Wednesday, April 01, 2026
you’ve got research mail
Getting mail is the very exciting and deeply satisfying part of research.
And not just any mail, but parcels from the postie! Some local parcels from other parts of Aotearoa New Zealand. Some parcels from overseas.
Not just any parcels from the postie, but parcels with data! Inside the parcels are research diaries and survey forms. These contain insights from participants in the two different studies I’ve been running during Lent. One qualitative, the other quantitative, as I’ve researched the social impact of shared spiritual practices.
Much of the data collecting across the 7 congregations I’ve been working with this Lent has been electronic, through online surveys. But paper is more accessible for some participants. Which means more work at the start to print off copies and source research diaries. But at the end, it results in the exciting arrival of parcels 🙂.
I think I will be excited for a few more days before I pick up my orange and blue highlighters to signal the grind of analysis.
)
