Communication Research Specialist

My role in the Rutgers transportation project was to be the communication Research specialist. The way I was able to contributed to the project was by finding out information through communication, either by talking to people directly as face-to-face interviews on personal opinion, word of mouth or researching my way to be able to get input on the opinion of people who I couldn’t physically get to in order to get input on this issue.

I was able to gain very valuable information provided by my many of my subjects, but the information was also very limiting in the way in which I decided to approach it. A way in which I could have further on received more explanatory and organized information, was to create a way in which I would of been able to manage the answers provided by my subjects. For example creating a survey would have been a a great way in which I could of approach and replaced the face-to-face interviews. Replacing it would have narrowed down my personal time restriction and would of allowed me to have more subjects, and be able to gain more opinions in a short amount of time. By making that chance in my approach my subjects would  of still been able to maintain themselves as anonymous but also increase the diversity and variety of the subject themselves.

Being able to get Bus drivers and or any Rutgers employee to contribute to the research. I was lucky enough to be able to get one bus driver from the A bus to speak on behalf of his personal scheduled times in which he believed there was a need for more buses. A way in which I could of changed my approach was to further push the idea of surveys, both online and printed on paper and so those who’s opinion is indeed highly valuable to the research would feel more comfortable stating their opinion freely with me knowing who state what opinion about Rutgers Transportation Services. The survey would include specific question relating to their experience, either direct or indirectly but also include age, race to still gain the information but still maintaining their identity anonymous.

Unfortunately whenever bus drivers do things that does not have to do with their jobs, they are in danger of getting fired. There was a case of a bus driver names Stan McNeil, who did loose his job for being accused of implying his religion on students who rode the bus. Bus drivers can easily get accused of saying or doing things that they are not suppose to by students or their own bosses and so it becomes difficult for them to contribute to any research.

The main bus driver that was able to provide me with some information on the issue but did not provide his name. He provided me with the times in which he believed students tend to go out but it was not fully reliable since there is no evidence. A way in which I could have improved the evidence is to maybe also interview bar employees, and food/ restaurant employees on Rutgers students and the ways in which they have more business. Also providing online surveys on websites like Facebook or twitter directed to Rutgers students on the days in which they go out and what buses they then to take along with the scheduled times. This would provide me with more of a round idea of the times once matched up, with the buses taken, days in which the students use the buses the most and idea of the times.

I feel as though I was able to fulfill my part in the Rutgers Transportation project to the best of my abilities but also believe that I could of further dug deeper into the information. Overall if I would of been able to have had the idea of surveys in general, I would of been able to further provide the group with further communication research. I did learn a whole lot and look forward to once again becoming part of research groups in the future and apply what I have learned and improve my roll as as a communication research specialist.