Researchers Approach

For this research, the researcher is using a qualitative approach because it allows the researcher to successfully collect opinionated data to conquer and solidify the researchers goal. Through the objective research and a qualitative approach, the researcher is allowed to try and understand the topic and grasp a general understanding and insight of it, while also avoiding being bias in measurement. There are several different ways the researcher could have conducted this pilot study using the qualitative approach by having focused groups, holding interviews, and general observations. This qualitative research will be completed by interviewing individuals who are familiar with HBCU's and predominantly white institutions. Basically, the researcher is measuring how someone feels about what food they eat on a daily basis. After the process of analyzing her collection of data, the information will then be generalizable. Generalizability refers to the idea that my pilot study through research will tell the researcher something about a group larger than the sample from which the findings were generated.

Paticipants

The qualitative research pilot study, does predominantly white institutions provide a healthier choice in foods on and around campus rather than at HBCU's, will seek a Jackson State University faculty member and student participates who have an insight into to foods that are served on and off campus around predominately white institutions and at HBCU's. Although, the focus of this study is geared towards majority black universities, race, gender, or age does not hinder a person in participating. The only requirement is that the participant has an affiliation with Jackson State University. Seven people will participate in interviews with the researcher utilizing the non-probability sampling method, (snow-ball method). This method was chosen, because the researcher wanted to remain non biased. This method ensures that interviewees will be selected at random instead of being handpicked. So again, everything in this qualitative study was non biased based and selected at random.

Participants were selected randomly to conduct interviews at which each interview was voluntary. The researcher had to stress the fact that this interview was voluntary before conducting any Interviews. After getting approval of the IRB, the researcher was now able to conduct interviews. Each and every participant had the option to stop the interview at any time if they did not want to answer a question or if they simply just felt uncomfortable with the interview questions and if they wished to do so then the interview would conclude right then and there. This method was solely done because this pilot study is based off individual’s opinions and nothing more so there were no right or wrong answers to the interview questions.   

Participants were also between the ages of 18 and up and could be of any race, gender and ethnicity. Each participant has been to a predominantly white institution and an HBCU to get a better look at both sides of this research story. The researchers survey was created, gathered and used to solidify her findings by investigating how and if individuals on colleges campuses feel about the food they eat at HBCU's and how students feel about the food they eat at PWI's and how that effects them. The researchers survey should take about 10 minutes to take. In attempts to keep this research as un bias as possible, survey-takers were informed the researcher would analyze their responses to successfully complete her research assignment.

 How Could This Be Completed?

In order to effectively do so, we used a systematic data analyzation program, SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science). SPSS is a Windows based program that is used to utilize and simplify data entry and analysis to create tables and graphs. SPSS is also capable of handling various amounts of data and can perform all of the analyses covered in the text and more.

After the interviews have been conducted and then transcriptions would begin to be completed. After the transcriptions are completed they will be coded for analysis by reviewing themes, key words and/or the study research questions. There are several type of software available that would be a great tool to assist with the analysis, however they could not be too good of use to this researcher because of time and current availability. With that being said, the primary researcher will conduct the analysis by hand. At the conclusion of the coding, some the data will be placed in one of the pages of the qualitative research pilot study’s website. Other coding samples can be found on the Interview Results page as well. The umbrella topic and ultimate goal of this pilot study is to prove the relevancy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and how they are portrayed in the media, but looking at the healthier side of things and trying to find out how individuals feel about the food on and around campus in comparison to predominantly white institutions.