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

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After the pilot study, changes were made to the interview questions, as well as the some modifications as to how I as a researcher needed to conduct the interviews. The only recommendation that the students from the pilot study suggested that were not incorporated was the participants should know one another prior to the interview. Due to timing and trying to not select particular participants, it was difficult to know if they knew one another before the interviews. The primary way to determine that factor would have been to interview only women from the same chapter, and that was not the intent of the study. Room dynamics, interviewing style, tape recording and labeling as well as organization of the demographic information was improved following the pilot study. Questions on the USMPQ and the Interview Consent Form were also modified. Data Analysis From these transcripts and field notes, I have looked for common themes to compare similar thoughts to see if a pattern exists in any of the interviews. I conducted my analysis with cross-case analysis, grouping together answers from the different participants to common questions and analyzing different perspectives on central issues. I began category construction following the recording of the first interview transcript and the field notes collected in the study (Merriam, 1998). I took the field notes and began to make notes on the date that was interesting and relevant to the study. I reviewed my field notes as well as the demographic information that I had gathered about the first campus and the sororities on that campus. I reviewed the university web site, recruitment books and brochures published by the campus, rush/recruitment information published by the Panhellenic Council, and any additional information that I could gather to get to know the campus and the sorority structure on that campus. After working through the data that was collected, various categories emerged. 74
These categories were reflective of the purpose of the research. As the data collection continued, a connectedness to Chapter II began to emerge. Systematically classifying the data into themes was the next step in the process in order to interpret the data. Once the main themes were classified, those themes were subdivided into two or three additional themes. One of the sub- themes was then divided into two additional themes. Interview records were kept chronologically along with notes regarding the development of the interview process. I also kept a journal of my thoughts, actions, and feelings during the interview process. I described the participants in general terms, described the institutions they attended, as well as the process as it developed and of any issues that occurred along the way. Their identity will be kept confidential as stated to them during the interview process. Observation of Rituals As stated in Chapters I and II, most sorority rituals are secret and would not allow for observations. If the opportunity would have arisen for observations of rituals that are considered open rituals, then I would have take the opportunity to gather information based upon observation. This study did not include an opportunity for observation. I did not read actual ritual ceremonies from these sororities, but I did, throughout my research, discuss information with national archivist and national officers. A key component of this research was the trust of the national sororities. I had numerous discussions with national officers concerning this study. I attempted to reassure officers and volunteers of the sororities that my interest for this study is to create a better understanding of what role, if any, ritual is playing in the lives of undergraduate sorority women. Those who work with sororities on all levels are interested in the impact and understanding of ritual by undergraduate members of sororities. I have conducted the interviews as well as participated in all aspects involved in the data gathering process. 75
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SORORITY RITUALS: RITES OF PASSAGE
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am very grateful
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for teaching me that a group of peo
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TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ......
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CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, REC
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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Each year th
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The member groups of the National P
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hopes of the founders rather than t
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ceremony is complete, that person i
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80,000 women join sororities. On mo
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issues, and topics …that formerly
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when do we use it? How do we use it
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the sorority experience has on the
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The lack of information concerning
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of the NPC member groups, and to co
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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE Thi
Page 33 and 34: Ritual Ceremonies and Symbolism in
Page 35 and 36: Robson writes further: In a world c
Page 37 and 38: strengthened by encountering differ
Page 39 and 40: student initiated and created to au
Page 41 and 42: Gradually, however, they took over
Page 43 and 44: Following the founding of Kappa Alp
Page 45 and 46: efer to themselves as "service" org
Page 47 and 48: Alpha Xi Delta Fraternity Lombard C
Page 49 and 50: What Is Ritual? In order to explain
Page 51 and 52: theorist/researcher in the area of
Page 53 and 54: Ritual as a Rite of Passage Underst
Page 55 and 56: we are and giving meaning to us wit
Page 57 and 58: am I? Well, as I see it, I am a per
Page 59 and 60: Value Congruence Research conducted
Page 61 and 62: the majority of authors . . . have
Page 63 and 64: To better understand Gilligan’s F
Page 65 and 66: only women, all with varying opinio
Page 67 and 68: member transitions to a leader/role
Page 69 and 70: development. The isolation period a
Page 71 and 72: Gilligan’s point that sex differe
Page 73 and 74: undergraduate members. Understandin
Page 75 and 76: not an option. Actual observance of
Page 77 and 78: Role of the NPC Research Committee
Page 79 and 80: the chapters were part of large nat
Page 81 and 82: where I was able to travel based up
Page 83: a whole. I piloted the interview qu
Page 87 and 88: participated in my sorority ritual,
Page 89 and 90: sorority women was a cognitive asse
Page 91 and 92: In addition, only one participant w
Page 93 and 94: school. Sixteen (31%) sophomore par
Page 95 and 96: itual among themselves outside of t
Page 97 and 98: was founded in 1978. Their average
Page 99 and 100: chapters ranging in size from 150 t
Page 101 and 102: participants’ feelings about the
Page 103 and 104: A few of the participants expressed
Page 105 and 106: Several of the participants related
Page 107 and 108: One of the participants explained w
Page 109 and 110: During new member education, you le
Page 111 and 112: Women’s Development within the So
Page 113 and 114: Comments from several of the partic
Page 115 and 116: When I first joined my sorority, I
Page 117 and 118: the participants referred to other
Page 119 and 120: I think that ritual has made me a b
Page 121 and 122: The reasons that the participants g
Page 123 and 124: This study included both private an
Page 125 and 126: internal value system or they know
Page 127 and 128: sorority women’s length of member
Page 129 and 130: when an 18-year old woman joins a s
Page 131 and 132: ehavior of sorority women, it must
Page 133 and 134: * The level of responsibility and /
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to evaluate sorority women and the
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they are and what role ritual has i
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numbers vary from chapter to chapte
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that those ceremonies can bring to
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Butler, E. R. (1990). Initiations r
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Kuh, G. D., & Arnold, J. C. (1992).
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Pennington, D., Zvonkovic, A. C., W
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Taylor, S.E., Peplau, L.A., C Sears
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APPENDIX A CONSENT FORM 141
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APPENDIX B PROFILE QUESTIONS 143
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APPENDIX C INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 145
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general? What would you say that th
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APPENDIX D (LETTER TO THE GREEK ADV
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APPENDIX E NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CON
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six months doing literature researc
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common knowledge similarities--the
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Correspondence II To: Shelia Barnes
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I truly appreciate your guidance an
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Application for Exemption from IRB
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VITA Mari Ann Callais was born in 1
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Sorority Rituals - Reflections On Rites of ... - Mari Ann Callais

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