The Rules of Engagement

If you are one of my students

Please use my University of Sussex email (it's on the US website, Study Direct, and in your course handbook). You can usually expect a response pretty quickly. If it's a course related question you can also use the appropriate bulletin boards on study direct, which I check more regularly than email.

If you are a random person who I've never met

My wife tends to filter my University of Sussex email for me, so that's the worst way to get in touch with me if you're a random person who I have never met. However, there are numerous other ways to contact me or ask me questions:

The chances are, if you want to contact me it's for one of three reasons:

  1. Discuss about my anxiety research.
    • Please use my University of Sussex email address.
  2. Comments on my book/website:
    • I really like comments on my Facebook wall, or discussion board . But you can of course use statistics hell email too. I really appreciate the feedback (even if I don't always get time to respond).
    • If you're confused about something in the book, then I have a list of known errors and problems in the book which might answer your question (see here).
    • Difficulties with the 'Discovering Statistics' companion website. I do not maintain this website, my contribution is only to provide materials for it. The website belongs to Sage Publications and is maintained by Shift Media. Therefore, please direct any issues to them in the first instance.
    • Complaints about the book: if you have some issue with the book that relates to production (i.e. missing pages, pages falling out, something missing), please direct these to your local Sage Publications (they have offices in the US, UK and India) and they will sort you out. If you want to complain about the unadulterated filth that permeates the content of the book, then this should be directed to me.
  3. Statistics Questions:The vast majority of mail from complete strangers contains questions about statistics/asking for help with data analysis etc. I often get asked the same or similar questions so I have a discussion board on methodpsace, which is generally a very useful resource for people stuck with statistics/research. If you are feeling all lost and forlorn about statistics and would like to ask me a stats question then please join methodpsace, join my group and post something on the discussion board; I much prefer this to email. A few simple rules about using the discussion board:
    • Please try to find an answer in the usual ways first: Try things like google before heading to the discussion board.
    • Please Search the forum for an answer before posting a topic.
    • Please read my FAQs before posting a question.
    • Please be nice to me and each other; life is too short.

NSPCC LogoDespite the above probably making me sound like a miserable, grumpy old bastard I really don't mind people sending me stats questions (provided you don't take offence if I don't have time to answer) and I do respond to an enormous number. Over the past few years, I have asked people to whom I do respond (provided the response is useful) to show their appreciation by donating to the NSPCC (a UK charity that acts to protect children and prevent child cruelty - given I research child anxiety this is a charity close to my heart) via justgiving.com. All donations are secure and sent electronically to NSPCC. If you are a UK taxpayer, Justgiving will add an automatic 28% bonus to your donation at no cost to you. If my stats help is useful then please help me support NSPCC and a fabulous cause!