Writing for Publications Using Fraternity and Sorority Populations

1. Writing for Publications Using Fraternity and Sorority Populations Eric Norman, Ed.D. Louisiana State University J. Patrick Biddix, Ph.D. Valdosta State University Rachel Underwood Valdosta State University Monday, December 7 1:15 PM - 2:30 PM City Terrace 8

2. Introductions • Eric Norman • Patrick Biddix • Rachel Underwood No research is ever quite complete. It is the glory of a good bit of work that it opens the way for something still better, and this repeatedly leads to its own eclipse. Mervin Gordon

3. Outline of Presentation • Introduction and overview • Objectives • Overview of research • Review of historical and current research • Noted trends • Targeted hot topics • Discussion • Q&A • Conclusion

4. AFA Core Competencies • Researcher • Uses research to guide practice • Assesses needs of the fraternity/sorority community • Engages constituents in strategic planning • Leader • Shares knowledge and mentors others in field • Exhibits leadership skills in daily work through critical thinking, risk taking, and creativity • Participates in continued professional development through AFA and other organizations

5. Objectives • What we have learned from research • Where the field needs to go • Venues to accomplish this goal • Decreased anxiety for publication • Understanding the process of submission

6. Overview of Research • Understand the purpose • To include: • Abstract • Introduction/Background • Methodology • Limitations • Results • Discussion • References

7. Types of Research • Qualitative • Ethnography • Quantitative • Pre and Post Test • Program Development • Formative • Summative

8. Types of Research - APA • Empirical studies – original • Article reviews/meta analysis • Theoretical Articles – advance theory • Methodological articles • Case studies

9. Most commonly subjects in fraternity/sorority research… Academics Alcohol/Drug usage Assessment/Evaluation Hazing Sexual Assault

10. Why Research Fraternity/Sorority Life • Theory development • Assessment/Evaluation • Retention • Improve academic standards • Risk reduction • Resource allocation • Interest in the students served • Examine trends

11. Research Cheers and Jeers • Bias • Use scientific method • Masters verses doctorate studies? The common facts today are the products of yesterday’s research. – Duncan McDonald

12. Examples of Affiliation Benefits • Involvement (Astin, 1984) • Persistence to graduation (Astin, 1975) and (Kuh, Douglas, Lund, & Ramin-Gyurnek, 1994) • Satisfaction with undergraduate experience (Neubereger & Hanzon, 1997) • Service learning opportunities (Pike, 2000) • Retention & Persistence (Debard, Lake, & Binder, 2006)

13. Affiliation Benefits continued • Related to Chickering: • Establishing and clarifying purpose • Developing mature interpersonal relationships • Establishing trust • Reciprocal care and honesty (Hunt & Rentz, 1994)

14. Affiliation Benefits...? • Cognitive development • Scholastic ability • Leadership development Conversation means being able to disagree and still continue the conversation – Dwight MacDonald

15. Critics • Focus on the: • Abuse of alcohol • Hazing • Sexual harassment/assaults • Academic deficiencies • Homogeneity • Academic detriments • Questionable developmental deficiencies Research teaches a man to admit he is wrong and to be proud of the fact that he does so, rather than try with all his energy to defend an unsound plan because he is afraid that admission of error is a confession of weakness when rather it is a sign of strength. - H.E. Stocher

16. Affiliation Detriments…? • Greater homogeneity • Alcohol use • Quantity • Frequency • Adverse impact on cultural sophistication • Critical thinking skills (Pascarella, 1996)

17. Interesting Impacts of Affiliation • Smaller shift towards liberalism (Wilder, Hoyt, Surbeck, Wilder, & Carney, 1986)

18. System Reviews • American Council of Education (1990) • Jelke (2001) • Zacker (2001) • NIC Call for Values Congruence/Franklin Square Group • Boyle (1992)

19. Collaboration Studies • Academic achievement by a chapter is more dependent upon local campus GPA (Shaffer, 1983) • Higher achieving chapters attract higher achieving new members (Carney, 1980) • And converse is true (Rhodes, 1980)

20. Recent Topics • Cost benefit analysis for fraternal orgs • Hazing • Evaluation of Alcohol programming • Eating disordered knowledge of Admin. • Leadership development effecting career development • Perceptions of leadership • Assessing learning and development

21. Recent topics – cont. • Fake ID use • Gay males in fraternities • On line alcohol curriculum evaluation • Definitions of Hazing • Membership effects on GPA and retention • Understanding ritual • Cognitive effects of affiliation

22. Recent topics – cont. • Alcohol behavior and beliefs • Sorority Body Issues and Eating Disorders • Attitudes toward Fraternities • Risky Health Behaviors • Social Pressures • Race, Affiliation, and Graduation • Fraternity Membership (Non-Black Members in BGLOs)

23. Desired topics http://www.indiana.edu/~sao/cscfsite/ Senior retention Deferred recruitment/Intake Honor Codes Self-governance Impact of chapter size

24. Desired topics cont. • Impact of cultural based orgs • Character building/Ethics/Values • Leadership skills • Council differences • Identity development • Critical thinking • Issues of Pluralism

25. Desired topics cont. • Impact of social networking • Civic outcomes • Technology issues • Practitioner research • Student development/growth • Non-NIC/NPC member experiences • Multi-institutional research

26. Additional Research Needs • Multi-campus studies • Research from (inter)national offices

27. Venues: Where to look for research • Oracle • NASPA Journal • JSCD • Dissertations • New Directions Series

28. Other Venues • Psychology in Schools • Personnel and Guidance Journal • Sociology of Education • Journal of Applied Psychology • Educational Record • Journal of Higher Education • Journal of College Student Retention • Review of Educational Research

29. The Submission Process • Submit • Editor Review • Peer Review • Editorial Board • Publisher

30. Submission Timeline • Submission to Acceptance: 2 - 6 months • Editing: 2 – 6 months • Publication: 6 months

31. Helpful Hints • Research focus – not opinion • Sound methodology • Write for an audience

32. Helpful Hints - Continued Use datasets that already exist National EBI NSSE Greek Experience Survey LPI Campus Academic reports Judicial trends Matriculation reports Development Service learning

33. Helpful Hints – Cont. Interviews Focus groups Case studies Evaluate/Assess programs Use papers written for class Expand on presentations

34. Funding • Institutional grants • AFA • CFEA • International foundations • NHF

35. Common Issues • Language • Put a “Nail in the coffin” on cliché’s • Verb tense • Greek is a culture, not a fraternal community • Formatting • Unreliable or invalid instruments

36. Barriers • Time • Writing ability • Comfort with statistics • IRB • Response rate

37. Mentoring • Research design • Statistical analysis • Writing • Literature review • Formatting

38. Resources • AFA • NASPA • ACPA • CAS • Order of Omega • Gamma Sigma Alpha • Center for the Student of the College Fraternity

39. Questions?Research means that you don’t know, but you are willing to find out.–Charles F. Kettering

40. Contact information J. Patrick Biddix, Ph.D. jpbiddix@valdosta.edu Eric M. Norman, Ed.D. enorman@lsu.edu Rachel Underwood rrunderwood@valdosta.edu