.wisc.edu
This page created 29 December 1995
Last updated 29 December 1995. T. Yao
All contents copyright 1995 University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute
Designed by Tina Yao tlyao@seagrant.wisc.edu