Running head: Final Exam & Theme Analysis 1

Final Exam & Theme Analysis

Michelle I. Otero

Louisiana State University

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The interviews focused on graduate and Ph.D. minority students, and their different

experiences on campus. The relationships they have with professors, other students, the campus

climate and how those affected them as minority students. Throughout the interviews, there was

a reoccurring theme of representation how vital it was for there to be representation in the world

of higher education how representation can mean a lot to an individual and the next generation.

Within this one overarching theme of representation, several other smaller categories presented

themselves. Representation in any format is essential, as this means there are others that look like

you in positions you thought you could never see yourself holding. With these interviews, it was

regularly brought up about how for the younger generation to see someone of color getting their

masters or Ph.D. degree can change someone's life.

Minority Professors Present

The majority of the students interviewed had some experience with having at least one

minority professor. Some were lucky enough to have more than one minority professor either in

their masters or Ph.D. program. However, it was a common theme across the board was that

there were not many but with the ones they did have it was a good experience. For example,

Paige states "That is a very interesting question because there are not that many of them. Of my 3

classes that I have this semester I have 2 minority professors. One who is a former international

student and one who is a female of color."

Paige was not the only one to comment on the exact number of minority professors she

has had. Speaking to the fact that again there are not many minority professors, which means

there is less representation for students of color to look up to in the higher education field. They

did comment that the ones they did have were great and that it was great to have that minority

representation. They felt more connected to these professors have they had more in common and

felt supported and that they could have those tough conversations with minority professors as
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opposed to the other professors. Riley stated, “Minority professors have been beyond supportive.

The professors have created a support system for all students even if they do not advise them.

They push us and motivates us. They are also encouraging and flexible. If you have a situation

that is pertinent and presents a conflict in completing assignments, they understand and work

with you to create a reasonable expectation and deadline for assignments.” While students did

not say whether or not this affected them personally or their desire to continue to pursue their

degree, however, the majority did speak to how them acquiring a degree at the higher education

level would have significant implications for the generations after them.

Degree Attainment

Students were asked how they thought their degree attainment would have implications

for other minority students. The most common theme across the board was that if they can do it

so can other minority students. They want to show those from back home that hey, I did it so can

you! The majority saw the importance of having that representation so that the younger

generation can look up and see someone like them, someone of color, someone who came from

the same background as them. That the degree is attainable and there is more out there for them.

Emma stated, “And also, hopefully, I will be able to impact younger minority students at the

undergraduate level when I teach, and so that they can have a face and see diversity in their

program because a lot of times that is a complaint from minority students. They don’t see the

diversity in their program they’re taking. And sometimes that can be, not necessarily fearful, but

you almost feel a little bit detached. You feel sometimes a little bit on an island sometimes when

you don’t have someone you can relate too.” These students all found it to be important to let the

following generations know where you come from and where you start does not define your

story and where you end up.

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Breaking Barriers & Showing Representation

The students also spoke profoundly about breaking down barriers and continuing to

show that representation matters in the world today. How breaking down these barriers now will

only help pave the path for those following them. They could not have gotten to where they are

in their program if it were not for those that came before them and now, they want to do the

same. Paige talks about having a seat at the table and what her goals are and what does that mean

in terms of breaking down the barriers. “So for me, one of my big goals is university president.

So one, there are a lot of women presidents, period. And so thinking about what does that mean

to have a seat at the table.” Terrance stated, “But I know in order to sit at the table, or even to get

through the door, I have to have a PhD first.”

Talking about how they have these big dreams, one becoming a university president and

knowing that as a female it is not very common. Terrance knows that to get to where he wants to

be there are certain things he needs to attain first, as a Ph.D. So, by showing others that these

things are attainable, sitting at the “table” becoming a university president they can give back to

their community and in turn help those achieve their dreams. Few students did not think they

would be breaking down barriers and providing representation. There were those few who did

not want to focus solely on their minority status and have that be a focal point in their degree

attainment and who they are as a person.

Along with breaking down these barriers these students know how important it is to

show representation in their respective fields. But also to show how representation can be

significant in the much larger grand scheme of things. Shawn talks about seeing that

representation and having those role models to look up to and how they are so important because

seeing role models herself gave her the encouragement to grow up and do something. Shawn
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states, “In my childhood, looking up to people that was doing things that were successful, like

that encouraged me to do myself. So seeing role models doing something and now I have the

opportunity to do something as well, I want to be the role model for somebody as well, who

didn’t think that it was possible.”

All of these students understood the vast implications their degree attainment would have

not only on themselves but on others. On those that helped pushed them to go for their undergrad

degree, then masters and finally for some that Ph.D. Urging them to be better, and now they can

do the same. They can continue to show that it is possible, that those barriers will not stay up

forever, and they can be broken.

Stereotypes & Microaggressions

While these students continue to show how great getting these degrees can be, they did

not always have the easiest of times and still deal with the stereotypes and microaggressions

because they are minorities. Quita speaks to both of these issues when she states, “conversation

has come up about as being a woman, well how do you plan to have a full career and a

family...being an issue cause you’re not going to ask a male that so.”

Bringing up the stereotype of being a woman in a full-time position and the idea that

how is she going to handle this along with a family. In a way being shamed for wanting a career

and not necessarily thinking about how to handle a family and a career. But also stereotyping

that just because she is a woman these are things she is going to want. Majority of the students

were able to identify not only one time they’ve experienced a microaggression but several

instances and several times they’ve been stereotyped because of the color of their skin, their

gender or where they come from. However, it is important to point out that a few students did not

have any experiences with microaggressions or stereotypes that they could remember. Mostly
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likely alluding to the fact that they just did not let it bother them enough for it to stay with them a

substantial amount of time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is easy to see how strongly the theme of representation was across the

board for all of those interviewed. Again, making sure that minorities know they can accomplish

their dreams and they can attend these universities and succeed. That while there might not be a

lot of representation, not a lot of minority professors but they are hoping to change that in the

future and be that representation for the next generation. Their end goal is achievable and the

more students that know it is, the more representation there will be in the future for the

generations that follow. Representation is essential to help continue to break down barriers and

prove that minority students can also get the job done, that they can pave the way.
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Final Exam

Ethnographic Design

The ethnographic design is a qualitative study that is designed for writing about groups

of people. Ethnographic design studies these groups in educational capacities, the behaviors get

studied along with beliefs and languages. With it being a qualitative study, it helps in describing,

analyzing and interpreting patterns of a culture. It again focuses on culture and human behavior

and the belief of the group involved in the research. Ethnographic helps the readers understand a

more significant issue and allowing the reader to get the detailed day to day picture of events.

This design was developed and shaped by cultural anthropology and the emphasis on the

issues of writing about cultures. The ethnographic design has explored primitive cultures by

becoming immersed in their societies for long periods of time. There are three types of

ethnographic designs they are realist, case study and critical. Realist is an objective account and

is generally written by the third person point of view. It places the researcher in the role of

providing that final interpretation of the culture they’ve been immersed in. The case study design

provides a detailed description and analysis of the current study based on extensive data

collection. The third design is critical ethnography, where the researchers advocate for certain

groups that are marginalized in our society. And it focuses on issues such as power and authority.

You want to start with an interest in studying a cultural theme, identifying a bounded site and

examining shared patterns for a group. You want to clarify the intent of the study and go through

the proper steps of having your research topic approved. The final research report generally

consists of the researcher being objective or advocative with their findings.

Action Research Design

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The action research is to improve the practice of education by the researchers studying

their problems or issues. The researchers reflect on the problems or issues, and then they collect

and analyze the data, implement changes or provide a plan of action based on their findings.

Action research was developed in the 1930s with the citizen group processes. It went away for a

while and came back in the 1970s with projects in the United Kingdom, the United States, and

Australia. Action research has grown as the importance of action research has helped with

enhancing school renewal, testing new ideas and promoting teacher development.

There are two types of action designs. The first is practical action research. This design

involves educators examining a school situation, where their view is for improving practice. The

second design is critical action research; it emphasizes research that contributes to emancipation

or change in our society. It also has an emphasis on social and community orientation. The

objective is to improve and empower individuals and organizations in educational settings.

Action research is all about creating an action plan to help guide a new plan of action. The plan

is shaped by what the researchers have learned and share it with others in the form of informal

reports to colleagues, school officials, school boards and community members.

To conduct an action research study, the researcher starts with a practical problem they

or someone else faces. They then locate the resources and information that address the problem.

And the data collection can consist of both qualitative and quantitative data. The data is then

analyzed, typically done collaboratively with participants this way they can develop and

implement a plan of action.

Research Question

I believe the topic of undocumented students pursuing higher education can be done by

both ethnographic and action research design. Within ethnographic undocumented students are
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their specific group of people. It would be interesting for a researcher to fully immerse

themselves into this group to better understand the daily struggles of being undocumented and

trying to obtain a college degree. This is a much larger issue besides striving to earn their degree.

Being an undocumented student is a culture of its own, and the ethnographic design could

provide advocacy for this group especially in explaining why this group of students deserve to

get their degrees and ultimately give back to their communities.

The action research design can also do this topic. Because it can help improve the

problems and issues for undocumented students. The critical action research design would best

do it. As that design can help contribute to the emancipation or change in our society, and action

plan can be created to make the setting of higher education and obtaining a college degree easier

and more accessible for undocumented students.

Compare and Contrast

While these two designs have many similarities in the sense that the ethnographic

provides a third-party view and they advocate for the group. The action research while not

necessarily advocating for a group they emphasize contributing to emancipation or change in our

society. Both designs are centered around culture and understanding a much larger issue. The

difference between the two is where the ethnographic researcher fully immerses themselves into

the culture and group they are studying. The action research does not require the researcher to be

amongst the group involved. It just needs them to collect the data either by quantitative or

qualitative data. Again, the result of the ethnographic design is one of being an advocate or

empowering the group. While the action research help to provide a plan of action and how to

implement that plan.

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Analyzing Qualitative Data

To analyze the qualitative data, there are six steps in the process that the researcher

should follow. The researcher does not necessarily need to follow these steps in consecutive

order; however, all the steps should be done. The first step is to prepare and organize all your

data for analysis. Have all your interviews transcribed, have all your other notes organized and

then decided if you want to analyze the data by hand or by a computer to keep things consistent

and all in one place. The second step is to review and code all your data. You want to read

through all your data to gain a better sense of what you have. And then begin the process of

coding the data, coding the data helps to reduce or minimize the text to a description involving a

place, person or event. The next step is to use the codes you’ve come up with to develop a bigger

picture of all the data. Using the codes helps develop descriptions and themes throughout all the

data, the themes can help tell a story. Step four consists of representing all the findings by either

using visuals, such as graphs, figures or diagrams. The results can also be reported through a

narrative like questions or providing commentary on changes or similarities they found. The fifth

step is to dive in then and interpret what all the results mean by looking back on the impact of the

findings. The final step is to validate all the findings and the research. The way to do this is by

member checking and auditing the research, but also having those that participated, outside

reviewers help provide evidence of the accuracy of the all the information in the report.