SURVEY PARTICIPATION: AFRICAN AMERICAN MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS FOR DEGREE COMPLETION, FACTORS THAT IMPEDE SUCCESS, AND SUCCESSFUL RETENTION EFFORTS
Deadline: August 31st
Dear Doctoral Degree Graduate,
I am Linda G. Knight, a Ph.D. candidate at Florida A&M University in the College of Education and Department of Educational Leadership and Human Services. My dissertation study is designed to look at factors that motivate African American students to persist towards degree completion, those factors which impede student success, as well as identify successful graduate retention efforts of universities and colleges. It is hoped that the findings in this study will aid in the development of effective policies and possible programs to aid in the graduation rates of African American students. Thus your participation and assistance in this effort is greatly needed and appreciated.
I would appreciate you sharing your experiences in the areas of recruitment, retention and graduation at your graduate institution by completing the Doctoral Student Persistence Survey, which can be found by clicking the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=FepANTwk3G4D_2buSKLySI_2bQ_3d_3d
It should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete the survey. Your participation in this research study is voluntary and completion of the survey indicates your consent. You may withdraw and discontinue participation at anytime without penalty. You may decline to respond to any item you believe infringes upon your privacy. There are no known risks associated with participation in this study. Please be assured your responses will be kept confidential. Pseudonyms will be used for identification and reporting purposes. The data will only be used for completion of my dissertation. Please complete the survey by August 31, 2008. Funding is not sufficient to compensate everyone. But, as a token of my appreciation for your participation in the study, you will be entered into a random selection for the following Gas Cards as soon as I receive your completed survey: (1) $100 gas card; (2) $50 gas cards and (2) $25 gas cards. It is anticipated that the random selection will be held around September 2008.
The significance of this study is that it will provide vital information for improving the attrition, retention, and graduation rates of African American students enrolled in doctoral degree programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the nation. It is anticipated that the results of this study will be two fold (a) that it will be utilized to provide greater understanding of African American student retention and attrition; and it will (b) assist with the development of policies, procedures and programs designed to address these areas at universities and colleges.
If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact me at (850) 561-2849 or via email linda.knight@famu.edu, or my dissertation chair, Dr. Elizabeth K. Davenport, at (850) 599-8163 or via email elizabeth.davenport@famu.edu . This research is being conducted under the auspices of Florida A&M University Institutional Review Board (IRB) and thus any questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant may be directed to the Institutional Review Board Chairperson at IRB Committee, Florida A&M University, Division of Research, Room 130 Dyson Building, Tallahassee, FL 32307-3800. They can be reached by phone at (850) 412-5246. Thank you so much for your participation in this study.
Sincerely,
Linda G. Knight, M.S.
Department of Educational Leadership and Human Services
Florida A&M University
308 Gore Education Complex, Unit B
Tallahassee, Florida 32307
Dear Doctoral Degree Graduate,
I am Linda G. Knight, a Ph.D. candidate at Florida A&M University in the College of Education and Department of Educational Leadership and Human Services. My dissertation study is designed to look at factors that motivate African American students to persist towards degree completion, those factors which impede student success, as well as identify successful graduate retention efforts of universities and colleges. It is hoped that the findings in this study will aid in the development of effective policies and possible programs to aid in the graduation rates of African American students. Thus your participation and assistance in this effort is greatly needed and appreciated.
I would appreciate you sharing your experiences in the areas of recruitment, retention and graduation at your graduate institution by completing the Doctoral Student Persistence Survey, which can be found by clicking the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=FepANTwk3G4D_2buSKLySI_2bQ_3d_3d
It should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete the survey. Your participation in this research study is voluntary and completion of the survey indicates your consent. You may withdraw and discontinue participation at anytime without penalty. You may decline to respond to any item you believe infringes upon your privacy. There are no known risks associated with participation in this study. Please be assured your responses will be kept confidential. Pseudonyms will be used for identification and reporting purposes. The data will only be used for completion of my dissertation. Please complete the survey by August 31, 2008. Funding is not sufficient to compensate everyone. But, as a token of my appreciation for your participation in the study, you will be entered into a random selection for the following Gas Cards as soon as I receive your completed survey: (1) $100 gas card; (2) $50 gas cards and (2) $25 gas cards. It is anticipated that the random selection will be held around September 2008.
The significance of this study is that it will provide vital information for improving the attrition, retention, and graduation rates of African American students enrolled in doctoral degree programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the nation. It is anticipated that the results of this study will be two fold (a) that it will be utilized to provide greater understanding of African American student retention and attrition; and it will (b) assist with the development of policies, procedures and programs designed to address these areas at universities and colleges.
If you have any questions regarding the survey, please contact me at (850) 561-2849 or via email linda.knight@famu.edu, or my dissertation chair, Dr. Elizabeth K. Davenport, at (850) 599-8163 or via email elizabeth.davenport@famu.edu . This research is being conducted under the auspices of Florida A&M University Institutional Review Board (IRB) and thus any questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant may be directed to the Institutional Review Board Chairperson at IRB Committee, Florida A&M University, Division of Research, Room 130 Dyson Building, Tallahassee, FL 32307-3800. They can be reached by phone at (850) 412-5246. Thank you so much for your participation in this study.
Sincerely,
Linda G. Knight, M.S.
Department of Educational Leadership and Human Services
Florida A&M University
308 Gore Education Complex, Unit B
Tallahassee, Florida 32307
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