After a week of e-mailing with preceptor Kevin Collins, Group 24 reports feeling much more confident about their understanding of the assignment. Kevin decided to split the group into two parts, with one half analyzing the question, “How does income affect dietary trends?”, and the other looking into “How do dietary patterns affect obesity?”
Reflecting on the data she examined, Freshman Leslie Bargmann was surprised to find that while obesity rates are higher among African Americans than among Caucasians, African Americans consume more fruits and vegetables. From his study of existing surveys, Sophomore Joshua Oppenheimer said he “was able to see the project in a broader context. Looking at surveys from the past gave me an idea of what kind of results our survey might generate.”
Group 25A worked together to finish writing the survey questions. After brainstorming on how to add more bulk to the original twelve questions, the group members gathered together in Sophomore Fallon Atta-Mensah’s room to compile what they had come with on their own. Christine Bokman, also a sophomore, feels as though the survey is going to produce just the kind of results that the CBLI project originally wanted. “We asked a lot of questions about basic nutrition,” Bokman said, “I’m confident we are producing what Professor Harris-Lacewell wanted.”
Group 25 C formatted the survey; while the original survey was only twelve questions, the final version was twelve pages! Many group members were surprised that the survey had to be so long. Junior Farrell Harding wonders whether people who got the survey in the mail would be willing to sit down and answer so many questions. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” Harding remarked.
