Qualitative Example Torres

Parker Roe
Kelsie Cage


1. How does the author introduce their project?

Torres introduces her project by shedding light on the history of the trend to date- how class-based differences are a major component of black students’ discomfort at a particular institution. She draws upon participant observation and interviews and applies cultural capital theory to explain how, “differences in class-specific cultural styles make campus life difficult for non-affluent blacks.” (Torres)

2. How does the author write up their research methods?

Kimberly Torres writes her thesis in which she “apply(s) cultural capital theory to explain how differences in class-specific cultural styles make campus life difficult for non-affluent blacks and discuss the implications of the findings for future research on black college experiences”

Her research was conducted by how “much research indicates that black students have difficulty adjusting to life on predominantly white college campuses (Allen, Epps and Haniff 1991; Feagin, Vera and Imani 1996; Willie 2003).” Torres conducted a survey of both men and women: “Some respondents remarked that the lack of black faculty and professional staff contributed to their feelings of marginality at Northern. According to statistics obtained from Northern’s Minority Affairs Office during the academic year 1998” It was broken up into the year they were in the university, their demographics, type of school they attended, if they lived in urban or suburb areas.

3. How does the author write up their results?

Torres wrote up her research results in the form of a data table. The table includes information such as participants name, type of high school attended, class year, urban vs. suburban, and whether or not they experienced culture shock upon arriving at school.

4. How does the author write up their discussion?

The author’s conclusion paragraph is an adequate discussion of her research findings and what sorts of implications and suggestions they bear. Torres continues to discuss how these trends affect the campus and student life and possible ways by which universities and colleges can fight back and hopefully combat these trends. She also talks about how culture shock scenarios are prevalent within non-affluent white students at small, wealthy, “white” colleges.