Objective and Research Questions:
For this paper, your goal is to find out what other people think about something and how peoples understandings differ from that of another demographic. To do that, you will create and administer surveys and interviews. You will then analyze/interpret your data and present your findings in a written research report. You will also write up your reflections on your research process.
Specifically, in this paper, you will conduct interviews or surveys to explore one distinct demographics perceptions about CSR/business ethics and how those perceptions differ from that of another distinct demographic or community. For example: how/to what degree varying “communities” of students on campus hold businesses/corporations responsible for the “health” (physical and/or psychological) of the consumer and/or the “health” of the environment (as opposed to personal responsibility and/or the government’s–or other entity–role). Determine if there are any interesting similarities or differences in how students respond in relation to their “community.” What could be the possible reasons for these connections?
Your paper should present an evidence-based answer to your research question.
Assignment steps:
Collect your data: Use surveys of 25-50 people* to gather information from people about their thoughts about your research question: what do they know, when/where did they learn it, what are their attitudes about it? Conduct 2 interviews to follow up on key perspectives you discover in your survey.
[Keep a written record of your data (survey results, printed e-mails, transcripts of interviews, etc.) to turn in with your essay.]
* Survey Policy: Students cannot under any circumstances email survey links to all students enrolled in large or multi-sectional first-year courses. Such courses include but are not limited to 100-level course in FYS, GEOL, GEOG, PSYC, MATH, and CHEM. Students who distribute electronic surveys to all of the members of these or any other courses will not be allowed to use their survey results for their qualitative research projects. Students may also face further penalties such as grade reductions.
Analyze/interpret your data: After collecting your data, analyze it and develop conclusions from your informationanswers to your research question. (See p. 265, 272, 280-286 and 331-334 in RI for helpful reminders about how to analyze data.)
Present your findings in a research report: Your paper will include the sections 1-7 below. (Please see the sample paper in RI 458-469 for a good model of paper that includes most of the sections required for your write-up.)
Section 1Introduction: Explain what your research question was and provide any necessary context. Your main point, often stated at the end of your introduction, will be a statement of your findingsthat is, the answer to your research question.
Section 2-Methods: Explain the decisions you made in planning the project: why you chose the respondents you did, what questions you asked, how you asked them, etc.
Section 3Results: Here you will present your results (your findings), with explanation and elaboration. Summarize the answers you got (your evidence-based findings), noting any important trends and groupings. Refer to actual data to support your presentation. Dont provide a random data dump; instead, present selected examples that illustrate the conclusions you came to. Use visual elements to present data, if applicable and appropriate.
Section 4Discussion: Based upon your data, what conclusions can you make about different understandings and knowledge regarding your research question? (This will not be a restatement of the Results; discuss what the results tell you!)
Section 5 Works Cited page: Provide proper in-text citation (if needed). If you used external sources other than surveys or interviews, please review How Can I Ensure Ive Avoided Plagiarism? on p. 149-152 in RI.
Section 6 Appendix A: Include your survey and interview protocols, your informed consent form for interviews (see sample, RI317) and your data (survey results, transcripts of interviews, etc.).
Section 7Appendix B: Evaluation: Critique your survey, noting any gaps in the data or in the respondent pool; also note any questions that didnt work and reflection on how you would change these the next time you administer the survey/interview.
