School Science Fair Name-Gathering Project
Summary: Email chain letter soliciting the first names of recipients purports to be a school science fair project, but it's not
Description: Email Chain letter
Circulating since: May 2003
Status: Junk
2004 Variant:
Email example contributed by an AOL user, Jan. 26, 2004:
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This is for a science fair project. If you could do this I would appreciate it! DON'T ASK, JUST PLAY! Copy and paste this letter into a new email (PLEASE do NOT hit "Forward"), then read the list of names. If your name is on the list, put a star * next to it. If not, then add your name (in alphabetical order, put no star.) Send it to ten people and send it back to the person who sent it to you. Put your name in the subject box! You'll see what happens - it's kind of cool! Please keep this going. Don't MESS it up, please!
[List continues...] |
2003 Variant:
Email example contributed by Bunny P., Jan. 21, 2004:
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Ann Hicks is a teacher in Frisco (Texas)..she is doing this with her students...so help her out and please play along. Thanks! This is for a science fair project. If you could do this I would appreciate it! Don't ask, just play!! Copy and paste this letter into a new email (PLEASE do not hit "Forward"), then read the list of names. If your name is on the list, put a star * next to it. If not, then add your name (in alphabetical order, put no star.) Send it to ten people and send it back to the person who sent it to you. Put your name in the subject box! You'll see what happens - it's kind of cool! Please keep this going. Don't MESS it up, please! Ann [List continues...] |
Comments: Pure junk. In what sense could this possibly have been conceived as a "school project," given that there is no evident means of tracking the message's progress or tallying the names collected? It's a chain letter. Its only real purpose is to persuade recipients into passing it along.
The email first surfaced in May 2003 in a slightly different form, claiming it was started by a teacher for the benefit of her daughter.
Sources and further reading:
First Name Survey Chain Letter
An earlier variant of the above'Class Project' Chain Letters
Actual examples of chain letters begun by teachers as "class projects"What Is a Chain Letter?
Background on chain letters, from snail mail to email
Last updated: 11/14/08
