The Freyja Project: quantifying how people make interpretations

Please take part in the survey

Euan Macrae, 20th Jan 2010

Background

• Geological data is naturally under-constrained

• More than one interpretation often fits the dataset

• Interpretation is usually influenced by the interpreter’s prior knowledge

• My PhD aims to quantify the factors which influence interpretation…

For example,

Is an interpreter’s breadth of experience more influential than their length of experience?

About the Questionnaire…

• The full range of experience levels is wanted

• Responses to the questionnaire are completely anonymous

• Participation is voluntary

• This is an individual exercise – collusion will seriously affect the quality of the results

• All questions should be completed

Please interpret the seismic image first and then complete the questions afterwards.

(Attendees then spent 15 minutes completing the questionnaire and seismic interpretation exercise…)

Pilot Study

More info: www.ges.gla.ac.uk/postgraduates/emacrae, or google ‘Euan Macrae’

445 geoscientists – 1 dataset

Results to be shown in Clare Bond’s talk:“When there isn’t a right answer: interpretation and reasoning, key skills for 21st century geoscience”