ONLINE SURVEY SITES Survey Monkey Survey Gizmo Google Forms

PLUS SOME RESUME STUFF FINDINGS REPORT

RAW DATA VS FINDINGS Raw data = information collected through your survey/experiment Tables, charts, and graphs that organize single survey answers represent RAW DATA Listing the raw data you have found DOES NOT count as a finding

FINDINGS Findings are inferences Findings are new knowledges Findings are what happens when you ANALYZE your data rather than simply recounting your survey results Findings usually signify trends, correlations, and potentially causations you find when analyzing your raw data

FINDINGS Findings are also new knowledges produces through your interviews and focus groups Findings ARE NOT simply quoting an interviewee Findings go a step further – discussing and analyzing these interview responses in the greater context of your whole project

REMEMBER… Your presentation and paper will have both raw data AND findings, but one without the other will not be sufficient Questions?

FINDINGS REPORT EXPECTATIONS A detailed description of the Survey sample (your demographic group) instrument (your survey/bigger questions) analysis method Your actual survey should go in an Appendix at the back of your paper.

EXAMPLE Acceptable: I created a 17 questions survey geared to gauge the feelings of Penn State seniors in a Fraternity towards X, Y, and Z. This survey helped to answer my larger questions ____________________ & _________________. (See Appendix 1 for a complete set of survey questions).

BAD EXAMPLE I created a 17 question survey. The questions were: 1.Blah 2.Meh 3.Flah 4.Buh Ad infinitum

FINDINGS REPORT EXPECTATIONS Interviews -The most descriptive section of your paper in terms of language – we still maintain academic objectivity when appropriate, but allow for subjective reflection -Description of interviewee -Description of interview environment (if appropriate) -Summary of interview with direct quotation – there should be more of you than your interviewee -Explanation of the interview’s PURPOSE – how it relates back to your larger project.

FINDINGS REPORT EXPECTATIONS Effective use of tables or figures to illustrate the data or numbers gathered by the survey Remember the misleading/poorly made graphs Don’t do that

FINDINGS REPORT EXPECTATIONS Writing and Language: A blend of 1.objective writing – keep your scientific/academic distance 2.reflexive reactions – your personal response (still written in a formal voice) to your data/interviews/results 3.secondary sources for triangulation – when appropriate, relate back specific articles from your lit review.

FINDINGS REPORT EXPECTATIONS A conclusion that details new knowledge (findings) about the topic that you have gained through interviews and surveys

OVERALL STRUCTURE Title – the more specific, the better Introduction – keep rewriting intro from Research Proposal/Lit Review (READ MY COMMENTS) Methodology Data – with visuals Conclusion/Findings

QUESTIONS?

RESUMES Like cover letters, resumes have a rhetorical purpose Treat your resume LIKE A NARRATIVE Good stories don’t have extraneous parts – every single piece of information on your resume should be working to telling the same (good) story

EXAMPLE When I apply to professor jobs, I will most likely not include my time working at -Target -A lumber yard -As an athletic trainer -As a grader for my undergrad math department

EXAMPLE I will include -Research assistant for literary journal -High school teacher/dorm administrator -The fact that I teach all of you fine people

REMEMBER The resume isn’t a place to simply list everything about you. It’s designed to spark an interest in you as potential future employee.

DUTIES VS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Instead of this: Responsible for developing a new filing system In charge of customer complaints and all ordering problems Won a trip to Europe for opening the most new customer accounts in my department Do This: Developed a filing system that reduced paperwork by 50 percent Resolved customer complaints and product order discrepancies Generated the highest number of new customer accounts in my department

ACTION VERBS Accomplished Achieved Administered Approved Arranged Assisted Assumed Budgeted Chaired Changed Compiled Completed Coordinated Created Demonstrated Developed Directed Established Explored Forecasted Generated Identified Implemented Improved Initiated Introduced Investigated Launched Maintained Managed Motivated Negotiated Operated Organized Oversaw Participated Performed Presented Proposed Raised Recommended Reduced Reorganized Resolved Saved Served Simplified Sparked Streamlined Strengthened Succeeded Supervised Systematized Targeted Trained Transformed

DON’T OVERDO IT