Sorority Rituals - Reflections On Rites of ... - Mari Ann Callais

Louisiana State University
2. I clarified the founding purpose of the groups not to state or imply that all groups were
founded on religious principles.
Several other modifications that I have made are as follows:
1. Focus group interviews have been added. My intent is open dialogue with several
women in order for their discussions to assist me with my understanding of their
thoughts, but also to create an environment that helps them to begin talking about the
impact of ritual.
2. I will ask the Greek Advisor or university authority to assist me with setting up
individual and/or focus group interviews. I will ask for a list of the sorority women on
campus on that particular campus and then randomly select them and ask if they would
volunteer to be a part of this study. This will ensure a non-biased relationship between
myself as the researcher and the participants.
3. Attached you will also find a copy of the Interview Questions as well as the abstract that
I will submit to LSU.
I would like to once again emphasize my commitment to this research having an
educational outcome. My intent is for this dissertation to explore whether ritual has an impact on
sorority women's values and behavior. I hope that my findings will assist National organizations
with the education of undergraduate women and the effects of ritual. I also hope to find ways that
they feel ritual can be taught and a greater emphasis may be placed on ritual.
My timeline is the beginning of April, 2001 through August, 2001 to conduct the
interviews. I hope to compile the responses, and to complete my analysis to defend my
dissertation at the end of October, 2001.
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