My main motivation this week was to complete and finalize my survey to send out to a preliminary group. After completing the survey, I sent it to a small cohort of 10 subjects to see their reactions and feedback of the survey questions and their understanding of the questions. I collected 10 responses and was able to analyze the data using the qualtrics software provided by Bowdoin.
The main feedback and results of the responses shows that there is little to no ambiguity with my questions, which was my main target for the questionnaire. My main focus was to create the survey and eliminate any confusion so the questions would yield appropriate and effective responses. My impression of this data is that there is a trend of the subjects having an accurate understanding of their style and clothing habits when navigating Bowdoin. The questions that required a comment or extended written responses proved the subjects seem to know their preferences. One of my main objectives was also to leave it somewhat open ended so their responses are the information that is at the forefront of their mind. When a question poses, “What is your typical dress for a day,” people describe what is at the forefront of their mind which illuminates their most honest response.
Moving into the more in-depth weeks of my analysis, I am continually interested in how people describe their style and fashion and their motivations behind their dress. I want to pursue and analyze the primary thoughts behind dress choice because I am finding a deep correlation between those responses and what people physically wear. For example, if someone were to choose comfort as their primary goal for dress, they would most likely be wearing sweats or Bowdoin gear. I believe that these types of relationships are the ones I am targeting and will begin the deeper exploration into why people dress the way they do.
The biggest challenge I faced early on was making the questions as clear as possible so the respondents could answer the question honestly and freely. After a few mistakes, I was able to lock down these questions and gain serious and efficient data. The other issue I am facing, as is the case with many surveys, is getting people to actually complete the survey. Normally, most responses are completed shortly after it is sent, but many times reminders are necessary so it does not fall deeper and deeper into their inbox. What I have found effective is talking to people before sending them the survey and making sure they are aware it will be incoming.
Moving forward, my main goal is to send the survey out to as many people as possible. With my second, third, and continued rounds of respondents, I hope to continue to expand the diversity of my pool to get the most well rounded group attainable. I am also beginning to identify people for more in-depth, in person interviews so I can learn their deeper lying motivations for their choices and answers. The interviews will be the most pure and useful form of data and I am in the early stages of setting up these interviews, which should be completed by the end of next week.
Wilson,
This response reflects my reading of both Logs 2 and 3.
I appreciate the lengths to which you tested and refined your survey instrument to ensure that you will obtain the kind of data you are seeking. It seems, from the third log, that you are seeings one interesting patterns and points of deviance. I am interested in learning more about some of your most interesting findings, especially in terms of the conditions under which people rely on name-brand clothing as they move through spaces.
Something of interest to me how fashion choices correlate with race and class. Given my understanding of certain brands on campus (i.e. Canada Goose) that certain conspicuous displays of wealth are excessive, but that seems only for white students. With students of color, there seems to be a different aesthetic operating; a more polished fashion sense seems to accomplish a few things — not only in terms of breaking stereotypes associated with the iconic ghetto, but also as a demonstration of their seriousness as students at Bowdoin.
I hope that you will focus some of your blogs on your initial hypotheses and results — now we are reaching a point where you should be thinking about what these data tell you and why it matters for understanding the Millennial Generation.
I look forward to what your research produces.