Results of the 2016 DGUF members’ survey

Abstract

After a first survey among its members at the beginning of 2013, the Board of the DGUF conducted a second survey of its members in spring 2016. It collated opinions and assessments on important aspects of the association’s activities. The survey enjoyed a high response rate of 26 % and thus gives a representative insight into the assessments provided mainly by the active DGUF members who have a keener interest in the association’s activities. This report describes the most important results of this survey and provides an initial evaluation from the point of view of the current Board.
According to the 2016 members’ survey, around 10 % of DGUF members have not studied an archaeological discipline, but most of its members are aged between 30 and 60 and are qualified archaeologists who are also working as such. Among the reasons for their DGUF membership they list first and foremost its importance in respect of archaeological policy. They are highly satisfied with the activities of the association, many members promote membership of the DGUF to third parties. More than three quarters of all respondents welcome the course the association is currently taking in terms of archaeological policy. The DGUF contributions to the Deutsche Verband für Archäologie (DVA) are considered to be sufficient as they are, whereas the activities of the DVA overall are considered to be comparatively unsatisfactory. Many respondents have not participated in an annual DGUF Meeting at all in recent years or have done so only rarely, but consider the DGUF Meetings and their topics to be important. The periodic linking of the DGUF Meeting to the German Archaeological Congress is welcomed by the majority. There is a high level of satisfaction with the DGUF journal Archäologische Informationen, the move to Open Access is welcomed by a large majority. An equally large majority thinks it is important that they can continue to receive the journal as a printed volume, although around 40 % of members feel some of the headings could appear in the “online only” mode. The DGUF Newsletter is given a remarkably high rating, its quality is assessed on average as being better than good (1,8) and two thirds of respondents are also completely satisfied with the content. Many DGUF members are conservative in terms of the media they use compared to the German average; Facebook and Twitter, for example, rarely play a role in their daily life.