CPC and NPHC Sororities: An Official Study on the Differences and Silimarities

[AngelPhiSig]

The survey has a lot of questions that all depend on how the greek life is on certain campuses. I knew all of my sisters pretty well, but we had a small greek community. I have friends who were in large chapters and didnt know ALL of their sisters as well as I knew all of mine - but thats just our campuses, nothing to do with the organization. The questions also dont leave room for MANY reasons why people join a sorority - yes I joined because my friends are in the organization, but there were other reasons that I joined that werent listed in the survey.

Yes I think a member needs to remember where they were founded etc... Its not something hard to remember. Do I think they need to remember the 45 founders of their chapter? No. Its not really THAT important, especially long after graduation. Do you need to know/remember that the president who was there when you were initiated's favorite color is pink? No. But your founding information is important to your organization. I also think that yea, knowing that my sorority was founded in 1913 is important, but also knowing the ideals we were founded on and knowing the reasons why our founders didnt just join one of the many organizations available to them - that is the real reasons for our sorority becoming our sorority. Dates and locations, secondary to the WHYs...

Oh and the survey was geared toward ACTIVE members and not ALUMNAE. You should specify that in your post.

Eh just my two cents, ALSO can you tell Im BORED? Our school system is on spring break.

[sfksfl07]

Originally Posted by AngelPhiSig

The survey has a lot of questions that all depend on how the greek life is on certain campuses. I knew all of my sisters pretty well, but we had a small greek community. I have friends who were in large chapters and didnt know ALL of their sisters as well as I knew all of mine - but thats just our campuses, nothing to do with the organization. The questions also dont leave room for MANY reasons why people join a sorority - yes I joined because my friends are in the organization, but there were other reasons that I joined that werent listed in the survey.

Yes I think a member needs to remember where they were founded etc... Its not something hard to remember. Do I think they need to remember the 45 founders of their chapter? No. Its not really THAT important, especially long after graduation. Do you need to know/remember that the president who was there when you were initiated's favorite color is pink? No. But your founding information is important to your organization. I also think that yea, knowing that my sorority was founded in 1913 is important, but also knowing the ideals we were founded on and knowing the reasons why our founders didnt just join one of the many organizations available to them - that is the real reasons for our sorority becoming our sorority. Dates and locations, secondary to the WHYs...

Oh and the survey was geared toward ACTIVE members and not ALUMNAE. You should specify that in your post.

Eh just my two cents, ALSO can you tell Im BORED? Our school system is on spring break.

Thank you so much for your response AngelPhiSig! Being a Greek myself I am well aware that Greek Life on different campus varies and that is exactly why I am trying to have a large surveying sample.
In response to your comment that my questions leave no room for many reasons why people join sororities: In anthropology we have a certain type of data gathering in which before we administer a survey, we administer a freelist. In a freelist, I take a sample of people (in this case NPHC and NPC sorority members) and I ask them to list as many reasons that they can possibly think of as to why they joined a sorority. I then tally the results and determine the most common choices and I use the most common choices on the survey. I then administer the survey to a far larger sample of sorority members. Unfortunatelty you are unaware of this method. Perhaps because you have never taken an anthropology class (or any research class), or at least not one where you learned anything.

I find it interesting that you seem so hostile at the question on the survey regarding how you feel about members memorizing their sororities foundation. Rememer AngelPhiSig: the purpose of this study is to provide a better understanding between these two particular types of sororities-not to say that one type is better or one has a better way of doing things.

Finally, I noticed that you were quite annoyed that the survey appears to be geared towards active members and not alumni. Unfortunately your assumption was not true and I do need to add an option to the question I believe you are referring to. Furthermore it is evident to me that you have a poor understanding of NPHC sororities because NPHC sorority members who have graduated and are involved in a graduate chapter are called active (as well as alumni/graduate members). NPHC members who graduate and choose not to be active are called alumni or graduate members not active. I am well aware that the terms are different for NPC sororities. It may be beneficial for you to read my final report. You might just learn something .
Thank you for your time and yes-I can tell you are bored.

[ΑΓΔSquirrelGirl]

Originally Posted by sfksfl07

Thank you so much for your response AngelPhiSig! Being a Greek myself I am well aware that Greek Life on different campus varies and that is exactly why I am trying to have a large surveying sample.
In response to your comment that my questions leave no room for many reasons why people join sororities: In anthropology we have a certain type of data gathering in which before we administer a survey, we administer a freelist. In a freelist, I take a sample of people (in this case NPHC and NPC sorority members) and I ask them to list as many reasons that they can possibly think of as to why they joined a sorority. I then tally the results and determine the most common choices and I use the most common choices on the survey. I then administer the survey to a far larger sample of sorority members. Unfortunatelty you are unaware of this method. Perhaps because you have never taken an anthropology class (or any research class), or at least not one where you learned anything.

I find it interesting that you seem so hostile at the question on the survey regarding how you feel about members memorizing their sororities foundation. Rememer AngelPhiSig: the purpose of this study is to provide a better understanding between these two particular types of sororities-not to say that one type is better or one has a better way of doing things.

Finally, I noticed that you were quite annoyed that the survey appears to be geared towards active members and not alumni. Unfortunately your assumption was not true and I do need to add an option to the question I believe you are referring to. Furthermore it is evident to me that you have a poor understanding of NPHC sororities because NPHC sorority members who have graduated and are involved in a graduate chapter are called active (as well as alumni/graduate members). NPHC members who graduate and choose not to be active are called alumni or graduate members not active. I am well aware that the terms are different for NPC sororities. It may be beneficial for you to read my final report. You might just learn something .
Thank you for your time and yes-I can tell you are bored.

The problem was that your options for "why I joined my sorority..." is that most of them were very superficial. There was nothing along the lines of "because they showed true sisterhood", which would have been my answer, and I don't think I'm the only one.

AKA Monet had some great points in her post, I think, that would make a difference in your survey. No matter what classes you have taken that make you think you know more about this than we do, your survey really was hopelessly geared toward the stereotypical, and TRULY understanding Greek life is being open to individuality, actually, and not the stereotypes. But then, maybe that's what you're going for.

Also, for your question regarding founders, two options were much the same, and the first was two harsh. Most would probably feel that they fit in the middle...that sometimes people forget, but that it IS a big deal.

[AKA_Monet]

Okey,

You need to matrix up your survey question regarding reasons for joining with a range of 1-5 strongly disagree to strongly agree.

Then you will get percentage numbers of who will reply to those that did not answer the question.

Then there was a transition in 1990's for all NPHC sororities to an actual above ground pledging period to a "membership intake process". Do you really want questions about underground processes that may be inaccurate for the National organizations.

Are you asking WHAT are the differences and similarities? Or are you asking for PERCEPTIONS of the differences and similarities?

Those are 2 different questions. I think you are looking for the PERCEIVED differences and similarities.

One huge similarity is we are all women first...

Then you need to list the school you are doing this for because has this survey been academically reviewed?

[mccoyred]

I am in the middle of the surevy and I can see what folks are saying. The first question asks whether I am in a sorority. If I wasn't then I would not be taking the survey, right?

I clicked on the NPHC link and it says NPHC at the top of the page but the questions are reminiscent of NPC orgs.

Also, for some questions, you would get better data if you allowed multiple selections.

I put n/a on the sorority history information because I am not sure of the point to this section of the survey....


Your project needs a lot of help. Please listen to the sage advice you have been given.

[AlphaFrog]

I still say messageboards are not for homework, but once I clicked on the link I was blinded by Barbie-pink (stereotype, much?). Please. Make it a more normal color, that way you won't blind people.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I still say messageboards are not for homework, but once I clicked on the link I was blinded by Barbie-pink (stereotype, much?). Please. Make it a more normal color, that way you won't blind people.

Yes, the pink was a little blinding.

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

The survey certainly seems a bit unprofessional. It seems that if it was a sanctioned senior project for some school it would be on the school's server and not a free server with no name or school information listed anywhere. And bright pink???? Are you really wanting to be taken seriously?

AND the NPC consists of INTERnational groups unlike what you say on your website.

[33girl]

The wording of this question makes no sense:

12. How would you feel about a member of your sorority who is not current with your sorority's foundation (i.e. founding date, founding location, founders, etc)?

How can you be "current" with that? Do the founders change? If you mean they don't have those things memorized, then say so.

Oh and by the way, it's alumna/alumnae.

Bad survey, would not take again.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by mccoyred

Your project needs a lot of help. Please listen to the sage advice you have been given.

I wonder if she followed the survey design guidelines that most graduate students conducting survey research learn. You have to have pre-surveys, get feedback, and then design the final instrument.

I also question the validity of some of the survey items. They may not be testing what the researcher intends for them to test.

[Drolefille]

I"m rather amused that the OP asked for advice then turned around and said "I respect my prof enough to only listen to him/her"

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I"m rather amused that the OP asked for advice then turned around and said "I respect my prof enough to only listen to him/her"

So basically GC has been used for another on-line assignment and our opinions are discarded.

What a cheap thrill.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

So basically GC has been used for another on-line assignment and our opinions are discarded.

What a cheap thrill.

Yes.
And I'm sure no stereotypes will be perpetuated by a poorly laid out survey created by a non-Greek student and advised by a non-Greek prof.