CoSIDA Colleagues,
My name is Caryn Savitz and I am the graduate assistant in the media relations office at UNC Pembroke. I am currently working on my graduate capstone study and my topic is the perceived impact of social media in collegiate athletics.
To gather data on this topic I have created a survey and am writing to ask for your participation. The survey is hosted on Qualtrics and includes four demographic questions and seven questions on a five-point Likert scale. The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and is available through January 31, 2014.
The survey can be accessed here:
https://uncp.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2mDkJPwiOge23fD
I believe you all can provide me with valuable insight on this topic and help me to better understand this growing field. I have included survey instructions and a FAQ below.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask. I will share the findings of this survey with CoSIDA members later in the spring or summer.
Thank you all in advance for aiding me in my research study.
Sincerely,
Caryn Savitz
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Assistant Director Athletic Media Relations
Office: 910.775.4118
Cell: 407.765.7903
Fax: 910.521.6551
email: caryn.savitz@uncp.edu
Social Media Survey/Study on Perceived Impact of Social Media on College Athletic Programs
This study is being conducted to investigate the perceived impact of social media on collegiate athletic programs. Research has been done on social media, but the impact in collegiate athletics has not been investigated. This knowledge is important because these new media tactics can greatly influence how public relations and marketing efforts are employed. The survey includes four demographic questions, followed by seven questions on a five-point Likert scale.
Why have I been asked to participate in this study?
You have been asked to participate in this study because you are a member of CoSIDA or an individual working in either sports information or athletic media relations that can help provide insight into this research question.
How many people besides me will participate in this study?
At least 59. There will be a minimum of 60 participants in this study.
What will I be asked to do in this study and how much time will it take?
Should you decide to participate in this study, it will 20 minutes to complete. You will be directed to the survey which has been loaded in the Qualtrics system where you can complete a the anonymous survey.
Will I be paid for completing the study?
You will not be paid for your participation.
Will being in this study cost me anything?
There will be no cost to you except your time to complete the survey, which will take no longer than 20 minutes to complete.
Can the researcher take me out of the study?
You may stop participation at any time by exiting the survey.
What are the benefits of me participating in the study?
There are no direct benefits to you for being in this study. However, the information you provide will be used to educate college athletic communicators and researchers to better understand the impact social media has had in collegiate athletics.
What are the risks of being in this study?
There are no risks associated with this study. Your confidentiality will be protected at all times.
What are the benefits to researchers or society?
This study will explore how social media has impacted collegiate athletics. This knowledge will be helpful to college athletic communicators and athletic media relations professionals to develop more effective methods of social media practice to benefit public relations and marketing efforts.
How will my privacy be protected? What will happen to the information the study keeps on me?
Your name will NOT be associated with your answers during any part of the study. Surveys will be identified with ID numbers. These numbers will NOT be your university ID or social security number. The responses you provide will be combined with other participants in this study and be reported together, without using any names or identifiers.
What are the alternatives to participating in this study?
You may choose not to participate in this study with no risk of penalty.
What are my rights as a participant?
Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. You may choose not to take part at all or you can stop at any time during the study. Leaving the study will not result in any penalty. The UNC Pembroke Institutional Review Board (IRB) is the committee that protects the rights of research participants. If you have any questions about your rights, please contact the IRB at (910) 775-4548.
Please contact Caryn Savitz at caryn.savitz@uncp.edu or Dr. Leah Holland Fiorentino at leah.fiorentino@uncp.edu regarding any questions or concerns you have about the study.