[Return to FAQ]

Messages in our forums, and member profiles, can be viewed by all visitors, but only our signed-up members can post messages (offers, requests, comments), join our groups, or use our optional member-to-member mail system. See also: 'Forum categories and descriptions'.

Joining is free (see the 'Sign up' link, above right), and so is all use of this site.

For members, please note that all offers or requests have two parts:

(a) The initial public announcement of an offer or request, inside the forum of your choice, and
(b) The more personal details provided in your profile, based on the list of questions provided by us.

To see the profile, visitors can click on your name, wherever this appears, or on your profile image.

If you sign up to become a member, you will be asked to complete a form that creates a profile that other visitors can see to learn more about you (or the group or institution you represent).

Only the first two questions require answers.
Giving answers is optional for the other six questions, but we recommend answering all of them. It should not take long, especially if you already have a short CV that can be copied into the profile.

Our form makes it easy for you to convey essential information.
The questions asked are written below. If you want, you can print this note and compose your answers on paper before filling out the form online.

The completed profile gives other visitors a minimum amount of necessary information and makes it easier for you to compose a brief summary offer or request in the forum of your choice -- see the Forum menu above, or the top page of this site ('Main', in the menu above).

The PROFILE QUESTIONS

1. What is your location? (country, region, or city) (can be general or specific) - required

2. Self-description (for person, group, or organisation) - required, multiple choice (choose one or more):

Learner, Volunteer, Experienced, Professional, Freelance, Group, Company, University or Research Institution, University undergraduate, University graduate, Researcher, Other

3. Working topics - as general or specific as you like - optional

4. Preferred means of contact - optional

Reply in the forum, Email via the present page mail system, Comment on present page, Other (see further details below)

5. Preferred language(s) for correspondence - optional, one line

6. Further details - e.g. contact information, working languages (e.g. A for editing, A to B for translation), when available or needed (specify dates, or 'open-ended'), short CV - optional, a long answer can be made, but the target should be no more than one full screen page

7. Website (for yourself, work place, or interests) - optional

8. Comments for the Administrator (questions, problems, advice, etc.) - optional

NB Any encouragement or constructive criticism you can offer will be very helpful for the Cooperative


FORUM POSTS

When setting up your membership page, you can ask our site to automatically notify you by email when replies (comments) are posted below your offer or request in the forum. Our you can choose to prevent any comments being made. By allowing comments, you do not need to publish your private email address, and we recommend this method. Other members can also send messages to you through our member-to-member mail system, but they have to visit your profile page to do this. It is easier for others to reply to your message directly in the forum.

It is good to choose automatic notification of comments in the forum, so that:

(a) people can be more confident about reaching you, and

(b) you do not have to keep looking at the website to know if replies have been made to the forum.

Providing more information in your Profile page will help readers to understand your offer or request, a first step in building trust (see also our article on building trust and working relationships).

Also, please consider how you would like to discuss payment, if it is requested or offered.

Our public forums and your personal profile page are not the best places to mention prices and account details, or to conduct person-to-person negotiations about fees and payments. How to handle this is your decision, but please understand that the Research Cooperative cannot help mediate specific financial transactions among the people using this site (see our note on 'Money and payments').

[Return to FAQ]