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ESLG 0550: Research and Writing
Final Research Paper -Draft due Mon, July 30 @ 11:59pm, Final due Mon, Aug 6@11:59pm
*No feedback will be given to late drafts, and points will be deducted for late final papers*
• Compose a research paper on your topic, drawing on the Research Logs and additional
pieces of evidence. Please bear in mind that the final paper is not a simple assembly of
the previous Research Logs.
• Research Paper should include the following: Front Page, Abstract, Introduction,
appropriate subheadings, Conclusion, Reference list, Appendices.
• Recommended length is 8-10 pages, including the Abstract page and References.
Category
Benchmark
Milestone
Capstone
(major errors and
inconsistences)
(1)
(guidelines are
followed in general;
few errors)
(2)
(requirements are generally
met; occasional errors;
rigor is evident)
(3)
The paper is contextualized in the
literature
▪ At least 5 references
▪ Relevant literature
▪ Paraphrasing/summary
▪ Integral/non-integral
citations
▪ Direct quotations
▪ Variety of signal
phrases/reporting verbs
▪ Framing/ “sandwiching”
▪ APA conventions
(2)
(4)
(6)
Information organization & depth
(2)
(4)
(6)
(2)
(4)
(6)
APA format and the accuracy of the
reference page
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
▪
All evidence is directly
relevant to the research
questions
Points are well developed
Original ideas are presented
Each section has a clear
central theme
Deeper analysis of the
information is provided
The writer demonstrates
critical thinking skills
Evidence from the literature
and fieldwork is aligned
Integration of empirical evidence
▪
▪
Collected empirical
evidence is interwoven in the
text and linked to the
research objectives
Data from at least 1
interviews and/or a
▪
questionnaire (from at least
10 participants) are
integrated properly
Appropriate use of the
interviews verbatim and
summaries ; numerical
information, and/ or graphics
Abstract
(1)
(2)
(3)
Introduction
▪ Background; importance of
the issue
▪ Thesis statement/research
questions
(1)
(2)
(3)
Conclusion
(1)
(2)
(3)
(1)
(2-3)
(4)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(1)
(2)
(3)
▪
▪
▪
▪
Rhetorical moves are clearly
identifiable
The text is concise
Summary of main points
Clear link to the research
objectives stated in the
Introduction
Paragraph structure
▪
▪
▪
▪
Topic sentence
Unity/cohesion
Proper/well balanced use of
linking devices
Concluding sentence
Use of vocabulary
▪
▪
▪
▪
(Academic) collocations
Formal register
Proper terms
Word choice
Grammatical/punctuation accuracy
▪
▪
▪
No major errors that impede
reader’s understanding of the
text
A syntactic variety
(coordination
&subordination)
Proper punctuation:
(attention to run-on
sentences; comma splice)
Total: 40pts
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LGBTQ MEDIA
Larruping Color — How Does LGBTQ Films Become a Part of Mainstream Culture
Northeastern University
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LGBTQ MEDIA
Abstract
Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning / Queer (LGBTQ) media has made
great progress over the past decade. LGBTQ media has changed the mode of production and
portrayals of LGBTQ characters. However, previous research has not adequately focused on the
reasons why LGBTQ media has become a part of mainstream culture. Utilizing the online survey
with 20 participants and face-to-face interviews with three LGBTQ people, this study
investigated: (1) How do LGBTQ media become a part of mainstream culture? (2) What is the
significance of the recent LGBTQ media to the LGBTQ community? Findings indicated that a
large number of high-quality LGBTQ media were produced to help popularize LGBTQ media;
more positive portrayals of LGBTQ are admired and supported by the LGBTQ community; in
addition, the LGBTQ community can gain more broad dialogue with the non-LGBTQ
community through LGBTQ media. The results of this study can provide suggestions for the
subsequent production and publicity of LGBTQ media.
Keywords: LGBTQ, media, movie, LGBTQ portrayals
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Introduction
On February 18th, 2018, fans celebrated freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, who publicly
came out as gay in 2015, sharing his kiss with his boyfriend on live television (Soong 2018,
February 18). Everyone can see that this was shown on the mainstream media is not just an
expression of affection and it was also a step toward acceptance of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual,
Transgendered, and Questioning / Queer (LGBTQ) community (Soong 2018, February 18).
Times Magazine reported in 2015 that there have been many changes in the LGBTQ media over
the past 45 years, including films (Cohen, 2015, March 17). Especially in the past decade,
LGBTQ has become a rapidly rising theme for movies. As evidenced by the recent awards
shows, such as the Oscars, and film festivals in recent years, LGBTQ themed films, such as
Moonlight, Call Me by Your Name and The Danish Girl are frequently nominated and win
awards. Based on this circumstance, Hawkins (2017) commented that, “It now seems that
Hollywood has finally caught up with the times in regards to presenting interesting histories of
individuals or groups who identify as LGBTQ” (p. 159). In addition to Hollywood movies, other
video and media makers are starting to include LGBTQ elements in their production. Young and
adult LGBTQ populations are also increasingly portrayed in a variety of traditional media, such
as television, movies, and literature (Mclnroy & Craig, 2017, p. 33). These new situations of
LGBTQ media indicate that LGBTQ media has become a part of mainstream culture.
The aim of this research is to find reasons why LGBTQ media has become a part of
mainstream culture and the significance of recent LGBTQ media to the LGBTQ community
through collecting people's opinions on LGBTQ media. A survey and three interviews were
conducted with students. This study is intended to arouse readers' attention to LGBTQ media and
understand the importance of LGBTQ media. As a result, the non-LGBTQ community might
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improve the understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ community through the LGBTQ media.
Literature Review
There are two main factors mentioned in the literature that may influence the popularity
of LGBTQ media content and people's acceptance of videos on this subject. The two factors can
be roughly divided into new patterns of LGBTQ film and depictions of homosexuality in media.
New Patterns of LGBTQ Film
The change in the target audiences is a new pattern of contemporary LGBTQ film and
media. Compared to the previous types of movies that were provided mainly for LGBTQ people,
much literature points out that main propose of contemporary LGBTQ cinemas covered both
general audiences and LGBTQ people (Nadler & Kufahl, 2014, p. 87). As an illustration, Roland
Emmerich is a famous director and he filmed Stonewall in 2015. Stonewall tells the story of a
fictional young man and a community of LGBTQ people during the 1969 Stonewall Riot. When
director Emmerich was asked about altering LGBTQ history, he also stated in an interview,
“You have to understand one thing: I didn't make this movie only for gay people, I made it also
for straight people” (Keegan, 2016, p. 50). This interview shows that many directors target
different audiences when they make movies, and not just LGBTQ viewers. Thus, the nonLGBTQ public gradually notices these types of movies.
Another new pattern of LGBTQ movies at this stage is competition for film festival
awards. According to the 90th Academy Awards, LGBTQ films Call Me by Your Name and A
Fantastic Woman received Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film
respectively. In addition, actors and actresses in LGBTQ films received nominations for many
mainstream film festivals. Describing the current status of Hollywood LGBTQ themed movies,
Keegan (2016) explains that the Hollywood model for writing LGBTQ themed movies has the
LGBTQ MEDIA
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specific goal of providing nominees for both straight and cisgender actors (p. 52). The term
cisgender refers to, “the individual whose sex assigned at birth matches the social expectations of
their gender identity” (Kattari et al., 2017 p. 183). But in this case, Keegan (2016) wants to
emphasize that the cisgender actors who take on the role of transgender person are more likely to
win awards because the jury thinks their performance is more challenging.
Depictions of Homosexuality in Media
The overall trend in the number of homosexuality in the media is on the rise. According
to the data from GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), Mclnroy and Craig
(2017) affirm the depictions of homosexuality in the mainstream media continues to increase (p.
34). Keegan (2016) also expressed this kind of increment in his findings. Certainly, there are
different voices for the LGBTQ portrayals in the media. Bond (2014) argued in her research that
LGB sexual behavior in the media world may not be as pronounced as in American society (p.
114). This shows that there are fewer portrayals of LGBTQ individuals in the media than there
are LGBTQ individuals in the real world.
There is also a controversy about the image of LGBTQ in the media. In the portrayal of
LGBTQ image, Keegan (2016) states that global filmmakers have begun to foster greater
acceptance of homosexual films through their confident gay roles (p. 86). For Keegan,
homosexuality in the LGBTQ media has become more positive. However, some suggest that the
current LGBTQ image in the media remains problematic. This problem is mainly reflected in the
LGBT stereotype in the media. LGBT Stereotypes contain many concrete manifestations. One of
the LGBT Stereotypes is that one person who identified as a gay and he is very feminine
presenting. Mclnroy and Craig (2017) point out that the LGBTQ role in the media is
characterized as “comic relief, villains and/or criminals, mentally and/or physical ill, and victims
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of violence” (p. 35). Bond (2014) also expresses similar concerns. The most lesbian and gay
characters are portrayed in the media in order to increase their comedy value or entertaining
twists to the plot (Bond, 2014, p.115). The main concern from the research is that people's
understanding of LGBTQ people may be misled by such image in the media. To sum up, the
descriptions of the LGBTQ image in the movie are somewhat improved, but there is still some
controversy about how to present the complete LGBTQ population.
Methodology
In order to find the reasons why the LGBTQ media become a part of mainstream culture
and people’s opinion on the recent LGBTQ media, a survey and three interviews were conducted
with students. The results of the survey and interview were used to analyze the current state and
development of LGBTQ media.
Online Survey
Participants. Twenty individuals participated in the online questionnaire. There were no
specific requirements for the participants in the questionnaire. All participants were previously
informed about the purpose of research and their responses remained confidential. The age of the
participants was 18-29. Among all participants, one quarter of the participants identify as
LGBTQ and the rest are non-LGBTQ population or participants who didn’t want to disclose their
information.
Procedures. The researcher utilized Google Forms to create an online questionnaire and
distributed the questionnaire on the Web via WeChat message and Facebook message. The
questionnaire was divided into four sections. The first section collected the demographic data of
the participants, which mainly included the age and identities of the participants. The second part
of the questionnaire collected participants’ familiarity with LGBTQ media and their overall
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assessment of recent LGBTQ movies and videos. In the final two sections, the participants were
asked about their opinions on the portrayals of LGBTQ in the media and their opinions on the
significance of LGBTQ media for the LGBTQ community.
Interview
Participants. In order to further study people’s opinions on LGBTQ media, three
interviewees participated in the face-to-face interview. All interviewees identified as LGBTQ
because these people can provide more specific opinions for my research. In keeping with the
approved ethics protocol, interviewees were fully informed of the research purpose and provided
informed consent. Three interviewees were from the LGBTQ resource center in the Northeastern
University campus and had some opinions on LGBTQ media.
Procedures. All interviews were conducted in informal conversations. The length of
each interview was about 10-15 minutes. Three interviews were conducted at the Curry Student
Center at Northeastern University. All the interviewees evaluated the quality of the recent
LGBTQ media. Meanwhile, they also responded to questions about the description of LGBTQ in
the media.
Findings
All research findings were based on online survey and face-to-face interviews. According
to three interviews and an online survey, the findings can be divided into three broad areas: the
development trend of LGBTQ media, the LGBTQ portrayals that are still flawed, but continue to
improve and a more positive and open conversation about LGBTQ media.
The Development Trend of LGBTQ Media
LGBTQ media has been developing in a positive way overall. This trend is mainly
reflected in both quantity and quality. In terms of the quantity of LGBTQ media, over 85% of the
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participants in the online survey recently watched LGBTQ movies or TV programs. Participants
in the same proportion agree that they have more opportunities for watching LGBTQ media in
the last decade. All three interviewees also expressed the same point of view. In explaining their
view, Ellen Page (pseudonym) mentioned that the chances of viewing LGBTQ media in the past
decade would certainly increase because of more queer-oriented content being made. People
have a large number of chances to watch these films because there's a larger volume of it. This
finding was also consistent with previous research. Some companies which are focusing on
producing LGBTQ theme films appeared and these companies uploaded free videos online
(Moore, 2013). More LGBTQ videos have been produced and viewers have more easily
accessible channels to watch these videos. Another interviewee thought that the number of
LGBTQ movies in the Oscar nomination has increased, and this increase indicates that the
number of LGBTQ media has been on the rise in recent years.
In the study of LGBTQ media quality in recent years, all online survey participants were
asked to rate the quality of recent LGBTQ movies. More than half believed that LGBTQ movies
in recent years have high quality and only one participant believed that the quality of LGBTQ
movies is lower than the average of all movies. The researchers collected all the favorite LGBTQ
movies of the interviewees and survey participants and classified movies according to their
release year. The specific results are shown in Table 1 (Some participants wrote more than one
answer). This table shows the release time of the most favorite LGBTQ movie written by
participants and the number of each time period. The choice of participants will be affected by
participants’ ages. More than half of 23 participants chose that their favorite LGBTQ movies or
TV works come from the last five years. This also illustrates people's recognition of the recent
LGBTQ movie quality.
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Release Time of the Movies
Amount
proportion
2013-2017
14
56%
2008-2012
2
8%
2003-2007
4
16%
Before 2003
5
20%
Total
25
Table 1: Participant's favorite LGBTQ movie release year and quantity
Getting more nominations in the film’s festival is another performance of improvement
for LGBTQ movies. As mentioned in previous literature, one new pattern of LGBTQ movies is
focusing on competition film festival awards (Keegan, 2016, p. 52). This new pattern also
contributes to the popularity of LGBTQ media. According to the survey results, Oscarnominated films, The Moonlight and Call Me by Your Name were repeatedly mentioned in the
most favorite LGBTQ film and television works. At the same time, 65% participants (20 in total)
thought that they will have more interest in the award-winning LGBTQ movies and pay attention
to them. In the interview, Jodie Foster (pseudonym) also stated that the importance of Call Me by
Your Name, as this kind of movie is providing a high standard for subsequent LGBTQ movies
and the production of LGBTQ films entered a beneficial cycle. The above results all indicate that
people think that LGBTQ media has been on the rise in recent years. This improvement is one of
the reasons why LGBTQ media has become a part of the mainstream culture.
The LGBTQ portrayals that are still flawed but continue to improve
The number of LGBTQ portrayals in the media has increased and these LGBTQ
portrayals have become more positive. GLAAD data showed that depictions of homosexuality in
mainstream media have been increasing continuously (Mclnroy & Craig, 2017). Based on the
survey and interviews result, almost everyone agreed that the LGBTQ portrayals in the media are
becoming more positive. Of the 20 people who participated in the online survey, only one person
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objected this viewpoint. The interviewees further explained the significance of the LGBTQ
portrayals becoming positive for the LGBTQ community. Page said that queer people who can
find themselves on television instead of a large number of heterosexual content will make them
feel that the characters on the screen are super reliable. Another interviewee Adam Lambert
(pseudonym) described his feeling about the positive LGBTQ character on the screen, especially
the LGBTQ characters who have a happy ending, and said, “I can feel like I can have a future
that’s comparable. To think that like I can exist and I can live similar stories to that”. The
positive portrayals of LGBTQ on the screen enables the LGBTQ community to gain more
assurance and optimism. The interviewees’ opinions were coincident with Keegan’s view (2016)
that he pointed out that global filmmakers are also raising acceptance of LGBTQ movies through
confident LGBTQ roles. The LGBTQ community may more appreciate and support the media
which have the positive LGBTQ portrayals.
The LGBT Stereotypes is a term that has been mentioned many times during the
interview. In response to the situation that gay people always be feminine presenting in media,
Page said it was very weird that they used to see such LGBT stereotypes on the screen, but until
recently, this kind of stereotype has almost stopped happening. It can be said that this is a
progress of LGBTQ portrayals in the media.
However, all the interviewees expressed their dissatisfaction with the other LGBT
stereotype on the screen. Bond (2014) expressed that the LGBTQ characters are often considered
as comic relief or villains. Previous researchers were concerned that these LGBT stereotypes will
give viewers misleading LGBTQ information and make these films are resisted by the LGBTQ
community. The three interviewees cited many examples of such LGBT stereotypes on the
screen and the examples range was started from the latest TV dramas to Disney's children's
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movies. Page clearly described the negative impact of this stereotype presence on the LGBTQ
community, “I think that's really hurtful for any queer teenagers, kids, adults. Anyone who is gay
and watching that is going to getting the message that like you're not normal you're not okay
you're not a good person. You exist to be laughed at”. According to Page’s statement, it is
obvious that the LGBTQ characters on the screen who are portrayed for comic relief or villains
are not recognized by the LGBTQ community and LGBTQ community will boycott these films
too.
Based on interviews and online survey data, the LGBTQ portrayals in the media are
generally becoming increasingly positive. In response to the question about the perception of
LGBT stereotypes in recent movies, 90% of the survey participants thought that such stereotypes
often occur in film and television, but they can accept this kind of frequency. Meanwhile,
Lambert claimed that the LGBT stereotype occurred in many cases, but it is improving now. The
results of both survey and interview show that people approved that the LGBTQ portrayals in the
media today are flawed, but they all agree that these portrayals are developing in a positive
direction. Thus, LGBTQ portrayals have a room for improvement, but they will not be a key
factor hindering LGBTQ media becoming part of mainstream culture.
A more positive and open conversation about LGBTQ media
An important role of LGBTQ media is to establish a relationship between LGBTQ
community and non-LGBTQ community. This kind of relationship can be analyzed from two
aspects: LGBTQ community and Non-LGBTQ community. When asked about the significance
of LGBTQ media, Lambert also said that this kind relationship has separate values for straight
people and LGBTQ community. However, these two values are not irrelevant.
For LGBTQ community, Page stated that LGBTQ media cannot help non-queer people
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better understand queer people, but it will help open up the conversation so that queer people and
non-queer people can talk. LGBTQ media increases the opportunities for LGBTQ and nonLGBTQ groups to communicate. People will discuss a certain portrayal in the LGBTQ movie
together, and at this time, the LGBTQ community will have the opportunity to correct the
LGBTQ stereotype from non-LGBTQ people and start a more positive and open conversation.
Previous research also stated a completely unanimous opinion. LGBTQ media has broad
influence on some broadcast platforms. This kind of LGBTQ media creates a common dialogue
and provides opportunities for significant understanding about the LGBTQ community (Mclnroy
& Craig, 2017, p. 38). For the non-LGBTQ community, LGBTQ media means the popularity of
the LGBTQ messages that there is another group of people who exist and live in the same
society. Over half of 20 survey participants believed that non-LGBTQ people can learn some
information about the LGBTQ population through LGBTQ description in media. Regarding the
value of LGBTQ media for non-LGBTQ people, Lambert said,
It obviously once you understand something you never you don't fear it any
longer and once you understand that LGBT people are living among us as regular
people. you know that that's gonna leave just benefits and society in general and
like killing stereotypes.
The value of LGBTQ media on the one hand is as a platform for the LGBTQ community to have
more opportunities to express their opinions, and also allows the Non-LGBTQ community to
eliminate prejudice, realize and recognize the existence of the LGBTQ community as a regular
people.
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Conclusion
Utilizing online survey and face-to-face interviews, the study found that LGBTQ media
has become part of the mainstream culture due to: 1. A large number of high-quality LGBTQ
media produced to help popularize LGBTQ media; 2. More positive portrayals of LGBTQ are
admired and supported by the LGBTQ community; 3. The LGBTQ community can gain more
broad dialogue with the non-LGBTQ community through the LGBTQ media. Additionally,
LGBTQ community can feel self-satisfaction and self-assurance through LGBTQ media.
This study is intended as a suggestion for the subsequent production of LGBTQ media.
LGBTQ media producers can use this study to adjust the portrayals of LGBTQ and reduce the
LGBT stereotype in the media. LGBTQ organizations can also refer to this study to select more
effective propaganda methods. This study has several limitations. The number of interviewees
and survey participants is insufficient, and the study didn’t analyze the distribution of LGBTQ
media. The following researchers can continue the study in the direction of this study.
The LGBTQ media contribute to the non-LGBTQ community to recognize the LGBTQ
community and strengthen the relationship between these two communities, which can
eventually eliminate stereotypes and prejudices.
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References
Bond, B. J. (2014). Sex and Sexuality in Entertainment Media Popular with Lesbian, Gay, and
Bisexual Adolescents. Mass Communication and Society, 17(1), 98-120.
doi:10.1080/15205436.2013.816739.
Cohen, S. (2015, March 17). How One Movie Changed LGBT History. Retrieved April 12,
2018, from http://time.com/3742951/boys-in-the-band/
Hawkins, Jeffrey M. (2017). Breaking Out and Going Beyond the Celluloid Closet: LGBTQ
Media for the Social Studies Classroom. Social Education, 81(3), 159-161.
Kattari, S. K., Barman-Adhikari, A., Dechants, J., & Rice, E. (2017). Social networks and sexual
risk factor differences between cisgender heterosexual and cisgender LGBQ homeless
youths. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 29(2), 182-200.
doi:10.1080/10538720.2017.1296800
Keegan, C. M. (2016). History, Disrupted: The aesthetic gentrification of queer and trans
cinema. Social Alternatives; Brisbane, 35(3), 50-56.
Mcinroy, L. B., & Craig, S. L. (2017). Perspectives of LGBTQ emerging adults on the depiction
and impact of LGBTQ media representation. Journal of Youth Studies, 20(1), 32-46.
doi:10.1080/13676261.2016.1184243.
Moore, C. (2013). Distribution Is Queen: LGBTQ Media on Demand. Cinema Journal, 53(1),
137-144. doi:10.1353/cj.2013.0066.
Nadler, J. T., & Kufahl, K. (2014). Navigating through a historical exploration of queer cinema:
A review of Queer cinema: Schoolgirls, vampires, and gay cowboys. Psychology of
Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, 1(1), 86-87. doi:10.1037/sgd0000017.
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Soong, K. (2018, February 18). Fans celebrate freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy and boyfriend
sharing televised kiss. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/02/18/fans-celebratefreestyle-skier-gus-kenworthy-and-boyfriend-sharing-televisedkiss/?utm_term=.5de7c679d19c
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Running Head: LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
1
Leaving the Comfort Zone: Why Student Clubs Matter to International Students
(NAME REDACTED)
Northeastern University
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
2
Abstract
Student Clubs or organizations are a significant part of campus life, especially for international
students. International students have less opportunity for personal development because of culture
and language problems. This research explored how student clubs impact international students on
their personal development. Based on previous studies, joining clubs or organizations not only
help with culture and language problems but also benefit personal development, such as social,
practical, and intellectual ability (Foubert & Urbanski, 2006; Klomegah, 2006; Lacina, 2002; Volet
& Ang, 2012; Yang & Chau, 2010). For this research, a questionnaire and an interview were
conducted. Twenty-one international students who came from different countries and were not
native speakers of English shared their opinion and experiences about the influence of student
clubs. The findings show that to achieve the goal of studying abroad, involvement in the social
network and culture is as important as good grades.
Keywords: student clubs, international students, personal development, culture and
language problems, involvement
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
3
Leaving the Comfort Zone: Why Student Clubs Matter to International Students
International students study on a foreign campus where they have to face diverse issues
such as different cultural backgrounds and different language expressions. According to Lacina
(2002), most international students have a hard time adjusting to their new campus life. This hard
time can be described as the alienation, which Klomegah (2006) defines as “the state of feeling
confused, lost, lonely, helpless, and desire for dependence” (p.304). Helping international students
to solve those problems is an important step for attaining successful academic career. One such
way is through involvement in student clubs or organizations. To grasp a broad picture of how
student clubs impact international students, it is highly important to investigate what the benefit
for personal development from student clubs is.
Literature Review
The cultural barrier to students’ involvement
The cultural distance between international students and local students blocks international
students’ involvement in their new campus environment. Students prefer to study or work with
someone who has the same cultural background because they feel more comfort and less
misunderstanding (Volet & Ang, 2012). As Lacina (2002) addressed, different friendships and
religious issues may create a barrier for international students to fit in a new environment.
International students feel that local students are friendly. However, this doesn’t mean that local
students want to build a close friendship with those who are from different countries (Lacina, 2002).
Moreover, the religious issue can be difficult if international students are non-religious or follow
a different religion from the local students (Lacina, 2002). It is not easy to fix the problem that
students prefer to stay with someone who shares the similar culture and thinking.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
4
The language barrier to communication
The language barrier to communication is another problem for students learning English
as a foreign language abroad. Many international students have high level skills in academic
English so they can easily handle their class, but have fewer language skills for social situations
(Lacina, 2002). For instance, idioms and college slang can be hard for students whose native
language is not English. It will cause misunderstanding or something even worse, such as conflicts,
if they only take the literal meaning of idioms and slang. To avoid making mistakes, international
students usually keep silent or only communicate with those who speak the same native language
(Volet & Ang, 2012). Thus, they lose the opportunity to develop their social network.
Why student clubs or organizations are helpful
Based on cultural and language challenges, previous studies (Lacina, 2002; Volet & Ang,
2012) have suggested that international students should develop their social experiences and intercultural learning. One example is the international movie clubs (Lacina, 2002). The purpose of the
international movie clubs is not only for enjoying high quality international movies but also for
providing opportunities to build friendships between international students and local students. The
result from Ang and Volet’s study (2012) shows that mixed groups between Australian and
international students completing academic assignments was a successful experience. From a
learning perspective, both Australian and international students’ perceptions changed. For example,
Australian students didn’t think it was as difficult as they had previously thought to communicate
with international students. International students changed their perspective toward Australian
students who they initially believed were lazy. Inter-cultural learning helps students’ adaptability
develop.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
5
Although culture and language are the two most significant factors that affect international
students’ adjustment to environments abroad, findings from other studies demonstrate how social
involvement can help students’ personal development. Klomegah (2006) claims that social contact
can affect alienation experiences of international students. His study found that “students who have
regular contact with other students-whether foreign, host, or from same region,-are less alienated
from the college environment than those who have less contact with others” (Klomegah, 2006,
p.314). Hence, Klomegah (2006) suggests that programs and activities, such as international
friendship games and clubs, can help foreign students to fit in the new environment.
As well as the results of Yang and Chau (2010), out-of-class experiences provide students
with rich opportunities to develop their social, practical, intellectual, and personal ability. One
student who was an office-bearer (students who hold positions in committee) in a hall stated that
she made friends with 300 hall mates, which means she had the opportunity to learn how to get
along with 300 different personalities (Yang & Chau, 2010). Another student also claimed that he
learned how he can be more mature as a college student after attending the campus orientation
activity (Yang & Chau, 2010). What’s more, “involvement in student organizations has a strong
association with psychosocial development” (Foubert & Urbanski, 2006, p.180). In particular,
joining student clubs or organizations helps students to identify their purpose, become more
involved studies, plan careers, manage their lives better, and participate in cultural activities.
On the whole, joining student clubs or organizations helps international students solve
culture and language problems, which are the biggest issues for students abroad. Also, joining
student clubs or organizations provides opportunities to develop personal abilities, such as social,
practical, and intellectual abilities. In short, joining student clubs or organizations helps students
be more successful in their academic career.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
6
Methodology
In order to investigate how student clubs or organizations impact the personal development
of international students, the researcher utilized both a survey and an interview to collect data and
evidence. Twenty-one international students at Northeastern University participated in the
questionnaire, and a sophomore from Korea was interviewed at Snell Library. The questionnaire
focused on why international students would like to join clubs or organizations. The interviewer
asked the student about his experiences and involvement with organizations and outside class
activities.
Participants and procedure
The online survey was conducted on Qualtrics and was distributed to participants via an
anonymous link. Twenty-one international students responded to the survey. The respondents were
selected randomly at Curry Student Center, Snell Library, and classrooms at Northeastern
University. In order to cover different countries and culture, the students selected all came from
different countries and were not native speakers of English. The nationalities include Chinese,
Emirati, Indian, Italian, Korean, Russian, Taiwanese, Thai, and Venezuelan. The questionnaire
consisted of four sections. The first section asked students about their nationality. The second
section investigated the major issues for students studying abroad. The third section was designed
to find out their opinion of involvement in student clubs or organizations. The final section was an
open-ended question to ask respondents how they thought an international student could achieve
a successful academic career. The data and information from the survey were collated and
converted into percentages.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
7
The one hour face-to-face interview was conducted at Snell Library. The interviewee, a
second-year undergraduate student, comes from Korea. He was involved in Global Pathways at
NEU one and a half years ago, and now he works as a Head Student Life Coordinator. The
interview focused on his experiences and involvement in student organizations and extracurricular
activities. The interview included four parts. The first part of the interview asked the interviewee’s
basic information, such as his major, courses, and the feeling of studying in America. The second
part of the interview discussed the student’s difficulties while studying in America. The third part
of the interview mainly discussed how the student organizations influenced him. The fourth part
of the interview asked his opinion about how international students could achieve success
throughout their academic career.
Findings
The data from the survey shows that more than half of international students (76.5%) feel
happy and excited when they study at a new campus, whereas some of them (17.6%) still feel
nervous and lonely. The data showed that even though students have an optimistic attitude of
studying abroad, they may also have their worries at the same time.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
8
Homesickness
10%
Culture
problems
30%
Language
problems
60%
FIGURE 1: THE MAJOR ISSUE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
As can be seen from Figure 1, a significant number of respondents (60%) think language
problems are a major issue for international students. The second major issue for students is culture
problems (30%). 10% of students listed the homesickness as the most significant. The response
from the interviewee matches the result of data as well. The interviewee said that English was his
biggest problem when he came to America to study: “Even now, whenever I talk with my friends,
like you, or my professor, or my classmates, there is a part of my brain still thinking: what if they
can’t understand what I am saying?” For solving the language and culture problem, 55.9% of
students prefer to make local friends, and 29.4% of them join extracurricular activities. The
interviewee explained that he spoke English as much as possible, and the most important thing
was not to speak Korean with his friends. This advice reveals that international students should
stay away from their comfort zone.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
9
Developing social network
28.80%
Understanding the local culture
27.10%
Practicing the language
25.40%
Helping careers planing
Others (Interesting)
15.30%
3.40%
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
35.00%
FIGURE 2: THE VALUABLE FACTORS OF JOINING
STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Eight out of 21 students are involved in student clubs and organizations at University. In
contrast, 13 out of 21 students don’t join in any clubs or organizations. “Don’t have the time” was
the main (90.9%) reason for those do not join in any clubs or organizations. Although more than
half of students were not involved in clubs or organizations, 84.6% of them agreed that student
clubs and organizations are beneficial for the personal development of international students. As
shown in Figure 2, developing the social network, understanding the local culture, and practicing
the language are the most valuable factors of joining in clubs and organizations. With one and a
half years of experience of involvement in Global Pathways at NEU, the interviewee explained
that he wished to gain more chances to speak English because he noticed that he must master the
language skill to study in America. The accumulation of experience helped his personal
development. For instance, he was promoted twice during the one and a half years. In addition, he
had the opportunity to organize the biggest events in America for international students, such as
the 4th of July party and the Thanksgiving banquet. He indicated that, “To make international
students to blend into American society, or being a part of the university, it is the most important
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
10
advantage of involvement in student clubs and organizations.” An international student can have
incredible personal development after the involvement in student clubs and organizations.
It is worthwhile to note that besides studying hard, most participants said that involvement
in the social network and culture is the key factor to achieve their success throughout academic
career. In other words, the development of a social network and the involvement in the local
culture are as important as good grades.
Discussion and Conclusion
The aim of the research was to find out how student clubs or organizations impact
international students on their personal development. The results show that language and culture
problems are the main issue for international students. The findings agree with the past studies
(Lacina, 20002; Volet & Ang, 2012) which stated culture and language problems block
international students’ involvement in their new campus environment. For solving these two
problems, students chose to make local friends and join out-of-class activities. In addition, based
on Yang and Chau (2010), out-of-class experiences provide students with rich opportunities to
develop their social, practical, intellectual, and personal abilities. The research reports that students
had incredible personal development after the involvement in student clubs. Developing the social
network, understanding the local culture, and practicing the language are the most valuable factors
of joining in clubs or organizations.
The result of the research should be considered on the basis of its limitations. First,
participations of the investigation were mixed with undergraduate and graduate students. These
are two different groups with a different perception of involvement in student clubs. Second, the
research didn’t focus on whether students who already have strong personal abilities are still
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
11
willing to join extracurricular activities. To improve the present research, future studies could
explore these two complex situations.
As addressed in the research, to achieve the academic degree successfully is the goal for
international students. To have success in the university experience is important as well. Therefore,
the implication of the research is that university faculties and administration should encourage and
build the opportunity for international students to be involved in campus life and community.
International students should leave their comfort zone and try the best to blend into their campus
community.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
12
References
Foubert, John D., & Urbanski, Lauren A. (2006). Effects of Involvement in Clubs and
Organizations on the Psychosocial Development of First-Year and Senior College Students.
NASPA Journal, 43(1), 166-182.
Klomegah, Roger Yao. (2006). Social factors relating to alienation experienced by international
students in the United States. College Student Journal, 40(2), 303-315.
Lacina, Jan Guidry. (2002). Preparing International Students for a Successful Social Experience
in Higher Education. New Directions for Higher Education, 117, 21-28.
Volet, S. E., & Ang, G. (2012). Culturally mixed groups on international campuses: an
opportunity for inter-cultural learning. High Education Research & Development, 31(1),
21-37.
Yang, Min. & Chau, Albert Wai Lap. (2011). Social involvement and development as a response
to the campus student culture. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev., 12, 393-402.
LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
13
Appendix
Questionnaire
Public transport
1
What factors influence people’s choice of subway and bus.
Haobo, He
Northeastern University
Author Note
Email: he.hao@husky.neu.edu
2
Abstract
Excessive private cars use lead to the problems of urban congestion and air pollution.
Public transport are dominated by bus and subway. Thus, improving the subway and bus service
system can attract more people to take public transport, which will relieve these problems.
Previous literature has found that both personal and external factors that influence people’s
choice of subway and buses. This paper aims to find out what factors influence people’s choice
of subway and bus. This paper includes one survey and one interview. There are fifteen students
and one professor participating in the survey, and the interview was conducted by a graduate in
Northeastern University. From the survey and interview, I found there are many factors such as
cleanliness, comfort, price, waiting time. Waiting time proves to be the most important factor.
From this paper, I think if governments know what factors influence people’s choice of the
subway and bus, it will be helpful for them to improve public transport system to satisfy people’s
needs and attract more people to use bus and subway. Thus, the traffic congestion and air
pollution problems will be relieved to some degree.
Keywords: Public transport
autonomy
personal factor
external factor
waiting time
3
What factors influence people’s choice of subway and bus
Introduction
The topic is public transport, which was dominated by the bus and subway in cities. The
purpose of this research paper is to find what factors influence people’s choice of subway and
bus. First, if I can know what people’s demands in subway and bus service system, it will be
helpful to improve the quality and efficiency of subway and bus. Second, bus and subway
service plays an important role in all cities, when more and more people use subway and bus, air
pollution will be reduced and the noise in the city will be cut down to some degree. Third, urban
congestion is a problem if many people use personal vehicles. People’s reliance on automobiles
will lead to congested roads, which will bring more accidents. Therefore, it is important to
improve the bus and subway services and learn about what factors influence people’s choice of
bus and subway. There are several factors influencing people’s choice of bus and subway,
including external factors such as cleanliness and personal factors such as comfort. This paper
can be roughly divided into three parts: The definition of public transportation, external factors
of choice of public transport and personal factors of choosing public transport mode.
The definition of public transportation
Public transportation means a variety of transport modes such as subways, buses and
ships. These public vehicles available to general passengers may charge a fare, run at schedule
times and have designated routes. The purpose of the public transportation is to provide
convenience for passengers and to effectively relieve the problem of pollution caused by
automobiles’ emission and traffic congestion by many usages of private vehicles.
4
Personal factors of choosing public transport mode
There are some personal factors of choosing public transport mode including finance,
autonomy, travel purpose.
In terms of financial “Public transport is more attractive to lower income group. Upper
income groups are less dependent on public transport as they are relying on their own private
vehicles”. (Ashim&Sudha,2017) In terms of financial, most young adults and students thought
that having a private car will bring financial issue for them, because the fuel and costs of parking
tickets are expensive for them. Young adults who commute by bike said: “I save money on fuel
and then I also get a compensation because I cycle to work.” .(dorien et al. 2014 )
Researchers found that many participants didn’t like to depend on public transport, they
preferred active transport. Researchers mentioned that cycling or could offer young adults the
sense of independence and freedom, because they could go and leave whenever they want.
(Dorien et al. 2012) The authors argued that on the other hand, public transport has a lot of
negative effects on autonomy, such as long waiting times, delays and traffic jams. For example,
one boy said: “If you go somewhere by bicycle, you have all the freedom. You can change
direction flexibly and don’t need to wait at the bus stop.” (Dorien et al 2012) Other researchers
also argued that control can bring a lot of advantages, and some participants liked taking a
vehicle because they can gain feeling of freedom. (Wiley& Inc 2006)
Another factor is travel purpose. One teenager said that “If I go to soccer training, I have
to take all my sports stuff with me, so I go by car.” (Simon et al, 2014 p.154). Researchers
studied that when people want to go to a sports activity, obviously cars are more convenient for
them. It is because when the sports activity was over, they would feel very tired and they need to
5
take a lot of sports stuff. Going to a party or club will make some people abandon private cars to
use public transport. (Simon et al, 2014 p.154)
External factors of choosing public transportation mode
There are some external factors such as waiting time, travel time, comfort, and prices.
“Waiting time is always one of the variables that usually gets the most weight in the
utility functions of a transport mode, because it represents time that the user sees as lost and the
loss of time is irritating” (Lirman, 2008). Researchers mentioned that waiting time was one of
the most important factors in people’s choice of bus, because people who used bus not frequently
knew little information of timetables. Thus, they couldn’t optimize their waiting time and
effectively used public transport. ( dell’Olio*, Ibeas&Cecin, 2011)
Comfort is another external factor. People over 65 years old and passengers who used
the service casually gave more weight to comfort, because older people can’t suffer a long period
of uncomfortable time, and passengers who use bus casually expect the environment is quiet.
(dell’Olio*, Ibeas&Cecin, 2011) Some people complain that sometimes the subway is very hot
inside and it is very crowded, or sometimes other people talk to each other loudly. (dorien et al.
2014 ) Some participants said: “It’s my own space, I don’t like being crowded with a lot of
people” and they mentioned that ownership was important for them: “my car is my car and it’s
my area inside” (Wiley& Inc 2006)
Travel time is an important factor that influences people’s choice of public transport.
Most of young adults thought that travel time was the most important factor, especially in the
peak time. (dorien et al. 2014 ) From the previous literature review, some people complained that
when driving or using public transport, it was difficult for them to arrive on time as the travel
time was different day to day. (dorien et al. 2014 )
6
Methodology
In order to find out what factors influence people’s choice of public transport, 16 people
in Northeastern University were given a questionnaire. The survey’s respondents were 15
students and one professor in Northeastern University. Most of them have the experience of
taking a public transport. The questionnaire is conducted by SurveyMonkey, it consisted of three
parts. The first part is demographic information including gender, age, their education
background, occupation and household income. The second part is quantitative questions which
tell us some statistical results of factors that can influence people’s choices of public
transportation. The third part is qualitative questions that show the contrast with the private cars
and people’s suggestions about what the government should do to manage the public
transportation system.
The interview was conducted by a graduate in Northeastern University, her name is Mia.
I met her in the snell library on July 24. The reason why I had the interview with her is that she
took the public transport frequently.
7
Findings
The survey shows that 18% take 30 minutes to one hour to school every day. 18% take 015 minutes to go to school or work every day. 64% take 15 to 30 minutes to go to work or school
every day. 75 percent of people always use public transport, 12% usually use public transport.
6% seldom or rarely use public transport. More than 90 percent of the students have the
experience to use subway, while only 6% percent of people mostly cycle to school or work. The
survey shows that 87.5 percent of people think that time is a factor influencing their choice of
public transport. 81.25% thought the fares of public transport is an important factor. 20 percent
of people thought cleanliness and comfort influence their choice of public transport. The survey
shows that nearly 62 percent of participants’ home is between 1 to 5 kilometers from the
university. 25% are above 5 kilometers from the university. 6% are under 1 km or between 10
km and 20km. When asked how these factors influenced their choice of public transport, each
participant has their own idea. For instance, almost 30 percent thought the time was the most
important. Nealy eight percent of participants thought autonomy and price were very important.
30% thought autonomy was not important. 7% thought cleanliness and vehicle occupancy were
not important.
8
When asked what governments should do to improve public transportation, nearly 46
percent of people thought the government should improve the driving environment. Almost 30
percent of participants thought governments should increase the commuting rate. 7% thought
governments should lower the fares of public transportation. In addition, almost 50% of
participants want to have a private car. 76% thought public transportation would not replace
private transportation in the future. 15% thought private transportation would be replaced by
public transportation.
9
Interview
The interview was conducted by a graduate in the Northeastern University, her name is
Mia. The first question is “How often do you take public transport?”, “Three days a week” She
answered. I asked: “what factors do you think mostly influence your choice of public transport?”
She said: “There are two factors. The first one is time, because I am a student. I don’t want be
late for class, punctuality is important for me. The second one is price, because I am a student, I
have no income.” The next question is “What do you think of Boston’s public transport
service?” She said, “It depended on different line. For example, I always take green line to
school, the rate of frequency is low, I don’t need to wait much time; However, when I take the
orange line, The environment of the subway is not clean, and I can’t clearly hear broadcast
information.”
Then I asked did you have some suggestions for the government. She said: “First, the
government should invest in the public transport in order to shorten the waiting time.” “If you
have an opportunity to buy a private car, do you want to have one?” “No, I will choose public
transport, because Boston’s congestion is severe, taking a public transport can save much time.
Besides, taking a public transport can save money, because a car is expensive and it is not easy to
10
find a parking lot because of congestion.” “Why do you think public transport is convenient?”
“Because the route is humanized, it is near my apartment. In addition, the operation time ranges
from 6am to 1am, It is convenient for me because when I learn late in the library, I can take
subway to my apartment. Most importantly, public transport has a safety guarantee. I don’t need
to care whether it is dangerous for me when I take a public transport. However, if I take a bike or
uber by myself, I should consider the safety.” The next question is “If more people take public
transport, is it good or bad?” “It’s hard to say. If more people take public transport, it will relieve
Boston’s congestion and reduce the air pollution, but the public transport will be crowded. I
think the government can invest in the public transport to increase the amount of public
transport.”
Discussions
In the survey, waiting time is the most important factor influencing people’s choice of
public transport. This result agreed with the interview and the literature review. In terms of price,
In the survey, it shows that price is the second most important factor. In the interview, Mia told
me that the price of transport tickets is the second most important. In the literature review, price
is an important factor for young adults. While price was a little expensive for young adults and
students, while comparing to having a car, it was relatively cheap.
In the literature review, autonomy was a very important personal factor in the choice of
public transport. However, in the survey, nearly 30 percent of participants thought that autonomy
was not important. In the interview, the participant didn’t mention the importance of autonomy.
In the literature review, most people thought comfort was an very important factor
influencing people’s choice of public transport. In the survey, participants thought that it was
important but not a so important factor.
11
Conclusion
This paper aims to find out what factors influence people’s choice of bus and subway.
This paper showed the results of external factors and personal factors influencing people’s
choice of public transport. External factors include waiting time, cleanliness, comfort and price
of tickets. Personal factors include autonomy, finance, travel purpose. Personally speaking, I
thought if the Government know the information of factors influencing people’s choice of public
transport, it will be helpful for the Government to build a better bus and subway service, which
will in turn to attract more people to take public transport. Thus, it can relieve cities’ traffic
congestion and relieve air pollution.
12
13
References
14
Footnotes
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