Service Learning at the Center for the Study of Local Issues Review CSLI History/Mission The Semi-Annual Survey: An Opportunity for Student Learning and Civic Awareness Next Steps Dan Nataf, Ph.D., Director Center for the Study of Local Issues Anne Arundel Community College 101 College Parkway Arnold, MD

CSLI History and Mission Historical Background: In business since 1978! 1. Creation and operation as part of Division of Social Sciences: – a community college ‘research center’ 2.Operation as part of Paul S. Sarbanes Center for Public and Community Service 2006-present – Advisory Board: 20 +/- community activists, elected officials, government administrators, students, faculty Provides guidance and link to the community both within and outside the campus – Staff: Director, Program Specialist, Student Interns

CSLI History and Mission Provide students opportunities to better understand applied social science research methods while encouraging civic awareness and engagement Serve community and local government by offering research services and communicating survey findings Provide opportunities for faculty professional development Help AACC understand its environment through relevant data collection and analysis Mission – four elements

Mission: Provide students opportunities to better understand applied social science research methods while encouraging civic awareness and engagement Activities providing student opportunities: Participation in community surveys Participation in client based research projects Student internships CSLI student club CSLI History and Mission

Semi-annual Survey The survey process at a glance… 1.Conducted in March and October 2.Telephone interviews – completions 3.Press releases 4.Public presentations 5.Media outreach 6.Web site ( CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

Service Learning Process Semi-annual survey – how students participate for service learning credit Five contacts with CSLI Introductory meeting 3 nights of telephone interviews Final meeting – review of survey process, findings, SPSS/hypotheses testing CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important? How do surveys work? 1.Identify a population whose characteristics and attitudes are interesting to us 2.Our population – Residents of Anne Arundel County at least 18 years of age 3.Our goal – Ask a small group (the “sample”) questions 4.Generalize the findings to the whole population (the “universe”) CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

How do surveys work? (continued) Find a proper sample size: costs vs. margins of error – Example: Population of 100k+, confidence interval 95% ErrorSample Size CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important?

How do surveys work? (Data collection) How shall we collect the information? Choices: 1. Face to face – personal interviews 2. Telephone – personal interviews 3. Self-administered - by mail, exit poll, group setting 4. Online – a version of ‘self administered’ Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important? CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

How do surveys work? ( Data collection continued ) CSLI’s process: 1. Telephone – personal interviews – that’s what you will be doing 2. Self-administered - by mail CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important?

How do surveys work? ( Data collection continued) How do we choose whom to call (or mail)? Two choices: (1) Randomly select from listed phone numbers (2) Use computer generated “likely unlisted residential numbers within your target jurisdiction” CSLI’s lists of numbers are a 90/10 percent mix We start with over 8000 phone numbers! CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important?

How do surveys work? ( Survey assumptions) What are we assuming in using telephone numbers? That everyone in our target universe is equally likely to have a landline phone and willing/able to answer a survey Should other methods be used? Ideally, yes! But the other data collection methods are harder to implement and/or more expensive… CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important?

How do surveys work? (Sources of error) What are other data collection challenges? * Interviewer bias * Social desirability * Unclear questions * Non-attitudes * Non-response bias * Unequal representation of subgroups None of these is necessarily a fatal flaw, but should make us sensitive that there are more sources of error than just the statistical ‘margin of error’ CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important?

How do surveys work? (Getting to the finish line!) What happens to all the completed surveys? 1.Data entry. This means we need to enter all the answers into a database for statistical processing. 2.Statistical analysis 3.Write a report 4.Send it out as a “press release” 5.Post it on the Web. 6.Use it in public presentations CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey Semi-annual Surveys - Why is your role so important?

Semi-annual Surveys: Recent Major Topics Semi-annual survey – topics over the last couple of years Major issues facing the county Economic conditions in the county Perceptions of BRAC’s impact on the county The vision for public schools in the county Cigarette Tax Death Penalty President Bush’s job approval War in Iraq Lots of demographic info: age, income, occupational status, race, religion, gender, party, ideology CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

Semi-annual Surveys: Sample of Findings President Bush’s Job Approval Fall 2005 to Spring 2007 CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

Semi-annual Surveys: Sample of Findings Economic conditions in Anne Arundel County CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

Semi-annual Surveys: Sample of Findings Anne Arundel County Public Schools CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

The Fall 2007 Semi-annual Survey Major sections 1.Benchmark Questions 2.Economic circumstances – are people being affected more by one kind of economic ill-effect than another? 3.County Issues – storm water management, salaries 4.Maryland State Issues – slots, cell phones 5.Immigration – perceptions and policy preferences 6.National Issues – Iraq, presidential elections 7.Demographics CSLI: The Semi-annual Survey

Next Steps 1.Make sure you know which evenings you are spending with us 2.First night – come at 5:30 p.m. training in telephone interviewing methods and questionnaire marking 3.Last two nights – no need for more training, come at 6:00 p.m. 4.Final meeting – November 6, 8, 9 (2-4 p.m.) See you next week! CSLI: Your Next Steps