Africa Policy E-Journal
Note: This survey is for subscribers to the Africa Policy Electronic Distribution List.
Although it will be kept here for reference after the survey closing date, it should
be returned by November 15, 2000 in order to be counted.
To return the form, just copy and paste the questions below into an e-mail message,
fill in your answers, and send the message to
esurvey@africapolicy.org.
Africa: List Survey
Date distributed (ymd): 001001
APIC Document
<Africa Policy Electronic Distribution List>
Fifth Annual Reader Survey
October 1, 2000
This is the fifth survey of readers of the Africa Policy
Electronic Distribution List. Your responses to this annual
survey provide valuable information on your views of our
service, as well as suggestions for improvements. We have
implemented some of the suggestions from earlier years, and,
with your help, hope to continue to improve.
The number of addresses on the list has continued to grow.
Since the last survey in July 1999, it has increased from
some 2600 addresses to almost 3050.
Your opinions are important to us, and help us to continue to
improve our service. We have tried to make the survey long
enough to provide substantive data, but not so long as to be a
burden. We hope you will take time out of your busy schedule
to fill out the 28 items below.
To evaluate trends, the questions are the same as last year.
According to our test runs, it should take 15 minutes or less
to complete the survey. For your background, a summary report
of last year's survey, with links to earlier survey reporets,
is available at:
http://www.africapolicy.org/docs99/srep99.htm
As an extra incentive to respond, we will send everyone
who submits a completed questionnaire a free, attractive
11" by 17" poster: "Africa's Children." This, the fifth in
our poster series, graphically demonstrates the gross global
inequities in life expectancy and school enrolment, which
particularly marginalize Africa. (Allow four to five weeks
for us to process the forms and get the poster in the mail
to you.)
We do ask (question 27) whether you are currently a paying
member of APIC. The e-mail list is free to members and
non-members alike. But the contributions of those of you
who decide to support us with your memberships are highly
appreciated, and essential to sustaining our operations.
Last year 12 percent of survey respondents reported that
they were current APIC members. You can make your contribution
on-line, or print out a membership form to return, at:
http://www.africapolicy.org/join.htm
So please take the time to: (1) download or copy this message
into a return message so that you can edit it, (2) put your
answers inside the brackets for each question, (3) put an x
in each check-box [ ] that applies, and (4) E-MAIL THE COMPLETED
SURVEY BACK TO esurvey@africapolicy.org AS AN ASCII (PLAIN
TEXT) MESSAGE - NOT AN ATTACHMENT. THE [ ], { } AND < >
SYMBOLS ARE INCLUDED TO AUTOMATE OUR PROCESSING OF THE FORMS;
PLEASE DON'T DELETE THEM, AND DON'T DELETE THE QUESTIONS.
Longer answers, however, may take more than one line.
If it is very inconvenient for you to return the form by
e-mail, you may send it to us by fax (202-546-1545) or by post
(110 Maryland Ave. NE, #509, Washington, DC 20002 USA). Due to
the extra time required to process non-electronic responses,
however, expect additional delays before receiving your
poster.
P.S. All individual data on this form will be treated as
confidential. Only the analysis of totals will be made
public. The names and postal addresses may be used
(infrequently) for mailing out announcements or other
information from APIC.
Thank you very much.
1. <poster>Please send me my free "Africa's Children" poster.
[ ] yes
2. <first_name>
[ ]
3. <last_name>
[ ]
4. <organization>
[ ]
5. <postal_address>
[ ]
6. <city>
[ ]
7. <state/province>
[ ]
8. <postal_code>
[ ]
9. <country>
[ ]
10. <email_address>
[ ]
11. <how_long>
How long have you been receiving or retrieving documents from
the Africa Policy Electronic Distribution List?
[ ] Less than two months
[ ] Two months to a year
[ ] More than one year
12. <how_received>
How do you receive or retrieve documents from the Africa
Policy Electronic Distribution List?
[ ] by e-mail directly from APIC
[ ] by e-mail indirectly through another mailing list
(please indicate the name of the list)
{list_name}
[ ]
[ ] other (please explain)
{other_source}
[ ]
13. <access>
Do you have access to a Web browser with a direct internet
connection?
[ ] yes
14. <visit>
If yes, on average how often do you visit the Africa Policy
Web Site?
[ ] more than once a week
[ ] between once a week and once a month
[ ] less than once a month
[ ] never
15. <reading_pattern>
Of every 10 documents distributed, on average, roughly how
many (on a scale from 0 to 10) would you say you dealt with in
the following ways?
<Number discarded or deleted without reading [ ] >
<Number skimmed quickly [ ] >
<Number read more carefully [ ] >
<Number archived for later reference [ ] >
<Number redistributed to others [ ] >
{People_sent_to}
If you do redistribute a document, roughly how many
additional people do you normally send it to?
<Average number receiving a document from me [ ]>
<Number used later for teaching or public education [ ]>
16. <frequency>
For your needs, is the frequency of documents distributed
[ ] Too frequent
[ ] About right
[ ] Not frequent enough
17. <length>
For your needs, are most of the documents distributed
[ ] Too long and detailed
[ ] About right
[ ] Not detailed enough
18. <quality>
How would you rate the quality of the information and analysis
distributed?
[ ] Very good
[ ] Good
[ ] Average
[ ] Poor
[ ] Very poor
19. <action_pattern1>
When documents call for specific actions, such as writing to
policy-makers, how often have you contacted policy-makers by
phone, fax or e-mail concerning the issue?
[ ] Never
[ ] Almost never
[ ] Sometimes
[ ] Often
[ ] Always
20. <action_pattern2>
When documents call for specific actions, such as writing to
policy-makers, how often have you passed on the documents to
others who you think might want to contact policy-makers
concerning the issue?
[ ] Never
[ ] Almost never
[ ] Sometimes
[ ] Often
[ ] Always
As you know, our objectives are to reach the broadest possible
audience in order to enable more informed public influence on
policy decisions. The following questions will enable us to
report to you on who we are reaching, and to improve our
strategies for reaching wider constituencies. Individual data
will be treated as confidential.
21. <age>
[ ] Under 20
[ ] 20 to 35
[ ] 36 to 50
[ ] Over 50
22. <sex>
[ ] Male
[ ] Female
23. <education>
What is your level of education?
[ ] advanced degree
[ ] college degree
[ ] secondary school
[ ] other
24. <institution>
What is your primary institutional affiliation? (Check one.)
[ ] educational institution
[ ] commercial institution
[ ] governmental institution
[ ] religious institution
[ ] non-governmental organization (non-religious)
[ ] media institution
[ ] trade-union
[ ] foundation or other philanthropic institution
[ ] other
25. <africa_connection>
What are your significant personal connections with African
concerns? (Check all that apply.)
[ ] Born in (or parents born in) an African country
[ ] Spouse or in-laws born in an African country
[ ] Live in an African country now
[ ] Worked in an African country for year or more
[ ] Visited an African country for shorter time
[ ] African-American or other African diaspora community
[ ] Business interests
[ ] Academic interests
[ ] Other professional interests
[ ] Activist concerns for human rights, development,
environment, social justice and related issues
26. <involvement>
If you are living outside the African continent, please check
all that apply:
[ ] actively involved in local organization working on
African issues
[ ] somewhat involved in local organization working on
African issues
[ ] active member of national organization working on
African issues
[ ] supporter of national organization working on African
issues
27. <member>
What is your APIC membership status?
[ ] I am a current member (contributed $40 or more within
the last year.
[ ] I have been an APIC member, but don't know if I have
renewed my membership within the last year.
[ ] I appreciate your information, but have never sent in
a contribution to become an APIC member.
[ ] Don't know or unsure.
28. <additional>
Please add any additional comments, criticisms, or
suggestions.
[ }
***end***end***end***end***end***end***end***end***end***
Thank you for completing the form. Remember to e-mail it to
esurvey@africapolicy.org as an ascii (plain text) message--for
most people the reply function in your software should do this
automatically. If it is inconvenient for you to return the
form by e-mail, you may send it to us by fax (202-546-1545) or
by post at the address below.
Africa Policy Information Center
110 Maryland Ave. NE #509
Washington, DC 20002
Tel: (202) 546-7961; Fax: (202) 546-1545
E-mail: apic@igc.apc.org
The Africa Policy E-Journal is a free information service
provided by Africa Action, including both original
commentary and reposted documents. Africa Action provides this
information and analysis in order to promote U.S. and
international policies toward Africa that advance economic,
political and social justice and the full spectrum of
human rights.
Documents previously distributed in the e-journal are
available on the Africa Action website:
http://www.africaaction.org
For additional background on this e-journal go to:
http://www.africaaction.org/resources/ejournal.php
To support Africa Action with your contribution go to:
http://www.africaaction.org/support/
To be added to or dropped from the e-journal subscription list,
write to e-journal@africaaction.org. For more information about
reposted material, please contact directly the source mentioned
in the posting.
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Africa Policy E-Journal