preliminary findings

Okay, I couldn't quit writing even though I tried. So I've started running experiments this week. To date I've learnt the following.

1. Students will do *anything* if you pay them, including sit in front of a computer listening to random words and pushing buttons when they see funny pictures.

2. Not all students appear to observe an adequate hygiene protocol prior to turning up in the experiment room. The experiment room being small, in the basement, lacking windows, and not ventilated.

3. Booking systems are very fragile things. When one person gets it wrong, anything up to three researchers may all turn up at the same place wanting to run multiple participants at the same time. In the basement, in a confined space, lacking in windows and ventilation.

4. The phrase "native speaker of English" can take on unexpected nuances when it becomes part of a list of criteria for giving money to students (see (1) above). I'll know for next time to clarify that as "someone whose only or dominant language has been English from birth; late bilinguals need not apply."

5. It is within the realms of possibility to survive for many days on less than one square meal per day and less than one full night's sleep per night, given the right dosage of coffee and apricot flapjacks.

6. On the other hand, too much coffee can give you the illusion of being able to anything at all at any time of the day or night, regardless of how inappropriate it would seem under a rational approach, even include your blog in your to-do list.