Hi everyone.
I am a researcher and professor at the University of Toronto (soon to be at West Virginia University), and my research focuses on player communication and behavior in online games. Currently, I’m conducting a study of how MMO players think and feel about their avatars, and as part of this study I’m looking for GW2 players to take a 20 minute survey about their avatars. Although you can choose to answer questions about GW2 in the survey, you could choose another MMO as well.
I am a MMO player myself (WoW, GW2, TESO, and I’m getting ready to try my hand at FFXIV), so I understand you may have some hesitation related to account security and privacy. I assure you that the survey will not collect any information that could compromise your account or personal information. The survey includes mostly multiple-choice questions, and at no time requests personally identifying information. I promise – no scams, no need to enter account info, nothing shady.
If you’d like some validation that I’m a legit researcher/professor, you can check out my university profile here: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/iccit/jaime-banks and my research profile here: http://utoronto.academia.edu/JaimeBanks
Upon completing the survey, you will be redirected to a separate web site (not tied to your survey responses in any way) where you can choose to enter your email address in order to be entered into a drawing for one of five $25 gift cards to your choice of Amazon or Steam games network. Entry into the drawing is optional, and any email addresses submitted will be kept strictly confidential.
Survey link: http://wvu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eR8CL1Frwv2QBHn
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to email me at the address provided after the link. Thanks!
~Jaime
PS – I’d be ever so grateful if you’d tell your friends and fellow players!