Ground Transportation Mystery: An examination of the choices Dalhousie University’s undergraduate students make when travelling to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport Group Chico Mendes: Kevin Brown (BSc Environmental Science & HOST) Joanna Burris (BCD Environmental Planning & Sustainability) Alexa Goodman (BSc Marine Biology & Sustainability) Aiyana Graham (BA English, Sustainability & German) Kayleigh Morgan (BSc Biology & Sustainability) With the Guidance of Nathan Ayer and Tarah Wright ENVS 3502 April 11th, 2016
68
Embed
An examination of the choices Dalhousie University’s ... · Executive Summary Our research study was focused on the transportation habits of Dalhousie students when ... responses
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Ground Transportation Mystery:
An examination of the choices Dalhousie University’s undergraduate students make when travelling to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport
2.3 Why the Airport? ................................................................................................................................. 7
2.4 Current Programs in Place .................................................................................................................. 8
2.5 Responsibility for Action ...................................................................................................................... 9
3.0 Research Methods .............................................................................................................................. 10
3.1 Study Area ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Wright, T. S. A. (2006). Giving “teeth” to an environmental policy: a Delphi Study at Dalhousie
University. Journal of Cleaner Production, 14(9-11), 761-768.
doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.12.007
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Nathan Ayer, our TA and mentor, and Tarah Wright, our professor, for your
guidance on our project. Also, thank you to DSUSO for your help in funding this project.
26
Appendix A - Preliminary Questions
Preliminary questions (executed orally):
Are you an undergraduate student at Dal? (If yes, continue to next question)
Did you travel to the airport in the fall semester of 2015? (If yes, continue to survey)
Appendix B - Survey
The following survey was conducted in an interview style:
What is your faculty and program of study? ___________________________________ What mode of transportation did you use to travel to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport during the fall semester of 2015? (Please circle all that apply)
a. Metro Transit (bus)
b. Shuttle Service
c. Limousine Service (eg. Driver Dave’s)
d. Taxi
e. Got a lift from someone
f. Drove and parked vehicle at the airport
g. Other (Please explain) ____________________
Why, in the fall of 2015, did you use the particular mode(s) that you selected above? Please explain for each mode selected. ____________________________________________________________________________
APPLICATION FOR ETHICS REVIEW OF RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN PARTICIPANTS UNDERGRADUATE THESES AND IN NON-THESIS COURSE PROJECTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
27
1. Title of Project: Modes and Motivations of for students’ transportation to the Stanfield International Airport. Table 5: Contact information for the project supervisor and investigators.
Non-thesis Course Project [ X ] Undergraduate [ ] Graduate Specify course and number: ENVS 3502
5. a. Indicate the anticipated commencement date for this project: March 9th, 2016 b. Indicate the anticipated completion date for this project: April 20th, 2016.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED RESEARCH
1. Purpose and Rationale for Proposed Research Briefly describe the purpose (objectives) and rationale of the proposed project and include any hypothesis(es)/research questions to be investigated.
Our project will explore how Dalhousie students commute to the Robert L. Stanfield International
Airport and their motivation for their chosen mode of transportation. This data and the resulting analysis will be forwarded to the DSU Office of Sustainability and to the President of Dalhousie in an attempt to present any outstanding need for transportation and to display the habits and behaviours of Dalhousie
28
student. Additionally, it may inform future educational initiatives or further research regarding the sustainability of students’ transportation to the airport.
2. Methodology/Procedures a. Which of the following procedures will be used? Provide a copy of all materials to be used in this study.. [ ] Survey(s) or questionnaire(s) (mail-back) [ X ] Survey(s) or questionnaire(s) (in person) [ ] Computer-administered task(s) or survey(s)] [ ] Interview(s) (in person) [ ] Interview(s) (by telephone) [ ] Focus group(s) [ ] Audio taping [ ] Videotaping
[ ] Analysis of secondary data (no involvement with human participants) [ ] Unobtrusive observations
b. Provide a brief, sequential description of the procedures to be used in this study. For studies involving multiple procedures or sessions, the use of a flow chart is recommended.
Following the development of the survey and ethics approval, researchers will pair up and sample different parts of Dalhousie campus to distribute the survey. Each location sampled will be one where an equally representative variety of students can be found, such as the Killam library or the Student Union Building. Upon the successful completion of approximately 375 surveys, their results will be gathered and analyzed. Finally, the summary statistics of transportation modes and the qualitative results of the motivation behind mode choice will be assembled and submitted to Tarah Wright, DSUSO, and the President of Dalhousie. 3. Participants Involved in the Study
a. Indicate who will be recruited as potential participants in this study.
Dalhousie Participants: [ X ] Undergraduate students [ ] Graduate students [ ] Faculty and/or staff
[ ] Other (specify) _________________________________________
b. Describe the potential participants in this study including group affiliation, gender, age range and any other special characteristics. If only one gender is to be recruited, provide a justification for this.
29
Any student may participate in the study so long as they are current undergraduate students of Dalhousie University that travelled to the airport in the fall semester of 2015. No other qualities for selection will be employed. c. How many participants are expected to be involved in this study? We intend to gather a sample of 375 student survey responses to adequately fulfill a 95% confidence interval for the Dalhousie undergraduate population. 4. Recruitment Process and Study Location a. From what source(s) will the potential participants be recruited?
[ ] Dalhousie University undergraduate and/or graduate classes [ X ] Other Dalhousie sources (specify): Students will be approached on campus and asked to participate in the survey. [ ] Local School Boards [ ] Halifax Community [ ] Agencies [ ] Businesses, Industries, Professions [ ] Health care settings, nursing homes, correctional facilities, etc. [ ] Other, specify (e.g. mailing lists) ___________________________________________
b. Identify who will recruit potential participants and describe the recruitment process.
Provide a copy of any materials to be used for recruitment (e.g. posters(s), flyers, advertisement(s), letter(s), telephone and other verbal scripts).
All recruitment for the survey will take place in person by the study’s investigators. 5. Compensation of Participants
Will participants receive compensation (financial or otherwise) for participation? Yes [ X ] No [ ] If Yes, provide details:
Each participant who completes the survey will be offered a gratuity chocolate as a token of appreciation for taking the time to assist in the research. 6. Feedback to Participants
Briefly describe the plans for provision of feedback and attach a copy of the feedback letter to
be used. Wherever possible, written feedback should be provided to study participants including a statement of appreciation, details about the purpose and predictions of the study, contact information for the researchers, and the ethics review and clearance statement. Note: When available, a copy of an executive summary of the study outcomes also should be provided to participants.
The study’s participants will be made aware of a means by which to contact the group via information on the survey for access to the final submission, data, and analysis. Please find the attached sample survey in Appendix B.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS FROM THE STUDY
30
1. Identify and describe any known or anticipated direct benefits to the participants from their involvement in the project. By participating in the project, the participants will become aware of alternative modes of transportation by which to reach the Stanfield International Airport. Additionally, upon release of the final report, they will be able see if a more suitable mode of transportation is available to them, as indicated by their motivation.
2. Identify and describe any known or anticipated benefits to society from this study. As a result of the dissemination of the study’s results, Halifax society will become more aware of the trends in transportation modes and the driving motivations behind each. As such, if there a strong motivation for a choice that could be better expressed or executed, Halifax society would be presented with an opportunity to fill the niche.
POTENTIAL RISKS TO PARTICIPANTS FROM THE STUDY
1. For each procedure used in this study, provide a description of any known or anticipated risks/stressors to the participants. Consider physiological, psychological, emotional, social, economic, legal, etc. risks/stressors
[ X ] No known or anticipated risks
Explain why no risks are anticipated: The risks are minimal to study participants, as the only component with which they shall be involved is the survey’s completion. The survey has been pilot tested, and no uncomfortable sentiments have been expressed with its contents, which do not inquire into any personal or sensitive information.
[ ] Minimal risk Description of risks:
[ ] Greater than minimal risk
Description of risks:
2. Describe the procedures or safeguards in place to protect the physical and psychological health of the participants in light of the risks/stresses identified in Question 1.
If at any time during the completion of the survey the participant becomes uncomfortable with contents of the survey, they may unequivocally excuse themselves from the remainder or entirety of the survey. Additionally, investigators will be present to explain or justify the need for any requested information and assist in alieving any concerns brought forth.
1. What process will be used to inform the potential participants about the study details and to obtain their consent for participation?
[ ] Information letter with written consent form; provide a copy [ ] Information letter with verbal consent; provide a copy [ ] Information/cover letter; provide a copy
[ X ] Other (specify) A disclosure at the initiation of the survey, as well as written indication upon the survey itself, will serve to infer the participants willing consent to participate in the survey.
2. If written consent cannot be obtained from the potential participants, provide a justification.
N/A
ANONYMITY OF PARTICIPANTS AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA
1. Explain the procedures to be used to ensure anonymity of participants and confidentiality of data both during the research and in the release of the findings.
No information regarding the identification of the study participants will be collected in the process
of the survey, and there will be no record of their involvement in the final report. Following the report’s submission, the individual surveys will be destroyed by paper shredder and recycled.
2. Describe the procedures for securing written records, questionnaires, video/audio tapes and electronic data, etc.
Each anonymously completed survey will be securely stored in the private residence of an investigator. As mentioned, even in the case of a breach of security, no personal or contact information will be on the surveys to compromise the participant’s safety.
3. Indicate how long the data will be securely stored, the storage location, and the method to be used for final disposition of the data.
[ X ] Paper Records
[ ] Confidential shredding after ______ years [ ] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location [ X ] Data will be retained until completion of specific course. [ ] Audio/Video Recordings [ ] Erasing of audio/video tapes after ______ years [ ] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location [ ] Data will be retained until completion of specific course. [ ] Electronic Data [ ] Erasing of electronic data after ______ years [ ] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location [ ] Data will be retained until completion of specific course. [ ] Other
(Provide details on type, retention period and final disposition, if applicable)
Specify storage location: 6311 Payzant Ave. Halifax, NS.
ATTACHMENTS
Please check below all appendices that are attached as part of your application package: [ ] Recruitment Materials: A copy of any poster(s), flyer(s), advertisement(s), letter(s),
telephone or other verbal script(s) used to recruit/gain access to participants.
32
[ ] Information Letter and Consent Form(s). Used in studies involving interaction with participants (e.g. interviews, testing, etc.)
[ X ] Information/Cover Letter(s). Used in studies involving surveys or questionnaires. [ ] Parent Information Letter and Permission Form for studies involving minors. [ X ] Materials: A copy of all survey(s), questionnaire(s), interview questions, interview
themes/sample questions for open-ended interviews, focus group questions, or any standardized tests used to collect data.
33
Appendix D - Schedules
Figure 7. Gantt Chart of timeline for project completion.
34
Figure 8. Daily schedule for survey distribution.
Appendix E - Budget Breakdown
Table 6. Project budget plan.
Appendix F - Communication Plan
Table 7. Detailed communication plan.
Tool Objective Target Audience
Final
Report
Inform future decisions on student
transportation options in Halifax
Department of Environmental Sciences &
Office of Sustainability
1 page
executive
summary
Knowledge mobilization - inform
key people of valuable information
found in the study
Rochelle Owen (Director of the Office of
Sustainability) and University President
Dr. Richard Florizone
35
Pecha
Kucha
Information sharing Instructor, mentors, and students of
SUST 3502
36
Appendix G – Research Proposal
Ground Transportation Mystery:
Dalhousie University’s Undergraduates’ Ground
Transportation Choices to the Robert L. Stanfield
International Airport.
Group Chico Mendes: Kevin Brown, Joanna Burris, Alexa Goodman, Aiyana
2.3 Why the Airport? .............................................................................................................................. 40
2.4 Current Programs in Place ................................................................................................................ 40
2.5 Responsibility for Action ................................................................................................................... 41
3.0 Research Methods ...................................................................................................................... 42
3.1 Study Area ......................................................................................................................................... 42
Appendix A - Preliminary Questions ................................................................................................. 51
Appendix B - Survey ......................................................................................................................... 52
Appendix C - Ethics Application Form................................................................................................ 26
Appendix D - Schedule ..................................................................................................................... 61
Appendix E - Budget Breakdown....................................................................................................... 62
Appendix F - Communication Plan .................................................................................................... 63
38
1.0 Project Definition
In the 21st century, there has been a global effort to make transportation more sustainable. This
is often done by adapting cities and systems to be more accommodating to active transportation and
low-impact modes of transport (Deakin, 2001). In order to achieve global change on this front,
adjustment is required at every level, even at the micro scale, such as here at Dalhousie University. A
previous study has determined that public transportation is used most often for longer trips and can be
communally shared, while having a lesser impact on the environment (Salonen et al., 2014). Although
for 44% of trips studied, the fastest transportation mode was chosen, and it emits more CO2 emissions
(Salonen et al. 2014). This suggests that there is opportunity for a mode that is fast yet environmentally
friendly. In this study, we would like to determine what the rationale is for students at Dalhousie
University when it comes to selecting transportation modes to the airport. Our study is important
because it is providing the preliminary exploratory research into which modes are most commonly used
by undergraduate students at Dalhousie Universities to get to the Robert L. Stanfield International
Airport, which will help create a foundation for future projects.
According to Dalhousie’s website, 56% of the school’s students come from out of province each
year, with an additional 14% being international students. This means that out of approximately 18,000
students at Dal, several thousand are required to travel to and from the city by airplane (Dalhousie
University, 2016). Although they may not have a choice regarding which major form of transportation to
use, many modes of ground access to the airport exist and are available to students. Since all of the
methods currently available require consumption of fossil fuel and related greenhouse gas emissions,
student travel to the airport could be contributing to a number of environmental problems, such as
depletion of non-renewable resources and contributions to global warming (Barrett & Scott 2003). This
project provide insight on the travelling behaviour of university students’ so that travelling to the airport
does not inherently require environmental degradation.
Our project will be the first to explore and document how Dalhousie students are getting to the
Robert L. Stanfield International Airport and their reasoning for choosing their mode of transportation.
Further studies will be needed to determine which mode is most sustainable in the context of Halifax.
This will provide information to the Office of Sustainability, Department of Environmental Sciences, and
the University President to educate students’ sustainable transportation choices and potentially
influence change in transportation availability and accessibility to students. This research project is
important because it will help to understand student behaviour and the influences on their decisions
regarding transportation. We hope that our research provides opportunities to use the data to educate
students on the impact of their behavior. Additionally, a further study could be conducted to determine
which modes listed in our survey (Appendix B) are the most sustainable choices. This ongoing research
might someday help improve the transportation system in Halifax.
Due to the short timeframe of this research project, which is approximately one month, our
research will focus only on students at Dalhousie’s Studley Campus and only on their travels to the
airport in the fall of 2015. The project will also be exploratory, and thus will include research and
analysis, but with limited discussion of suggestions moving forward and potentialities. Our research will
answer the question: What mode(s) of transportation did Dalhousie undergraduate students on the
39
Studley campus use to get to the Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, and why, in the fall term of
2015?
2.0 Background and Rationale
There is a large number of out-of-province students at Dalhousie University. Available data for
2013 indicates that 56% of Dalhousie students are from out of province and over 115 countries are
represented (McNutt, 2013). These students often go home during the school year for various reasons.
The Halifax Stanfield International Airport is located 40.4 km away from Dalhousie University. Students
have many options to choose from to travel there. Some of these modes include individual cars,
carpooling, bus routes, shuttles, taxis, and independent limousine services. Each of these transport
methods varies in their environmental impacts and emissions. Our study will determine which modes
are most popular and why. When we know what motivates students’ choices, we can use our data to
inform others on how to better tailor transportation initiatives to match students’ desires and needs.
2.1 Modes of Travel
People use many modes of transportation to get around in their day-to-day activities and
commitments. A study by Salonen et al. in 2014 looked at which modes of transportation people used in
Finland most often and for what purpose. They found that using a slower mode of transport usually
produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions. This is important when applied to longer trips as well. The
accessibility of these slower modes, such as biking, busing, and walking, correlates with the frequency
with which they are used. For example, they found that when bus route connections were good, they
were used more often (Salonen et al., 2014). Interestingly, shopping trips generally have higher
emissions because of the many stops required, especially when using a car (Salonen et al., 2014). This
could be avoided if public transport and more sustainable methods were accessible and widespread.
This knowledge can be applied to our study as it provides insight to the motivations for choosing
transportation modes.
2.2 Transportation Emissions
The burning of fossil fuels and related emissions to the atmosphere is of increasing concern, and
the transportation sector is a leading contributor to fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas
emissions. An example of this is that 22% of total CO2 emissions in the UK come from road transport
alone (Barrett & Scott, 2003). This is relevant to our study because it illustrates how significant the
impact from transportation can be. As a university engaged in sustainable development, Dalhousie
University should be able to provide its students with access to cheaper, easier, and greener options
(Beringer et al., 2008). Busses, carpools, and multi-passenger vehicles all range in emissions/per
passenger, and each have their own environmentally sustainable benefits (Barrett & Scott, 2003).
40
2.3 Why the Airport?
While Dalhousie University’s out-of-province student ratio makes our study relevant, the
importance and volume of travel to the airport also contributes to this. A similar study to ours,
conducted as a case study in Columbus, Ohio, maintains that “it is becoming increasingly important to
understand how passengers make their travel choices for their trips to and from the airports, whether
there is a market for alternative modes of transportation, and the effects of ground access
transportation characteristics” (Akar, 2013, p.25). The study followed a similar format as our data
collection process, by surveying their sample population at a given airport in the area, and asking
questions relevant to the mode of transportation used to get there. Air travel is only increasing, with
globalization and world travel becoming easier and more accessible to the masses. As shown in Table 1,
over 87% of passengers at the airport had arrived by automobile (Akar, 2013).
Table 1. The results of the survey conducted by Akar in 2013, in a Columbus, Ohio airport. N represents number of respondents, followed by
the percent that fall into the category.
More people electing to take personal cars leads to greater emissions. Additionally, it is important to
note the travel party size, most passengers travel as a party of only one. This opens up great opportunity
for carpool initiatives or perhaps a shuttle service to engage these people into group transport.
Another case study carried out in Korea confirms the importance of evaluating transportation
mode choice holistically. In particular, they examined whether trip purpose, travel time, and travel cost
varied between airport ground access modes (Choo et al., 2007). In order to understand the choices air
passengers make for their mode of transportation to the airport, their motivations must first be
determined.
2.4 Current Programs in Place
Currently at Dalhousie University, there is no singular mode of airport transportation endorsed
by the institution. As the majority of the student population comes from outside of the province, we will
41
be providing the information to begin the process of filling this gap. Much like the Dalhousie University
Sustainability Survey which studied modes of transportation used to commute to Dalhousie campus, our
goal is to analyze the patterns of student transportation (Habib et al., 2011). Trends found in a recent
transportation survey - a portion of the Dalhousie University Sustainability Survey - found that
commuters increasingly less likely to carpool or walk to the university, as seen in Figure 1 (Habib et al.,
2011).
Figure 1. Changes in modes of transportation taken by students in 2009 vs 2010, as ways of commuting to Dalhousie campus (Habib et al.
2011).
The same study showed that 60% of students felt positively (answered “yes”) about carpooling
as an option. This shows that while students say they are willing, there is an obvious lack of accessibility
or motivation as they do not follow through. We intend to decipher these choices in the context of
ground transportation to the airport through our study.
2.5 Responsibility for Action
Dalhousie University is the largest post-secondary institution in the Atlantic Provinces (Wright,
2006). It has a large, widespread, and renowned collection of academic faculties. In 1990, an
Environmental Policy (EP) was taken on by the university, a precursor to later environmentally astute
initiatives. Nearly a decade later, the university signed the Talloires Declaration University Leaders for a
Sustainable Future (Beringer et al., 2008). This formal commitment initially composed in 1990, was the
first official statement made by university administrators that they would commit their higher education
institutions to environmentally sustainable practices in the future. For Dalhousie, it reiterated many of
the same points constituted in the original EP of 1990 (and later revisions), but also included steps for
action that its former severely lacked (Wright, 2006). It includes ten points in the form of an action plan
to incorporate sustainability not only into college and university curriculums, but also into their
programs and operations. This is only one example of a formally ratified commitment that Dalhousie
42
University has made to progressively become more sustainable. As a consequence of these policies, the
following years have brought about the uprising of many sustainability-driven operations. The university
now boasts many societies - both student and faculty - as well as several curriculums focusing on
matters related to environmental sustenance, and the newly instated “College of Sustainability”. These
all contribute to the long- and short-term execution of environmental sustainability on campus, and act
as potential mediums for us to project our initiatives in the future. Dalhousie University makes for a very
relevant test subject in this study.
Our study is important for Dalhousie University because student transportation to the airport
has not been prioritized before, even though over half of the students are from out of province and will
most likely need to travel by air during their undergraduate scholarly careers.
3.0 Research Methods
To answer our research question (see page _), we created a short pencil-and-paper survey using
a mixed methods approach, with both qualitative and quantitative questions (Appendix B). The survey
has single response, categorical, and open-ended questions to give us a variety of data. Having a variety
of question types helps us to include the specific questions we need answered in order to address our
research question. The open-ended question in the survey will also help with the exploratory research
associated with our study. In order to ensure that the data we collect is relevant to our question, we
created a preliminary survey that will be administered orally to screen potential participants and weed
out those that are not in our target population (see Appendix A).
The survey will be administered by hand on a paper questionnaire using multistage cluster
sampling. By administering the survey by hand we have a chance to interact with the participants and
give a preliminary survey orally to make sure they fit the sampling frame (Appendix A). The survey will
be administered only on the Studley Campus as it is the most likely to fit our sampling frame, thus will
give us the most reliable data. The study is designed to target only the sample population and to help
determine which mode of transportation was most used by Dalhousie undergraduate students on the
Studley campus to get to the Robert L. Stanfield International Airport, and why, in the fall term of 2015.
After collection, the data will be coded using a combination of a priori and grounded a posteriori
coding schemes. The coded data will be inputted into Microsoft Excel and analyzed using descriptive
statistics.
3.1 Study Area
The study area of the research will be limited to the Killam Library Atrium and the Student Union
Building Lobby on the Studley Campus. Although the study is limited to the Studley Campus, it is not
restricted to students from other campuses if they are in the designated area while we administer the
survey. Surveys will be administered exclusively at these locations to narrow the scope of our research,
and to be as inclusive and unbiased to the Dalhousie population as possible. We also believe that the
Studley Campus has the highest number of undergraduate students at Dalhousie University from an
array of faculties.
43
3.2 Proposed Methods
3.2.0 Survey Development
To collect our data, we are going to create a pencil-and-paper questionnaire, as it is called by
Palys and Atchison (2014) in their book Research Decisions: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed
Methods Approaches. There are many reasons why this type of survey is the best fit for our research
project. A pencil-and-paper survey is an easy way to gather data anonymously, since we will not be
asking for identifying information, and it will also allow us to collect a fairly large amount of information
in a short amount of time (Palys & Atchison, 2014). The questionnaires are fairly inexpensive since the
only costs are for paper, printing and pencils. A big advantage to this type of questionnaire is that it can
be conducted in a particular geographic area where members of the sampling frame are likely to be,
compared with an online or mail-in questionnaire (Palys & Atchison, 2014). We are going to distribute
the survey in central locations at Dal where we will come across many people in our sampling frame. An
in-person survey will also work better for us than a mail-in or browser-based survey because we will be
able to answer any questions the respondents might have. Additionally, the pencil-and-paper
questionnaire does not require respondents to be computer-literate, although this is not a big issue in
the university setting (Palys & Atchison, 2014).
Our only method for data collection for this project is a survey posing questions to respondents
that will help us to answer the research question. The creation of the survey is the first step in our data
collection process. The full survey can be found in Appendix B. The survey is short and combines single-
response, categorical and open-ended questions in order to get the best type of answers for each part
of our research question.
In order to find out what type of transportation students used, we will ask a categorical question
which lists all the reasonable ways to get to the airport that we could come up with. Using categorical
response items will allow us to analyze the data easily, since there will be a limited number of
categories, and it makes sense since there are only a limited number of plausible ways to get to the
airport. We will provide an exhaustive list of modes and also include an “Other” option in case someone
used an unanticipated travel mode. Our response items will not be mutually exclusive, however,
because it is possible that someone traveled to the airport more than once and used a different mode
each time; therefore it is a multiple-response item categorical question (Palys & Atchison, 2014).
We are going to use an open-ended question to determine the reasoning behind respondents’
choices of transportation. We are interested in hearing exactly what our respondents’ thoughts were
without being influenced by options to choose from. Palys and Atchison (2014) state that open-ended
questions are “minimally affected by external influence or by suggestion emerging from the structure of
the research instrument itself” (pp.164-165), so we believe that an open-ended question is the best way
to limit influence from our survey technique. Our study is based on an exploratory research question
and an open-ended survey question allows us to receive answers from respondents that we might not
have considered (Palys & Atchison, 2014). It is important to us that we find out the real reason that
motivated students to choose a particular mode. Using a categorical question, for example, might have
influenced respondents to change their answer based on the options we predicted and provided. We
are only including one open-ended question so that respondents will be likely to complete the survey
44
(Palys & Atchison, 2014). We also only require one open-ended question to answer our research
question.
At the start of the survey we will also include two single-response item questions in order to get
a bit of background information on our respondents. This will help us to identify trends in the data
during our analysis process. We chose this type of question because we are asking specific questions
such as “What program are you in?” and “Do you live on campus?”. Palys and Atchison (2014) describe
that single-response questions are a good option for supplying specific information. Although Palys and
Atchison (2014) also state that respondents can be reluctant to provide personal information in the
form of a number or one-word response, our single-response questions do not require very personal
answers. We believe that most respondents will be willing to reveal their program and whether or not
they live on campus.
3.2.1 Sample population
Our sample population consists of all undergraduate students present on Dalhousie’s Studley
Campus who traveled to the airport during the fall of 2015. In 2013 there were 14,650 undergraduate
students at Dal, with 70% being from outside of Nova Scotia (McNutt, 2013). This means the total
sampling population is roughly 10,255 students. This estimation assumes that all students travelling
from out of province travel by air. There is no way for us to identify all of these students because we
only have an estimation, so we will not be using a sampling frame. As a result, we will be using
multistage cluster sampling to survey these students. Due to the large sample population, we are
required to use a probabilistic sampling technique.
In order to determine an appropriate sample size for our research, we will use the number
10,255 as our total sample population, which assumes that all students living outside Nova Scotia travel
by air (see Delimitations for further information, p.14). We took this total sample population and
plugged in into a sample size calculator on the website SurveyMonkey (2016), which calculates the ideal
sample size using standard deviation. It provided us with a sample size of 371, considering our data has
confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5% (SurveyMonkey, 2016). We also double checked this
value on several other sample size calculating sites, which gave us the same result. Therefore during our
survey process, we will attempt to survey 375 eligible respondents. This number gives us a bit of room in
case a couple surveys are not answered correctly or respectfully.
3.2.2 Data Collection Process
Our sample population consists of undergraduate students present on Dalhousie’s Studley
Campus who traveled to the airport during the fall of 2015. In order to locate an assortment of students
in different programs and living on and off campus, we decided to distribute our surveys at the Killam
Library and Student Union Building at Dalhousie, since they are locations that many students frequent
daily and they are not associated with a particular faculty. Both buildings also sell food and are therefore
likely to attract numerous students throughout the day.
We will print the survey, two per piece of legal sized paper which we will cut in half using a
paper cutter from Campus Copy. Other materials we will require are multiple pencils (in case they get
45
lost or dull) and two clipboards per pair of researchers. We will also purchase inexpensive chocolates to
give to respondents that complete the survey as an incentive.
Before beginning the actual survey process, we will pilot the survey on 10 respondents who are
outside of the sample frame. This will tell us whether the survey is easily understandable and whether
respondents provide useful responses based on our questions.
The actual survey will be conducted over the course of one week, during multiple times of day.
The times and durations of our data collection sessions will be dictated by our class schedules, and
therefore will differ each day. Replicating this survey will likely require the use of different data
collection times from those that we use, but we do not believe that changing the times of day will affect
the data. Our main goal for distributing our surveying times is to be present at each of the data
collection locations (Killam and SUB) for most of the times between 9:00am and 4:00pm, spread over
the course of one week. We will aim to distribute 75 surveys per day; each day once we have achieved
that goal we were terminate the data collection process for the day.
Researchers will pair up to distribute surveys. There will always be two researchers at a location
when we are distributing surveys, although both may approach potential respondents individually in
order to be as efficient as possible. Therefore, there may be up to two respondents completing the
survey at a time per location. When approaching students, researchers will greet them, state their name
and that they are in a research methods class conducting a survey on student transportation.
Researchers will then ask the student if they are willing to complete the survey. If students seem
reluctant, we can also let them know that they will receive chocolate if they complete the survey. If
students say yes, the researcher will explain that there are a couple of preliminary questions and will ask
the questions from Appendix A. These questions will identify whether the student is part of the sample
population, meaning that they are an undergraduate student at Dal who traveled to the airport in the
fall semester of 2015. If they are not eligible to complete the survey, we will thank them anyway and
give them a piece of chocolate for their time. It is important to explain to the ineligible respondents that
we are only surveying undergraduate Dal students that traveled to the airport so that they understand
why they are not being considered.
When a researcher has identified an eligible respondent, one who fits into the sample
population, they will proceed with the written survey. Researchers will hand the respondent one survey
on a clipboard and a pencil, and will tell the respondent to ask if they need clarification on any of the
questions. When the respondent has completed the survey, the researcher will give the respondent a
piece of chocolate (if they want it) and will thank them for their time.
At the end of a data collection session, researchers will compile all the surveys they collected
during that time, paperclip them together and write the date and approximate time when the surveys
were completed. This will allow the researchers to keep an accurate record of how many were collected
during each time of day in order to try to balance the completion of surveys throughout the day. If we
cannot collect 75 surveys during the time that researchers are available that day, the additional surveys
will be pushed to the next day, and so on. All surveys will be counted at the end of each day, by
researchers from both locations, in order to know how many more need to be distributed. At the end of
the week, all surveys will be compiled and counted. If researchers were unable to find 371 eligible and
46
willing respondents, they may continue distributing surveys the next week if time permits. At the very
end of the data collection process, the data will be compiled and analyzed, as per the Methods of Data
Analysis section (p. 11).
3.2.3 Methods of Data Analysis
There will be both quantitative and qualitative data to analyze from our surveys, so we will use a
mixed methods approach. The quantitative data collected will indicate how many students use each
type of transportation mode, while the qualitative data will pertain to students’ motivations in choosing
that mode (Appendix B). The biggest part of our data analysis will be the coding of our data, after which
point the coded data will be inputted into an Excel spreadsheet. We will then use descriptive statistics
and diagrams to interpret and display our data.
The first step we will take to analyze the survey data is to go through the surveys one at a time
and code the answers to our qualitative question: “Why, in the fall of 2015, did you use the particular
mode(s) that you selected above? Please explain.” We are going to do this question first because it will
take the most time to code. To do this we are going use a grounded a posteriori context-sensitive
scheme. This coding scheme makes the most sense because we are doing an exploratory research
project and grounded a posteriori coding will allow us to develop codes based on the data provided by
respondents (personal communication, T. Wright, 1 March 2016). It would not make sense for us to use
exploratory research and then try to predict which codes we should use to describe the data. Also, since
we did not find relevant literature on a study similar to ours, we will not be comparing to previous
literature and therefore are not required to use a priori coding.
In order to be efficient, and so that one person does not have to code 375 surveys, two people
are going to code the data. To begin, they are going to split the pile of surveys in two, and each flip
through one of the piles of surveys and jot down code ideas that they have for the data, based on a first
glance at it. The two group members will then confer with one another and decide which codes fit best
with the data they briefly observed. The researchers will then go through and code the data, adding
categories as necessary and comparing results to ensure consistency among the codes. When the coding
is complete, the researchers will switch piles and code the surveys again, making changes and adding or
removing codes as necessary and consulting one another the whole time. Finally, one of the two
researchers will go through the entire pile of surveys to make sure the coding is consistent. If it is not,
the two researchers will discuss the inconsistency and decide how to adjust the coding. If necessary,
they will go through the pile again.
The next step of data analysis we will take will be to code the first three questions on the survey
(see Appendix B). For the first question, we will use a combination of a priori context specific coding and
grounded a posteriori coding. We will create a list of the programs that we think are most common,
such as Bachelor of Arts, science, and commerce, and give each one a number code. We will then add
more codes depending on which additional programs the respondents are in. This coding will be done in
pairs but will be more straightforward than the final question. The only thing that we will have to be
aware of is the level of detail that respondents indicate about their program and whether programs like
biology and science, for example, would fit into separate codes or the same code. After the first round
47
of coding, the pair of researchers will go back through the surveys to see if the coding makes sense of if
they want to make any changes the second time.
For the second question, which asks respondents whether or not they live on campus, we will
simply assign the value 0 to “NO” and 1 to “YES”. This process will be straightforward coding and can be
done by as many group members are available to do it. After completion, the surveys should be
reviewed again to make sure numbers were assigned correctly.
The next question on the survey asks respondents what mode of transportation they used. Since
this is a categorical-response item, we have a pre-determined list of possible responses; therefore we
will use a priori content-specific coding. We will assign numbers to each mode that we have listed on the
survey. Because we have also included the option for respondents to select “Other” and explain, we will
use grounded a posteriori coding in order to code the additional answers that respondents supply.
Once we have coded all the survey data, we will assign a number to each survey. To do this, we
will simply put the surveys in a stack and number them from the top to the bottom. We will then input
the data into an excel spreadsheet. Table 3 shows what the spreadsheet will look like, with respondents’
numbers going all the way to 375. We will also create a key so that we know what each code represents.
Table 3. Excel Spreadsheet for Data Entry
Once the data is in the spreadsheet, we will use descriptive statistics to analyze it. The two
columns with the data that will help us to answer the research question are the Mode of Transport
column and the Motivation column, which has the codes for respondents’ answers to the why did you
choose that mode question. We will use the MODE function in excel in order to determine which mode
of transportation is used most often. Since our data is nominal, or categorical, the best central tendency
of distribution for our data is the mode (Palys & Atchison, 2014). Using Excel, we will also tabulate how
48
many respondents reported using each type of mode of transportation and create a pie chart with the
data.
In order to determine why the respondents made the choices they did, we will also analyze our
data on their reasoning. The first thing we will do is calculate the mode for the Motivation column. This
will tell us what reasons motivated the most people. We will also calculate, in Excel, how many of each
answer came up. Using this data, we will create a word cloud that shows the frequency of use of each
reason. We believe this will make a strong visual demonstration of how the undergraduate students
make their choices for transportation to the airport.
For more technical analysis, we will take each transportation mode and create a list of the
reasoning respondents used when choosing that mode, starting with the most frequent. We will do this
using formulae in Excel and will repeat the process with each mode of transportation. We will then
display this data using a clustered column diagram, with the number of respondents on one axis and
each mode with its reasonings on the other (the clusters will be according the mode of transportation
and the individual columns will be colour-coded to match a motivation).
As we look at and interpret the data from the charts and diagrams, we will look to see how the
program and location of residence of the respondent affected their decision. We will look for trends to
see, for example, if students off campus tend to make different decisions than students on campus.
3.3 Limitations
The limitations that are associated with our study are mainly due to the sample and time
constraints. As our sample population is only an estimate the data may not be as accurate, compared to
having a set sample frame with true random sampling. The time constraint is also an important factor
because certain people may not be on campus during the times we administered the survey during that
week. We tried to accommodate for this constraint as well as possible by choosing to administer the
survey at random times during the week we gather the data. By administering the survey in person it
may influence people to avoid us, as a mean of avoiding being approached and asked to take the survey.
As well, by having the participants fill out the survey themselves, the data may be falsified if a
participant were to lie. For example, this would include submitting answers based on the fact that it is
for a sustainability class.
3.4 Delimitations
The first delimitation to the study is the sample size that we chose. We used data from 2013 to
determine a rough estimate of the total population of undergraduate students that are from out of
province (McNutt, 2013). By using old data, the sample population may not be as large, or as small as it
should be. We also assumed that students from outside of Nova Scotia use air travel to return home, but
students from nearby provinces, such as New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, may not. We used
data from 2013 because it was provided on Dalhousie’s main website and would provide the most
reliable population estimate. We chose to limit the study to undergraduate students as there would be
49
more information, and they represent a larger proportion of the Dalhousie student population. As well,
they are also less likely to permanently reside in Halifax.
The methodology also has some delimitations, including the location and the survey itself. We
chose to limit the survey to the Studley campus because it is most feasible and fit the limited time frame
of the class to execute the study. We also limited the administration of the survey to the two locations,
the Killam Library and the Student Union Building, as means of feasibility. The locations were also
chosen based on of how inclusive they are to the majority of the Dalhousie undergraduate student
population. By administering the survey in person, it limits how respondents will be approached and
asked to complete it. Many people will likely avoid us as a way to avoid taking the survey. As well, by
having it only on paper and in person it will limit who is included in the study.
4.0 Ethics
See Appendix C for our ethics application.
5.0 Schedule
See Appendix D for our schedule.
6.0 Budget
For the administration of the survey and its dissemination, only two components are required,
the most significant being the costs associated with the production of the survey forms that participants
will be asked to complete. It has been determined that the most economic way of manufacturing the
surveys is to print two surveys on one side of legal sized printing paper, which will then be cut in half.
Only one side of the paper will be utilized to prevent the influence of others’ answers. At a cost of $0.12
per page, with two surveys per page at a quantity of 188 pages required, the cost of printing totals to
$22.56. Additionally, a further $10.00 is being allocated to the purchase of small chocolates as a thanks
to participants for completing the survey, bringing the grand total of the budget to $32.56. A detailed
breakdown of quantities can be found in Appendix E. We have applied for a grant for $15.00 from the
Dalhousie Student Union Office of Sustainability to assist in offsetting the cost of executing the survey.
All other costs, unforeseen and otherwise, will be absorbed by the study team.
7.0 Deliverables and Communication Plan
The deliverables for this research project will be presented digitally to Dalhousie’s Department
of Environmental Sciences website, as well as the Pecha Kucha presentation to our peers and advisors.
The Pecha Kucha will take place at the campus pub, the Grawood, on Tuesday, April 5th, 2016, and will
be a quick 20 slide PowerPoint presentation with an oral presentation to accompany it. The aim of the
Pecha Kucha is to explain our project and present our findings to our peers, including our instructors and
Dalhousie’s president, Dr. Richard Florizone, should he decide to attend. The final report for our project
will be submitted online to BbLearn on Monday April 11th, 2016 to present our findings. This formal
50
report will build off of the proposal and will include an executive summary, literature review, detailed
methods, results, a discussion, and conclusion section. As well, we will provide a one page executive
summary to Rochelle Owen, the Director of the Office of Sustainabilty and Dr. Richard Florizone, the
University President as a mean of information mobilization.
Our outlined communication plan which identifies our objectives, tools used and target
audience can be found in Appendix F.
51
References
Akar, G. (2013). Ground access to airports, case study: Port Columbus international airport. Journal of Air Transport Management, 30, 25–31. doi:10.1016/j.jairtraman.2013.04.002
Barrett, J., & Scott, A. (2003). The Application of the Ecological Footprint: A case of passenger transport in Merseyside. Local Environment, 8(2), 167-183. doi:10.1080/1354983032000048488
Beringer, A., Wright, T., & Malone, L. (2008). Sustainability in higher education in Atlantic Canada. Int J of Sus in Higher Ed, 9(1), 48-67. doi:10.1108/14676370810842184
Choo, S., You, S., & Lee, H. (2013). Exploring characteristics of airport access mode choice: a case study of Korea. Transportation Planning and Technology, 36(4), 335-351. doi:10.1080/03081060.2013.798484
Dalhousie University. (2016). Dal at a glance - about - Dalhousie University. Retrieved from
http://www.dal.ca/about-dal/dal-at-a-glance.html
Deakin, E. (2001). Sustainable development and sustainable transportation: Strategies for economic
prosperity, environmental quality, and equity. Institute of Urban & Regional Development. UC
Berkeley: Institute of Urban and Regional Development. Retrieved from:
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/0m1047xc
Habib, M. A., Leckovic, K. D., & Richardson, D. (2011). Travel Behaviour Study of Commuters: Results from the 2010 Dalhousie University Sustainability Survey. Retrieved from: https://www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/sustainability/Transportation/CommuterSurveyReport2010_DalTRAC_RevisedAugust2012.pdf
McNutt, R. (2013, October 31). 18,500 and counting - Dal News - Dalhousie University. Retrieved from http://www.dal.ca/news/2013/10/31/18-500-and-counting.html
Palys, T. & Atchison, C. (2014). Research decisions: Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods approaches. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd.
Salonen, M., Broberg, A., Kyttä, M., & Toivonen, T. (2014). Do suburban residents prefer the fastest or low-carbon travel modes? Combining public participation GIS and multimodal travel time analysis for daily mobility research. Applied Geography, 53, 438-448. doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2014.06.028
SurveyMonkey. (2016). Sample Size Calculator. Retrieved from
Wright, T. S. (2006). Giving “teeth” to an environmental policy: a Delphi Study at Dalhousie University.
Journal of Cleaner Production, 14(9-11), 761-768. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.12.007
Appendix A - Preliminary Questions
Preliminary questions (executed orally):
52
Are you a Dal student? (If yes, continue to next question)
Are you an undergraduate student? (If yes, continue to next question)
Did you travel to the airport in the fall semester of 2015? (If yes, continue to survey)
Appendix B - Survey
We are a group of 3rd year students in a research methods class. By completing and returning this survey, you are giving us consent to use the data you provide for our research project on student transportation. Your identity will be kept confidential and will not be associated in any way with your data past the point when you hand us your piece of paper.
What is your program of study? ___________________________________
Do you live on campus? (Please circle one) YES / NO
What mode of transportation did you use to travel to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport during the fall semester of 2015? (Please circle all that apply)
a. Metro Transit (bus)
b. Shuttle Service
c. Limousine Service (eg. Driver Dave’s)
d. Taxi
e. Got a lift from someone
f. Drove and parked vehicle at the airport
g. Other (Please explain) ____________________
Why, in the fall of 2015, did you use the particular mode(s) that you selected above?
Non-thesis Course Project [ X ] Undergraduate [ ] Graduate
Specify course and number: ENVS 3502
5. a. Indicate the anticipated commencement date for this project: March 9th, 2016
b. Indicate the anticipated completion date for this project: April 20th, 2016.
SUMMARY OF PROPOSED RESEARCH
1. Purpose and Rationale for Proposed Research
Briefly describe the purpose (objectives) and rationale of the proposed project and include any hypothesis(es)/research questions to be investigated.
Our project will explore how Dalhousie students commute to the Robert L. Stanfield International Airport and their motivation for their chosen mode of transportation. This data and the resulting analysis will be forwarded to the DSU Office of Sustainability and to the President of Dalhousie in an attempt to present any outstanding need for transportation and to display the habits and behaviours of Dalhousie student. Additionally, it may inform future educational initiatives or further research regarding the sustainability of students’ transportation to the airport.
2. Methodology/Procedures
a. Which of the following procedures will be used? Provide a copy of all materials to be used in
55
this study..
[ ] Survey(s) or questionnaire(s) (mail-back)
[ X ] Survey(s) or questionnaire(s) (in person)
[ ] Computer-administered task(s) or survey(s)]
[ ] Interview(s) (in person)
[ ] Interview(s) (by telephone)
[ ] Focus group(s)
[ ] Audio taping
[ ] Videotaping
[ ] Analysis of secondary data (no involvement with human participants)
b. Provide a brief, sequential description of the procedures to be used in this study. For studies involving multiple procedures or sessions, the use of a flow chart is recommended.
Following the development of the survey and ethics approval, researchers will pair up and sample different parts of Dalhousie campus to distribute the survey. Each location sampled will be one where an equally representative variety of students can be found, such as the Killam library or the Student Union Building. Upon the successful completion of approximately 375 surveys, their results will be gathered and analyzed. Finally, the summary statistics of transportation modes and the qualitative results of the motivation behind mode choice will be assembled and submitted to Tarah Wright, DSUSO, and the President of Dalhousie.
3. Participants Involved in the Study
a. Indicate who will be recruited as potential participants in this study.
Dalhousie Participants: [ X ] Undergraduate students
[ ] Other (specify) _________________________________________
b. Describe the potential participants in this study including group affiliation, gender, age range and any other special characteristics. If only one gender is to be recruited, provide a justification for this.
Any student may participate in the study so long as they are current undergraduate students of Dalhousie University that travelled to the airport in the fall semester of 2015. No other qualities for selection will be employed.
c. How many participants are expected to be involved in this study?
We intend to gather a sample of 375 student survey responses to adequately fulfill a 95% confidence interval for the Dalhousie undergraduate population.
4. Recruitment Process and Study Location
a. From what source(s) will the potential participants be recruited?
[ ] Dalhousie University undergraduate and/or graduate classes
[ X ] Other Dalhousie sources (specify):
Students will be approached on campus and asked to participate in the survey.
[ ] Local School Boards
[ ] Halifax Community
[ ] Agencies
[ ] Businesses, Industries, Professions
[ ] Health care settings, nursing homes, correctional facilities, etc.
b. Identify who will recruit potential participants and describe the recruitment process.
57
Provide a copy of any materials to be used for recruitment (e.g. posters(s), flyers, advertisement(s), letter(s), telephone and other verbal scripts).
All recruitment for the survey will take place in person by the study’s investigators.
5. Compensation of Participants
Will participants receive compensation (financial or otherwise) for participation? Yes [ X ] No [ ]
If Yes, provide details:
Each participant who completes the survey will be offered a gratuity chocolate as a token of appreciation for taking the time to assist in the research.
6. Feedback to Participants
Briefly describe the plans for provision of feedback and attach a copy of the feedback letter to be used. Wherever possible, written feedback should be provided to study participants including a statement of appreciation, details about the purpose and predictions of the study, contact information for the researchers, and the ethics review and clearance statement.
Note: When available, a copy of an executive summary of the study outcomes also should be provided to participants.
The study’s participants will be made aware of a means by which to contact the group via information on the survey for access to the final submission, data, and analysis. Please find the attached sample survey in Appendix B.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS FROM THE STUDY
1. Identify and describe any known or anticipated direct benefits to the participants from their involvement in the project.
58
By participating in the project, the participants will become aware of alternative modes of transportation by which to reach the Stanfield International Airport. Additionally, upon release of the final report, they will be able see if a more suitable mode of transportation is available to them, as indicated by their motivation.
2. Identify and describe any known or anticipated benefits to society from this study.
As a result of the dissemination of the study’s results, Halifax society will become more aware of the trends in transportation modes and the driving motivations behind each. As such, if there a strong motivation for a choice that could be better expressed or executed, Halifax society would be presented with an opportunity to fill the niche.
POTENTIAL RISKS TO PARTICIPANTS FROM THE STUDY
1. For each procedure used in this study, provide a description of any known or anticipated risks/stressors to the participants. Consider physiological, psychological, emotional, social, economic, legal, etc. risks/stressors
[ X ] No known or anticipated risks
Explain why no risks are anticipated: The risks are minimal to study participants, as the only component with which they shall be involved is the survey’s completion. The survey has been pilot tested, and no uncomfortable sentiments have been expressed with its contents, which do not inquire into any personal or sensitive information.
[ ] Minimal risk
Description of risks:
[ ] Greater than minimal risk
Description of risks:
2. Describe the procedures or safeguards in place to protect the physical and psychological health of the participants in light of the risks/stresses identified in Question 1.
If at any time during the completion of the survey the participant becomes uncomfortable with contents of the survey, they may unequivocally excuse themselves from the remainder or entirety of the survey. Additionally, investigators will be present to explain or justify the need for any requested information and assist in alieving any concerns brought forth.
1. What process will be used to inform the potential participants about the study details and to obtain their consent for participation?
[ ] Information letter with written consent form; provide a copy
[ ] Information letter with verbal consent; provide a copy
[ ] Information/cover letter; provide a copy
[ X ] Other (specify) A disclosure at the initiation of the survey, as well as written indication upon the survey itself, will serve to infer the participants willing consent to participate in the survey.
2. If written consent cannot be obtained from the potential participants, provide a justification.
N/A
ANONYMITY OF PARTICIPANTS AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF DATA
1. Explain the procedures to be used to ensure anonymity of participants and confidentiality of data both during the research and in the release of the findings.
No information regarding the identification of the study participants will be collected in the process of the survey, and there will be no record of their involvement in the final report. Following the report’s submission, the individual surveys will be destroyed by paper shredder and recycled.
2. Describe the procedures for securing written records, questionnaires, video/audio tapes and electronic data, etc.
Each anonymously completed survey will be securely stored in the private residence of an investigator. As mentioned, even in the case of a breach of security, no personal or contact information will be on the surveys to compromise the participant’s safety.
3. Indicate how long the data will be securely stored, the storage location, and the method to be used for final disposition of the data.
[ X ] Paper Records
[ ] Confidential shredding after ______ years
[ ] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location
[ X ] Data will be retained until completion of specific course.
[ ] Audio/Video Recordings
[ ] Erasing of audio/video tapes after ______ years [ ] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location
[ ] Data will be retained until completion of specific course.
[ ] Electronic Data
[ ] Erasing of electronic data after ______ years [ ] Data will be retained indefinitely in a secure location [ ] Data will be retained until completion of specific course.
[ ] Other ______________________________________________________________________
(Provide details on type, retention period and final disposition, if applicable)
Specify storage location: 6311 Payzant Ave. Halifax, NS.
ATTACHMENTS
Please check below all appendices that are attached as part of your application package:
[ ] Recruitment Materials: A copy of any poster(s), flyer(s), advertisement(s), letter(s), telephone or other verbal script(s) used to recruit/gain access to participants.
[ ] Information Letter and Consent Form(s). Used in studies involving interaction with participants (e.g. interviews, testing, etc.)
[ X ] Information/Cover Letter(s). Used in studies involving surveys or questionnaires.
[ ] Parent Information Letter and Permission Form for studies involving minors.
[ X ] Materials: A copy of all survey(s), questionnaire(s), interview questions, interview themes/sample questions for open-ended interviews, focus group questions, or any standardized tests used to collect data.
61
Appendix D - Schedule
62
Figure 2. Gantt Chart of timeline for project completion.
Appendix E - Budget Breakdown
Table 5. Project budget plan.
63
Appendix F - Communication Plan
Table 6. Detailed communication plan.
Tool Objective Target Audience
Final Report Inform future decisions on student transportation options in Halifax
Department of Environmental Sciences & Office of Sustainability
1 page summary Knowledge mobilization - inform key people of valuable information found in the study
Rochelle Owen (Director of the Office of Sustainability) and University President Dr. Richard Florizone
Pecha Kucha Information sharing Instructor, mentors, and students of SUST 3502
64
Appendix H - Data Code Equivalences for Survey Question
#3
Table 8: Criteria and explanation of how written responses gathered in the survey’s open ended question three were analyzed and coded for.
Question 3:
Why, in the fall of 2015, did you use the particular mode(s) that you selected above?
Code Motivation Explanation of Code
1 Sustainable Participant made mention of environmental, ecological, sustainable,
etc., motivation
2 Cheap Participant expressed the mode was inexpensive, low cost, etc. Used
terms like “cheap”, “cheaper”, “cost efficient” etc.
3 Free Participant expressed that the mode was free.
4 Fast Participant chose because the mode was fast, could get them to the
destination quickly.
5 Convenient Participant expressed that it was easy to use, easy to book,
opportune, favorable, etc.
6 Lack of Knowledge Participant did not know of a better alternative, only knew about the
option they took or had otherwise limited knowledge about other
modes.
7 Recommendation Participant selected the mode because it was recommended by
another person.
8 Habit Participant selected the mode out of personal habit. Used reasoning
such as “I always take the bus”.
9 Reliability Participant selected the mode because of previous service being
reliable (on-time), knew it would get them there when they needed to
be there, etc.
10 Availability Participant could only access the mode because it was the only one
available. For example, had to go to airport at 3am and couldn’t take
bus so had to take cab.
11 Comfort The mode was selected because it was comfortable.
12 Safety The mode was selected because it was perceived as safe by the
respondent.
65
Appendix I - Summary of Raw Data
Table 9: Summary table of raw data pertaining to survey question one on participant’s faculty with the adjoining codes.
13 Last minute The participant was in a situation with little time due to lack of
planning ahead (or other) and chose the mode because it could be
organized at the last minute.
14 Luggage Constraints The participant needed additional space for luggage that the mode
allowed for.
16 Family/Social The participant chose the mode because of their desire to travel in a
group or with family/friends. For example, wanting to take the bus
because several friends could easily accompany.
17 Lack of thought The participant did not express that they put any thought into their
decision.
18 Efficient The participant used the word efficient. It is unclear to us whether
they referred specifically to cost, fuel, time, etc.
19 Not in a rush The participant had time to spare which allowed for longer travel time.
20 Independence The mode was selected because it allowed for the participant’s
independence when travelling (did not need to depend on additional
factors/people).
21 Did not want to park
at airport
The participant did not want to park their vehicle at the airport.
66
Table 10: Summary table of raw data pertaining to survey question two on participants’ mode of transport with adjoining codes.
Table 11: Summary table of raw data pertaining to survey question three on participants’ motivations for choice of transport with adjoining codes. Note: Code #15 was excluded due to no returns. *DWTP: Acronym for ‘Did not want to park at airport’.
67
Table 12. Motivations provided by students who used Metro Transit.
Table 13. Motivations provided by students who used Driver Dave’s.
68
Table 14. Motivations provided by students who got a lift from someone.