Research Methods Posters 2014-2015, Period 6

Room 0.033
Topics include: UCM, teaching, volunteering, learning, student life, consumption

1. Alex Maxton ‐ REsearch methods poster
2. Amad+®e Mantz
3. Amber Brauer ‐ SKI1005‐05‐amber brauer‐p
4. Andrea Marinkovic ‐ Andrea‐Marinkovic‐I6
5. Annelise Scheuren ‐ Extraversion at UCM.
6. Ayanna Berg ‐ SKI1005 ‐ 16 ‐ Ayanna Berg
7. B+ílint Hardy ‐ B. Hardy ‐ Poster.pdf
8. Ben Bachmann
9. Camille Beckmann ‐ CamilleBeckmann_SKI10
10. Caroline Stadler
11. Catrien Vries de
12. Fleur Kerssemakers ‐ Poster‐ Fleur Kerss
13. Gaspard Woude van der
14. Georgia Pegden ‐ researchposter.pdf
15. Hanna Hesemans ‐
16. Ines Serrano de Haro P+®rez ‐ Assignment
17. Iona Donaldson
18. Janneke Westra ‐ RMII final poster.pdf
19. Jintro Pauly ‐ Jintro Pauly ‐ Research M
20. Jonas Hooff van ‐ Poster Assignment.pdf
21. Kim Verspeek ‐
22. Lea Dannich ‐ Lea Dannich (i66089663) ‐
23. Lennert van der Velde.I6087253.pdf
24. Lieke Hoekman
25. Liese Voortmans ‐ Poster_6091382.pdf
26. Lise Carlier ‐ Lise Carlier, i6087200, p
27. Lucie Wolters ‐ Wolters ‐ SKI1005 ‐ Post
28. Mae Monchy de
29. Manon Macharis ‐ manon poster pdf.pdf
30. Mareike Moraal ‐
31. Martin Deron ‐ presentation rmII.pdf
32. Matthijs Smulders ‐ Powerpoint poster.pd
33. Niklas Ebert ‐ SKI1005 ‐ 08 ‐ Niklas Ebe
34. Noor Vugt van ‐ Noor van Vugt ‐ Research
35. Petreski Petreski ‐ Poster.pdf
36. Rapha+½l Morsomme ‐ poster.pdf
37. Raphael Dias e Silva ‐ Raphael Dias e Si
38. Rick Schumans ‐ SKI1005 ‐ 06 ‐ Rick Schu
39. Robin Deelen ‐ Robin Deelen ‐ i6084933 ‐
40. Roos Essink ‐ Research Methods II ‐ 10 ‐
41. Rosa Koning de
42. Seliem El‐Sayed
43. Sophie Schulz ‐ SKI1005 ‐ 01 ‐ Sophie Sc
44. Thomas Gardien ‐ Thomas Gardien.pdf
45. Tim Dijke van ‐ Poster.pdf
46. Titus Hoensbroech ‐ Poster RM2.pdf
47. Tori Cervone ‐ SKI1005 ‐ 7 ‐ Tori Cervon
48. Vincent Tzermias ‐ RM POSTER FINAL.pdf

This research will follow a quantitative method and will use surveys to find
out the necessary information of the students.. It will primarily ask their
nationality and course specification but then will look into why they chose
the specification and what led them to the course. Looking into academic
quality and gender from the research to see if this has an influence onto the
outcome.
The research will collect data from 2 different years, and information will be
collected from 200 students overall. The surveys will be sent out randomly
and from then the research will be conducted.
Does nationality influence course subject specification at
UCM?Aim of the Research:
This research looks into how a student’s
nationality will determine their course
concentration choice at UCM. UCM has a very
diverse student population with about 60% being
from out with the Netherlands
(MaastrichtUniversity, 2013). Considering this
the research will look into the relationship of
nationality and course concentration to see how
different nationalities line up together and
whether those from the same nations share the
similar interests
The 3 core concentration - social sciences,
Sciences and Humanities will be measured.
Method & aims
Research Question: Is there a possible correlation
between nationality and course concentration
chosen by students at University College
Maastricht?
Independent Variable: The Students measured
Dependent variable: The nationality of students
measured
Schedule outline
General Expectation
To find correlation between
different nationalities in the
concentrations and finding that the
biggest commonality ifs nationality
and not one of the other aspects
tested such as gender.
Why?
The inspiration for this research
was another faculty at Maastricht
University that has a high
percentage of German students
studying Economics and business
.This research hopes therefore to
find the same correlation among
the three different concentrations at
a smaller faculty
References
Maastricht University. (2013, June 3). Education. Retrieved February 23, 2015,
from http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Main/Education/OurStudents.htm
Maastricht University. (2015). University College Maastricht. Retrieved April 21,
2015, from http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/show/id=200680/langid=42
Sidin, S., Hussin, S., & Soon, T. (2003, January 1). An Exploratory Study of
Factors Influencing the College Choice Decision of Undergraduate Students in
Malaysia. Asia Specific Management Review, 259-280.
Briggs, S. (2007). An exploratory study of the factors influencing undergraduate
student choice: The case of higher education in Scotland. Studies in Higher
Education, 31(6), 705-722.7

I
want
to
change
the
world

Amadée
Mantz

I6092616

SKI1005
-‐
13

Most
UCM
students
write
something
about

their
wish
to
make
a
posi6ve
change
in
the

world
in
their
mo6va6on
le:ers
to
UCM.
This

is
the
kind
of
students
UCM
is
looking
for,

since
one
of
the
college’s
main
aims
is
to

encourage
students
to
ac6vely
contribute
to

the
world
around
them.

This
Research
aims
to
find
out
how
students

want
to
contribute,
how
they
judge
their

ability
to
do
so
and
whether
UCM’s

educa6onal
system
supports
them
in

pursuing
these
goals.
The
Research
combines

quan6ta6ve
and
qualita6ve
methods
to
gain

representa6onal
data
and
personal
insight.

INTRODUCTION

Mixed
Methodology:

quan6ta6ve
and
qualita6ve
research

METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH
QUESTION

How
does
UCM
students’
percep6on
of
their
ability

to
make
a
posi6ve
change
in
the
world
develop
over

their
6me
at
UCM
and
what
type
of
change
are
they

focusing
on?

JUSTIFICATION

PHILOSOPHICAL
APPROACH
HYPOTHESES

AIMS

-‐  gain
a
deeper
understanding
of
UCM

students’
idea
of
what
it
means
to
make
a

posi6ve
change
in
the
world

-‐  determine
the
influence
on
that
of
UCM’s

educa6onal
system

OBJECTIVES:
Determine…

-‐  the
areas
of
change
UCMers
strive
for.

-‐  how
high
their
percep6on
of
their
ability

to
make
this
change
is.

-‐  to
what
extend
UCM
achieves
its
aim
of

encouraging
students
in
this
field.

SOCIAL
RELEVANCE

-‐  see
whether
the
educa6onal
philosophy
of

UCM
takes
root
in
the
students

-‐  improve
or
maintain
their
approach

ACADEMIC
RELEVANCE

-‐  poten6al
to
contribute
to
the
field
of

pedagogical
and
educa6onal
sciences

-‐  empirical
back-‐up
for
UCM‘s
educa6onal

system

Popula6on:

Third-‐year
UCM
students

Data
collec6on
for
qualita6ve
part:

Conduc6on
of
focused
interviews

Sample
for
quan6ta6ve
part:

Sample
is
the
popula6on,
ca.
200
students,

expec6ng
responses
from
ca.
50

Data
analysis
for
quan6ta6ve
part:

Use
a
sta6s6cal
computer
programme
to

analyse
the
survey
results

H0:
UCM
students
do
not
have
a
par6cularly
strong
wish
to
make
a
posi6ve
change
in

the
world.

H1:
UCM
students
have
a
strong
wish
to
make
a
posi6ve
change
in
the
world,
when
they

start
their
degree
at
UCM.

H2:
Aèr
several
years
of
studying
at
UCM,
students
are
less
idealis6c
about
‘changing

the
whole
world’.

H3:
Students
feel
encouraged
by
UCM
courses
to
make
smaller
changes
in
specific
fields.

H4:
UCM
students
are
most
interested
in
making
a
posi6ve
change
in
the
field
of

sustainable
development.

This
research
aims
to
be
representa6ve
for

all
UCM
students
and
how
their
percep6on

develops
over
the
course
of
their
studies,

which
is
why
a
start
with
quan6ta6ve

research
is
chosen.
This
is
the
deduc6ve
and

confirmatory
part
of
the
research.
However,

one
has
to
admit
that
the
topic
is
very

personal
and
open
to
a
lot
of
interpreta6on,

which
is
why
it
is
necessary
to
gain
a
deeper

understanding
of
people’s
thoughts,
by

interviewing
some
of
them.
One
has
to

recognize
the
limits
of
quan6ta6ve
research

and
the
op6ons
provided
in
the
ques6ons.

Celeste,
B.
(2000).
We
must
be
the
change
we
want
to
see
in
the
world:
Psychologists
in
the
statehouse.
Professional
Psychology:

Research
And
Prac4ce,
31(5),
469-‐472.
doi:10.1037/0735-‐7028.31.5.469

McGue,
M.,
Hirsch,
B.,
&
Lykken,
D.
(1993).
Age
and
the
self-‐percep6on
of
ability:
A
twin
study
analysis.
Psychology
and
Aging,
8(1),

72-‐80.

Wydick,
B.
(2013).
The
Research
that
Proves
You
Can
Change
the
World.
A
Holy
Experience.
Retrieved
17
April
2015,
from
h:p://

www.aholyexperience.com/2013/06/the-‐research-‐that-‐proves-‐you-‐can-‐change-‐the-‐world/

Sample
for
qualita6ve
part:

Purposive
sampling
–
interviews
with
6
to
9

selected
students

Data
collec6on
for
quan6ta6ve
part:

Conduc6on

of
surveys

Data
analysis
for
qualita6ve
part:

Interpret
people’s
interview
statements
in

rela6on
to
the
quan6ta6ve
data

Methodology
Approach: mixed methods;
questionnaires together with
interviews with 2 students, one
involved in voluntary work and one
who is not, from each group.
Sample: the sample for the
interviews consists of 4 students in
total; 2 high school students and 2
university students. The
questionnaires will be send to
students from different faculties of
Maastricht University.
Schedule:
Being involved in extra curricular
activities has increased in
importance for both high school
and university students. It is
shown that doing voluntary work
during college gives following
long term results; earning higher
degrees, socializing with people
from different racial/ethnic
groups, and developing a more
meaningful life philosophy (Giles
Jr & Eyler, 1994; Avalos, Sax, &
Astin, 1999).
Additionally, volunteer work
showed to be a protective factor
for risky and problem behaviours,
it is linked to better academic
performance, and volunteering
high school students were more
likely to be enrolled in college at
age 21 (Eccles & Barber, 1999).
Aims and objectives
The aim of this research is to find
out whether high school students or
university students are more involved
in volunteer projects. Additionally,
the research wants to find out what
factors play a role in doing voluntary
work and what motives students
from both groups have to do or not
do voluntary work.
References:
Avalos, J., Sax, L. J., & Astin, A. W. (1999).
Long-term effects of volunteerism during
the undergraduate years. The Review of
Higher Education, 22(2), 187-202.
Eccles, J. S., & Barber, B. L. (1999).
Student Council, Volunteering, Basketball,
or Marching Band: What Kind of
Extracurricular Involvement Matters?
Journal of Adolescent Research, 14(1), 10-
43. doi: 10.1177/0743558499141003
Giles Jr, D. E., & Eyler, J. (1994). The
impact of a college community service
laboratory on students' personal, social,
and cognitive outcomes. Journal of
Adolescence, 17(4), 327-339. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jado.1994.1030
Abstract: research shows that volunteer work has many
positive effects, it helps build character and could
consequently lead to a more understanding society. If this is
known, what can still be the reasons for students to choose to
do volunteer work or not?
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Create questionnaires X
Distributing questionnaires & interviews X X
Data collection X
Data analysis X X X
Writing and revising X X

SHOULD HAVE I TAKEN A GAP YEAR?
Andrea Marinkovic
A gap year can be described as taking time out of the
academic setting in order to pursue a number of
different activities, from volunteering, working or
simply travelling. It is usually a period of time before
one’s enrolment into higher education or before
entering a career. Recent research has shown that gap
years are beneficial for young people, helping them
obtain new skills and advancing personal growth.
(Martin, 2010)
This research aims to investigate whether there is a
difference in academic performance between
students who have taken a gap year (GYS) and those
who have not (NGYS). It will investigate whether the
skills obtained during the gap year have an influence
on their general academic performance.
The sample size is 40 in total: 20 students who had a
gap year and 20 who have not. All students study
Maastricht University, however at different faculties
and are of various ages and ethnicities.
Firstly, a semi-constructed interview will be
conducted with the participants in order to
investigate what skills they perceive to have
(NGYS) and what skills they have obtained during
their gap year (GYS). The data collected is
qualitative. The skills will be split in behavioural
categories such as (1) life skills (gaining
independence, how to preserve money) and (2)
interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.
The general academic performance is quantitatively
measured and compared by looking at grades and
GPAs of the students.
The research would also investigate whether taking a
gap year influences academic performance in one
particular field, or just in general academic terms.
Time Organisation:
Week 1 – selection of sample, gathering grade reports
Week 2 – construction and conduction of the interviews
Week 3 – data analysis
Unfortunately, the influences of gap years have only
recently become a hot topic, with the increasing
number of students taking a break before enrolling
into higher education. Therefore, not much previous
research has been done. This research would provide
a guideline for young students and their parents when
it comes to making a decision about the next step, but
also would be beneficial for universities which require
particular skills to select their students.
VS
I6090978 University College Maastricht
Reference: Martin, A.J. (2010) Should students have a gap year? Motivation and performance factors relevant to
time out after completing school. Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol 102(3), 561-576.
Students who have
taken a gap year have
better academic
performance in
university.

 EXTRAVERSION AT UCM?
In every day life, most people tend to define extroversion as being outgoing
and talkative while they associate introversion with shyness and anti-socialism.
Findings of research psychologist and writer Susan Cain put emphasis on this
problematic misconception of introverts and shows that there are many
benefits to being an introvert in academia that are commonly ignored.
Her studies illustrate how the modern society is developed in a way that is
most accessible to extroverted people, because the stimulation levels are set
up to maximize the energies of extroverts rather than introverts. This is part
of the reason why people tend to develop negative associations with the trait
introversion. Susain Cain comes to conclude that the best study or work
environement is one in which introverts and extroverts are equally distributed.
Considering the PBL system at UCM, this study will attempt to investigate if
there is a preference for extroverted people at UCM.
 SAMPLE:
Stratified sampling of 100 freshmen students and staff members
involved in admission process
METHODOLOGY:
Quantitative ( Questionnaires)
• Self-reports of freshmen concerning their character
• Questionnaires for staff concerning admission
requirements
Qualitative ( Interviews)
• Admission’s staff on how they perceive the character
traits of the accepted students ( same sample of
students)
 RESEARCH QUESTION:
Are introverted students undervalued in the selection
process of UCM students.
 HYPOTHESIS:
There is a positive correlation between extroversion
and the admission at UCM as a student.
 RELEVANCE:
This study can be a useful tool to (1) avoid future
disproportions of extraverted and introverted students at
UCM and (2) to gain knowledge on the attitude towards
introverts at UCM
 EMPIRICAL RESEARCH
1. research on the differences:
• Avilia concludes that introverts are also more
negatively affected by background noise.
1. research on study preferences:
• Hutchinson concludes that extroverts prefer group
work and introverts prefer working alone
2. research societal values:
• Research by Adam Grant shows that introverted
people are passed over as leaders (bosses) even though
they can offer better outcomes in certain
circumstances
Week 1 50 student
questionnaires +
Staff
questionnaires
Week 2 50 student
questionnaires +
evaluation of
questionnaires
Week 3 Interviews Staff +
evaluation of
interviews
Week 4 Evaluation of
results + Conclusion
• Hutchinson, M., & Gul, F. (1997). The interactive effects of extroversion/introversion traits and collectivism/individualism cultural beliefs on student group learning preferences. Journal Of Accounting Education, 15(1), 95-107. doi:10.1016/s0748-5751(96)00046-2
• Avila, C., Furnham, A., & McClelland, A. (2011). The influence of distracting familiar vocal music on cognitive performance of introverts and extraverts. Psychology Of Music, 40(1), 84-93
• Grant, A., Gino, F., & Hoffmann, D. (2010). The Hidden Advantages of Quiet Bosses. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 22 April 2015, from https://hbr.org/2010/12/the-hidden-advantages-of-quiet-bosses
ANNELISE SCHEUREN / i6089946 / University College Maastricht

The VARK model outlines four different learning strategies: Visual, Auditory, Reading and Kinesthetic. Visual learners attain
information through interpreting graphs or diagrams. Auditory learners acquire insight through listening and discussing.
Students that prefer the reading strategy, learn by interpreting printed text. Kinesthetic learners gain understanding by
carrying out physical activities. Awareness of ones learning strategy leads to more efficient learning and an increased
understanding of the subject. Therefore it is important for students to know their strategy to fulfill their potential.
RQ: Which learning strategy is most preferred
by UCM students: The auditory, visual, reading
or kinesthetic learning strategy?
Methodology
A survey will be designed, incorporating both questions
from the VARK questionnaire and questions designed
specifically for UCM students. This questionnaire will
then be distributed to a random sample of 50 UCM
students. For every student it will be determined if he or
she has a preference for a specific learning style, and if
so which one. Subsequently, the results of the individual
data will be combined to see which learning style occurs
most often at UCM.
Designing
survey
Collecting
data
Interpreting
data
Writing
paper
Are you living up to your potential?
Earlier Empirical Work
Dobson (2010) did a comparison between learning style
preferences, perceived learning style preferences and
course performance. He discovered that the visual
strategy was most preferred, while the auditory strategy
was least preferred. Furthermore he found a relationship
between correctly perceived learning style preferences
and course performance.
Dobson, J. L. (2010). A comparison between learning style preferences and sex, status, and course performance. Advances in Physiology Education, 34, 197-204.

Are we, UCM students, really hippies? Are we not mainstream? The perception of UCM students by other UM students
Research question
Are UCM students more prone to subcultures by other UM students or
is it just an urban legend that we like to believe to be true?

Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that other UM students perceive us the ones who are
more into different and non‐mainstream stuff just because we do
different things. For example we study Liberal Arts, we have different
committees and societies and we organize events different from
academic or pub‐related ones.

Relevance
The aim of this research is to find out if UCM is perceived
as a different place from other UM faculties by examining
if other UM students thinks that UCM is a place for
subcultures.
The objective is to ask the opinion of UM students about
UCM students.
The relevance of this research is to show whether there
is significant difference between the spirit of UCM and
other UM faculties. This research will consider whether
thinking and acting differently inherently label a group
as a subculture. It will show if Liberal Arts education has
an effect on belonging to subcultures. It will also help
with our self‐identification so that we can learn if we are
really different from other UM students in their point of
view.
Introduction
Students of UCM tend to be considered as hippies by other
students form the other faculties of Maastricht University.
This research tries to identify the factors why UCM
students are perceived as more into subcultures than
other students form other UM faculties. On the one hand
these factors deal with the characteristics of subcultures
such as what is a subculture and how it differs from the
so‐called mainstream culture. On the other hand the
reasons have to be analyzed why other UM students think
we are different. What makes us different? Is it what we
think or how we think? Is it what we do outside school
such as the Foodbank, the sustainability and excursion
councils, the vegan and LGBTQ societies or the karaoke
nights? Is it that we dress differently? Is it because we
study Liberal Arts instead of law or medicine.
Methodology
The sample size for the research would be 10 or 20 students from
other UM faculties depending on the size of the student body. So
10 students from DKE and 20 from the Law Faculty for instance.
The sample would be random in the sense that only the faculties
are chosen pre‐ordained.
For this qualitative research the data would be gathered by simple
questionnaires with question(s) like “Do you think UCM is more a
place for subcultures than other faculties?” “Do you consider UCM
students as hippies?” “Do you think Liberal Arts education plays a
role in rejecting mainstream ideas?”
The research needs to include an explanation of subculture and
examples why and how it differs from the mainstream culture
Literature review
No real research has been done about this very topic because the
aim of this research is to create one. Moreover there is not much
about the possible correlation between Liberal Arts Education and
the increased presence of subcultures either. However, Lanham
(2003) in The Hipster Handbook identifies Liberal Arts education
is a possible cause for being hipster.

Lanham, A. (2003). The Hipster Handbook. New York, USA: Anchor Books
Bálint Hardy – I6090196

How
UCM
is
UCM?

Introduction
and
Background

Issues
of
a
global
scale
coin
todays’
society:
People
are
starving,

human
rights
are
violated,
and
global
warming
takes
place.
Yet,
what

do
WE
as
individuals
do
to
combat
this?
One
answer
to
this
question

is
“Charity”.
Charity
is
omnipresent;
you
may
donate
money
to
NGOs,

buy
products
with
a
certain
label
or
you
simply
become
active

yourself!
This
is
what
a
lot
of
UCM
students
already
do.

When
you

have
a
look
around
in
your
beloved
common
room,
you
see

representatives
of
the
Charity
Committee,
Amnesty
International,

Viva
con
Agua,
and
many
more
organizations.
Yet,
the
question
is:

Are
you
already
actively
participating
and
if
not,
what
keeps
you

from
starting
to
participate?

Research
Question

Which
factors
determine

the
degree
of
commitment

to
charitable
work
of
UCM

students?

Objectives

§ A
better
understanding
of
students’

motivation

à
How
can
students
be
motivated?

à
How
could
committees
recruit

members?

àWhat
could
the
UCM
as
a
faculty

change
or
do
to
stimulate
students’

voluntary
work
for
a
good
cause?

à
Are
we
true
altruists?

Methodology

Mixed
methodological
approach

a)
Quantitative
research:
online
questionnaires

for
UCM
students
à
the
sample
size
depends
on

UCM
students’
willingness
to
participate
(ca.

n=250)

b)
Qualitative
research:
Informal
interviews
with

about
seven
UCM
students
in
leading
positions
in

charitable
committees

Ben
Bachmann,
b.bachmann@student.maastrichtuniversity.nl

Expectations

There
are
internal
and
external
factors
influencing
a
student’s
commitment
internal
are
those,
that
cover
intrinsic

motivations
and
aims
in
life,
external
are
those,
which
depend
on
others.
The
following
factors
are
likely
to
occur

Internal
factors:

§ Altruistic
motivations:
We
have
a
positive
duty
to
help
those
in
need:

We
have,
thus
we
give
(see
Peter
Singer,
2006)

§ To
feel
better:
How
can
we
not
feel
guilty,
when
we
ignore
cruelties

happening
in
the
world
and
somehow
play
a
role
in
perpetuating
a

system
that
enables
those
inequalities
to
exist?
We
have
a
negative

duty
to
help
(see
Thomas
Pogge,
2004)

§ Good
reputation:
Charitable
work
mentioned
in
your
CV
is
always
well

received
by
employers

External
factors:

§ The
availability
of
opportunities
to
participate

o Awareness
and
promotion
by
committees

§ UCM
course
catalogue:

o Inequality
and
global
issues
are
omnipresent
in
almost
every
Social

Science
and
Humanities
course
at
UCM
(e.g.
Principles
of
Economics,

Political
Philosophy,
etc.)

§ Does
the
UCM
schedule
leave
enough
free
time
for
students
to
become
active?

§ Peer
pressure
à
Charitable
work
as
a
place
to
meet
people
and
have
a
social

life

Reference
List

Pogge,
T.
(2004).
Assisting
the
Global
Poor.
In
D.
K.
Chatterjee
(Ed.),
The
Ethics
of
Assistance:
Morality
and
the
Distant
Needy
(pp.
260-‐276).

Singer,
P.
(1972).
Famine,
affluence,
and
morality.
Philosophy
&
Public
Affairs,
229-‐243.

Thoits,
P.
A.,
&
Hewitt,
L.
N.
(2001).
Volunteer
work
and
well-‐being.
Journal
of
health
and
social
behavior,
115-‐131.

Wilson,
J.,
&
Musick,
M.
(1997).
Who
cares?
Toward
an
integrated
theory
of
volunteer
work.
American
Sociological
Review,
694-‐713.

Earlier
empirical
work

§ Musick
&
Wilson
created
a
Integrated
Theory
of
Volunteer
Work,
assessing
the
influence
of
voluntary
work
on
the

lives
of
Americans
(1997)

§ Thoits
&
Hewitt
assessed
the
relationship
between
volunteer
work
and
six
factors
of
well-‐being,
e.g.
happiness

based
on
data
from
“Americans’
Changing
Lives”
(2001)

 
RQ: What are the reasons for students in
Maastricht to voluntarily undergo a
student association hazing?
Introduction
Student life in Maastricht is very vivid and
active. There are several possibilities to
engage in social activities with other
students. One of them is becoming a
member of a student association. But when
one wishes to join one of the two major
student associations in Maastricht, one
needs to undergo a hazing. Over the years,
violent behavior and alcohol abuse have
been present at Dutch hazing activities. So
why are students voluntarily engaging in
hazing activity?
Hypothesis: students sign up for student associations
because they are in need of a group to belong to. They feel
like only a student association can fulfill this need. The
humiliation and intimidation that is involved in hazing
activities is a price the students are willing to pay.
Aims & Objectives
The aim of this research is to discover the motives for
students in Maastricht to voluntarily undergo the
humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation and other negative
aspects of Dutch hazing activities, using qualitative
research in the form of interviewing. The members of the
two major student associations will be interviewed about
their reasons to sign up for a student association
memberships and about their thoughts before, during and
after the hazing. Furthermore, their personal opinion on
the necessity of hazing activity will be asked. This will help
to understand the process of thought of students in
Maastricht that results in voluntarily undergoing a hazing.
Methodology & time planning
The interviews will be constructed in a period of
three days. Then, twenty different members of a
student association in Maastricht will be
interviewed. This will be done in three weeks.
Lastly, the results of the interviews will be
analyzed and a conclusion will be drawn in the
last four days of the four weeks time the research
will take.
References
Allan, E.J. & Madden, M.
(2012). The nature and
extent of college student
hazing. International
Journal of Adolescent
Medicine and
Health. Volume 24, Issue
1, Pages 83–90
Catrien de Vries
i6086136

Fleur
Kerssemakers
i6091049

RESEARCH
QUESTION

“Is
there
a
correlaCon
between
the
acCveness
of
a
Dutch
University

College
Maastricht
student
in
a
student
associaCon
such
as
MSRV

Saurus,
SV
Koko,
MSV
Tragos
and
SV
Circumflex,
and
their
grade
point

average?”

INTRODUCTION

v  Many
Dutch
students
in
Maastricht
join
a
student
associaCon.
The

amount
of
Cme
spent
with
these
student
associaCons
depends

enCrely
on
the
student’s
acCveness.
Joining
a
student
associaCon
is

not
only
about
parCes
and
fun,
however
one
can
learn
many

different
things
by
joining
the
different
commissions
or
even
by

becoming
president.

v  UCM
is
a
demanding
program
that
requires
a
lot
of
effort
from
the

students.
Now
the
quesCon
is
whether
joining
a
student
associaCon

has
an
impact
of
one’s
GPA
at
UCM.

METHODOLOGICAL
APPROACH

Approach:
QuanCtaCve
and
inducCve
research

Sample:
Dutch
UCM
students,
students
that
are

and
that
are
not
in
a
student
associaCon

Variables:

Independent-‐
the
acCveness
in
a
student

associaCon

Dependent-‐
GPA
of
UCM
student

Sampling:
The
sampling
will
be
done
through
a

quesConnaire.
This
will
personally
be
handed
out

to
receive
the
maximum
amount
of
responses.

Students
which
are
on
a
semester
abroad
will
be

emailed
with
the
quesConnaire.

Analyzing:
StaCsCcal
analysis
will
be
done
on
the

results
of
the
quesConnaire.

Work
schedule:

Week
1&
2-‐
collect
all
the
data

Week
3-‐
Analyze
the
results
and
write
report

Week
4-‐
Edit
drae
and
write
final
drae

RELEVANCE

v  If
there
were
to
be
a
negaCve
or
posiCve
correlaCon
between

acCveness
in
a
student
associaCon
and
GPA,
it
would
be
easier
for

students
to
decide
whether
or
not
to
join
a
student
associaCon

v  If
there
is
no
correlaCon,
one
would
not
have
the
excuse
of
GPA
to

not
join
a
student
associaCon,
and
can
benefit
from
all
the

advantages
and
learning
experiences
a
student
associaCon
gives

PRIOR
RESEARCH

v  Previous
research
only
addresses
fraterniCes

and
sororiCes,
not
student
associaCons

v  Very
inconclusive

REFERENCES

Blake,
C.
(2015,
January
1).
What
Impact
Do
FraterniCes
Have
on
EducaCon?
Retrieved
March
25,

2015,
from
hkp://educaCon.seaklepi.com/impact-‐fraterniCes-‐educaCon-‐1164.html

Bureau,
D.,
Grace
Ryan,
H.,
Ahren,
C.,
Shoup,
R.,
&
Torres,
V.
(2011).
Student
Learning
In

FraterniCes
And
SororiCes:
Using
Nsse
Data
To
Describe
Members’
ParCcipaCon
In
EducaConally

Meaningful
AcCviCes
In
College.
The
Research
Journal
of
the
Associa3on
of
Fraternity/Sorority

Advisors,
6(1),
22-‐22.

Rubens,
W.
(2013,
June
21).
Studiesucces
bevorderen
via
acCef
leren.
Retrieved
March
25,
2015,

from
hkp://www.te-‐learning.nl/blog/studiesucces-‐bevorderen-‐via-‐acCef-‐leren/

HYPOTHESIS

v  There
is
a
negaCve
correlaCon

between
the
acCveness
in
a

student
associaCon
and
GPA

v  Due
to
less
Cme
lee
to
spend

at
UCM

THE MOST EFFICIENT ACADEMIC SOURCE
Introduction
In the process of writing an essay, a student
can choose either between an e-reader or a
paper version of a book. This research is about
finding which medium is the best in the writing
process of an essay. These sources might seem
very similar but the research process, in order
to writing in an essay, might be influenced by
the medium of information. Using an e-reader
is the direct result of database research.
However, the process of going through an
entire book in order to find information might
be more fruitful as the student can encounter
additional information resulting in a better
essay quality.
Gaspard van der Woude (i6086278)
Methodology
The quality of a student’s essays
is reflected by his GPA,
especially in an environment
such as a UCM where student
are expected to write multiples
essays. In order to show the
correlation between the
medium of information and the
quality of the paper a survey
will be used. Based on
multiples choice questions.
These questions will ask which
sources the student uses in
relation to his GPA. Once the
survey over, a statistical
approach through SPSS will be
used in order to show the
correlation.Research Question
What is the most valuable source of
information, between books and e-readers,
which students can use in the process of
writing an essay?
Hypotheses
Books are a more efficient source, as the
process of going through the book in order to
look for one particular information might result
in the finding of additional information that
could increase the quality of the paper.
Literature review
As there is no previous literature on this specific topic, it shows the need to
achieve this research. However, similar researches will be analysed. First a
research from the Australian University focusing on the capacity of student to
work with an e-reader. The results showed that 60% of the population are
comfortable working with this medium of information. Nevertheless, it means
that 40% are not at ease to work with such.
Another research, directed by Lensen, concerning much younger generations
and there relations towards both medium of information. The result of this
research shows that younger generations are considering e-readers as a more
incentive source to work with.
The controversy of the result of these researches and my hypotheses shows
the need for further research on this topic.
Reference list:
Lensen, S. (2015, February 23). Potential of
e-readers. Retrieved from:
http://www.euread.com/organisations/res
earch/potential_of_e-readers/
Tees, T. (2010). E-readers in academic
literature. The Australian Library Journal,
59(4) pp. 180-186

DOES FREQUENT, “EXCESSIVE” ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION AFFECT GRADES?
INTRODUCTION
Traditionally, students are perceived
within a stereotype of constant
drinking and partying. This, combined
with many conceptions about the
effects of drinking means that many
presume students to be
underachieving as a result of this
lifestyle. However, is this really true?
Many “party” students achieve good
grades, and many “sensible” students
do not. This leads to the question; is it
the effects of alcohol which cause this,
or some other, unrelated factor?
METHODOLOGY
This research will be conducted via a qualitative
survey, containing some quantitative aspects.
Students who take the online survey will be
asked to estimate their weekly alcohol
consumption, which will then be compared to the
scientific limit for their age, weight, height and
gender. They will also be asked for their G.P.A.
This data will then be gathered,
RESEARCH QUESTION
What is the average G.P.A grade
of students who admit to frequent,
“excessive” alcohol consumption
at Maastricht University and how
does this compare to the average
G.P.A grade of other students
who consume less alcohol?
SAMPLE
20 male and 20 females UM students will be
asked to complete the survey, which will be
distributed online, anonymously. This is because
it asks for details of sensitive information such
as weight, and weekly alcohol consumption and
G.P.A.
RELEVANCE
Previous research into this topic has been
inconclusive. Many studies were conducted with
the intention of deterring students from drinking,
and so are not extremely reliable, as well as
being affected by the reliability of the students
themselves – something noted by Perkins in his
1996 study. Others have tried to include too
many other factors, making it unclear if alcohol
was the causal factor, such as Wood’s 2000
study. I hope to provide conclusive information,
as this is extremely relevant to the lifestyles of
many students.
HYPOTHESIS
The hypothesis is that there is
some, though not considerably
large, correlation between
drinking and having lower
grades.
Georgia
Pegden

problem
If the title of this poster grabs your at-
tention, you are probably familiar with
people questioning the importance of
art. You know that the amount of stu-
dents choosing cultural programs is
decreasing, and that there are few stu-
dents at UCM focusing on arts and
culture.
Who wants to reverse these develop-
ments nevertheless needs to dive
deeper than the potential of the job
market. A solution could possibly be
found in childhood, with cultural in-
terests still to be shaped. Thus, the
proposed research will examine the re-
lation between an early acquaintance
with arts and the interests in arts and
culture at the age of student.
Research question
Is there a positive correlation between
the level of familiarity with analysing
art at elementary age and the cultural
participation and interest of students?
Hypothesis
Students who indicate a higher level of
familiarity with analysing arts are more
likely to participate in cultural activies,
as well as taking cultural courses. They
indicate a higher cultural interest.
Relevance
In contrary to previous research, the
proposed research will examine the im-
portance of art for the sake of art. It
will examine how learning art theory
and going to museums is related to cul-
tural interests in later life.
Previous research
Available data proves that an early edu-
cation in the arts can have significant
positive influences. Caterall for instance
showed that a high involvement in the
arts leads to a comparative advantage of
more than 0,30 in composite test scores
(1999). Furthermore, twin research
showes that interests are partially nur-
tured (Lykken et al., 1993).
Methodology
A quantitative survey will be carried
out at UCM and other faculties. Com-
plementary to this, if time is not too li-
mited, interviews could be conducted
with students focusing on the arts.
WHY DO YOU STUDY ART?Clarifying the relationship between childhood analysing of art and student´s interest in arts and culture.
Hanna Hesemans - I6087697

Introduction: Does television make people stupid? Is there a psychological
difference between watching Game of Thrones and watching Keeping up with the
Kardashians? Is the problem with watching television that it makes students lethargic or
is the issue with the content itself? This research will attempt to answer these questions
and to further understand the relationship that students have with television.
Relevance: IQ is a number that indicates the relative
intelligence of individuals, researching the correlation between
IQ and tv shows will give us insight into the different factors
that interact with the human brain’s performance.
Methodology
Sampling: students from Maastricht University using simple random
probability sampling.
Qualitative interview: in order to understand the relationship between
television and IQ, the research will interview a handful of students
from SBE, FASOS, UCM and the Law Faculty.
Survey: additionally, the research will send via e-mail a survey to
every student in Maastricht, asking them their IQ, the television
shows they watch, the hours spend studying and the hours spend
watching television shows.
Earlier Empirical Work:
Two researcher have investigated the effects of television and school performance:
Researchers investigated the impact of television on school learning through an
empirical research and found that the effects of watching television become detrimental
when individuals watched more than 10 hours per week (Haertel, Haertel, Walberg
&Williams, 1982). Furthermore, a study was conducted by Perry Childers and James
Ross on the relationship between student achievement and watching television. They
found out that there was a slight negative relationship between the hours spent watching
television and GPA (Childers & Ross, 1973).
References
Childers, P., & Ross, J. (1973). The Relationship between
Viewing Television and Student Achievement. The

Journal Of Educational Research, 66(7), 317-319.
doi: 10.1080/00220671.1973.10884493
Williams, P., Haertel, E., Haertel, G., & Walberg, H.
(1982). The Impact of Leisure-Time Television on
School Learning: A Research Synthesis. American

Educational Research Journal, 19(1), 19-50.
doi:10.3102/00028312019001019
Research Question: To what extent do the
different television shows affect the IQ of Maastricht’s
University students?
Hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1: televisions shows that are intellectually challenging
and/or informative have a positive correlation with IQ if the
weekly time spent watching television shows remains relatively
low.
Hypothesis 2: there is a negative correlation between the number
of hours spent watching television shows and the IQ of a student,
i.e the more tv shows a student watches the lower her/his IQ.
Hypothesis 3: students will feel less likely inclined to spend hours
studying after having watched a television show.
TELEVISION PROJECT

Comparison of the Motivations of International and Dutch
students to Study at
Iona Donaldson i6088261
Research Question
What are the most important factors for students to
choose UCM and do the most important factors differ
between Dutch and international students?
Aims
To rank the factors in importance based on survey results
and compare the ranking of Dutch and international
students
Hypotheses
International and Dutch students have similar important
factors such as ranking however certain ones such as
cost were more prominent to the international sample.
References
Bowers, T. A., & Pugh, R. C. (1973). A Comparison of Factors Underlying College Choice by Students and Parents. Journal of College Student Personnel, 14(3), 220–24.
Drewes, T., & Michael, C. (2006). How do students choose a university?: an analysis of applications to universities in Ontario, Canada. Research in Higher Education, 47(7), 781–800. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-006-
9015-6
Foskett, N., & Hemsley-Brown, J. (2001). Model consumers? A model of choice and decision-making in educational markets. Presented at the Annual Conference of the British Educational Research Association,
University of Leeds.
Abstract
The choice of university is a difficult decision for
any potential student. Many factors influence
student’s final choice such as the advice of
relations or an institution’s reputation. By
comparing international and Dutch students
this study aims to determine the most
important factors in convincing students to
study at UCM.
Methodological Approach
Independent variable = nationality of
student
Dependent variable = ranking of factors
The population for the research will be the
student body of UCM.
The sample of the research will be the
people who answer the survey. An
opportunistic sampling strategy is used as
students choose to participate themselves.
The results will be collected by sending out a
web survey on Facebook to get responses from
Dutch and international students. The survey
will be posted in the UCM group and also the
UCM Freshman 2015 Facebook group. A 5
point Likert scale will be utilised in the survey
for each of the 13 factors to assess their
importance. The survey will be kept short to
encourage participation.
The data collected will then undergo
statistical analysis with SPSS.
Previous Empirical Research
Hemsley-Brown and Foskett (2001)- created a
model that identified ‘patterns’ of choice that
interlink to make educational choices.
Bowers and Pugh (1973) identified 22 reasons
for choosing a certain university. The survey used
in this study will contain the 13 factors
determined to be the most important by their
study at Indiana University.
Relevance
By determining what attracted current students UCM can
develop an effective marketing strategy. Drewes and Micheal
(2006) point out the lack of research into the reasons for
choosing a university, while its importance for a university
financially as students are their main source of income.
The study will also highlight the information students need
to make informed decisions. For example if cost is a major
factor then students need to know about the financial
implications associated with UCM.
UCM will also be aware of what specifically attracts
international students as they are keen to have a large
international student population.
Philosophical Reflection
Nomothetic- to find general laws covering
UCM student population
Quantitative- carried out using surveys
Post-positivist research- knowledge affected
by researcher as they select initial factors to
include in survey. Educational choices are also
complex rather than solely influenced by
single, discrete factors so reality is hard to
capture.
Week 1 2 3 4
Creation and Piloting of Survey
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Report Preparation
students to Study at

Participation Grades – Incentive or Obstacle?
A Quantitative Research Examining the Effects of Participation Grades on UCM Students
References
Schedule + Key Elements
i6097570
JannekeWestra
Research Methods II
April 22, 2015 Period 5
Abstract
Methodology
Research Question
Earlier Work Participation Grades
Task Week
- Online questionnaires
- UCM Students
- Investigating influence
of participation grades to
in-class participation and
overall class performance
- Some courses do
use participation grades
- Effects of such grades on students
[for instance anxiety]
- Relation between preparedness in-
class and participation
Although the 'Problem Based Learning' -
teaching method is used all over
Maastricht University, not many faculties
include participation grades in their final
grading. At University College
Maastricht, however, several courses do
grade students on their participation in
tutorials. PBL heavily relies on active
discussions and thus participation, but it
is uninvestigated if there exists any
relation between active participation
and a participation grade. It is relevant
to examine this to evaluate and improve
the PBL-system.
This study aims to examine the effects of
such grades on UCM students to
investigate if they serve as an incentive
to participate or have detrimental
effects on students. Aside from the main
Research Question mentioned above,
the research also includes the following
sub-question: 'Is participation
representative of how prepared UCM
Students are in tutorials?’
• Quantitative Research
• Sample: All UCM Students
[probability sampling: simple random]
• Questionnaires distributed via e-mail
and UCM Facebook Page
• Consisting of sections addressing
different aspects of PBL, classroom
participation and how participation is
graded
• Statistical Data analysis through
histograms and pie-charts [SPSS]
• Dependent variable: Participation in
class
• Independent variable: Being graded
on participation; preparedness
Is grading participation at Maastricht
University College beneficial to
student learning and account for
more active discussions?
Boniecki, K. A., &
Moore, S. (2003).
Breaking the silence:
Using a token economy
to reinforce classroom
participation. Teaching
of Psychology, 30,
224227.
Jacobs, L. C., and
Chase, C. I. (1992)
Developing and Using
Tests Effectively: A
Guide for Faculty. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Davis, B. G. (1995). Tools
for Teaching. The
Journal of Higher
Education.
Smith, D. H. (1992).
Encouraging students’
participation in large
classes: A modest
proposal. Teaching
Sociology, 20, 337-339.
Rocca, K. A. (2010).
Student Participation in
the College Classroom,
59, 185-213.
- Grading participation is disadvantageous
for certain (for instance shy) students
- Interpreting student behavior is difficult
and subjective
- No direct correlation between being
prepared and participating in class
However:
- The reward of a good grade works as an
extra motivation to participate
- Participation in class prominently depends
on how severe it weighs on students' final
grades
- The more students participate, the less
memorization they have to do

How many of your friends in Maastricht are nonstudents?
Topic and Research question:
The overarching topic of this research is
the relationship between the student and
nonstudent population in Maastricht. More
specifically it will look into the prejudices
the nonstudents population may have about
the student population. Its research
question will be: What, if any, are the
prejudices Maastricht’s nonstudent
population has about Maastricht’s student
population and why does it have these
prejudices?
Research Question: What, if any, are the
prejudices Maastricht’s nonstudent
population has about Maastricht’s
student population and why does it
have these prejudices?
It may also be interesting to compare the
outcomes of this research to earlier
research of prejudices about immigrants, to
see which differences and similarities can
be found (Quillian, 1995).
Methodology:
This research will use qualitative
methods. Since this research aims to
uncover the, possibly unconscious,
reasoning which leads to the
prejudices of the nonstudent
population about the student
population qualitative research
methods are most appropriate. The
data will be gathered via semi-
structured interviews with ten to
fifteen different nonstudents living in
Maastricht.
Structure: Qualitative research
via semi-structured interviews.
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Formulate
interview
questions
X
Find
participants
X X
Conduct
interviews
X X X
Analyse
data
X X
Write
report
X X
Revise X
Time schedule:
Relevance:
A profound understanding of the
prejudices against students is
essential for improving the relationship
between students and nonstudents in
Maastricht. This research can help to
achieve that.
Sampling:
The participants for the interviews
will be selected via snowball
sampling in the nonstudent
population of Maastricht.
References:
Quillian, L. (1995). Prejudice as a Response to Perceived Group
Threat: Population Composition and Anti-
Immigrant and Racial Prejudice in Europe.
American Sociological Review, 60 (4), 586-
611. Retrieved February 22, 2015, from
http://www.jstor.org/
Jintro Pauly I6087908

Relevance
AIM: To find out UCM students’ opinion on the grading system and to explore its main issues,
qualities and future recommendations.
OBJECTIVE: Questionnaires and surveys that will identify the main problems and/or
satisfactions concerning the grading system at UCM. Interviews will also provide further insight.
RELEVANCE: of this research is to see whether the students are actually content and satisfied
with the way in which their academic performance is being measured at UCM.
Sample
Questionnaires: the sample size would consist of 60 UCM students divided in three groups
of 20. In every group, there will be 10 male students and 10 female with all three groups
being from a different academic year at UCM. So we will have 20 first year students, 20
second year students, and 20 third year students.
Interviews: I will randomly select 10 students that have answered my questionnaires in
order to get a deeper understanding on their opinions regarding the topic.
Methodology
In general, I will be using a mixed methods approach to the data collection in order to obtain
qualitative and quantitative data. For the questionnaires I would use a mixed-questionnaire
format which includes both open and close ended questions. This questionnaire would start
off with close-ended questions such as “Are you satisfied with the current grading system at
UCM? Yes or no,” in order to have an impression on that respondent’s standpoint from the
very beginning.
Furthermore I will include the open ended questions as the questionnaire develops with
questions such as “If you are not fully satisfied with the current UCM grading system, where
do you think the biggest problem lies?” Moreover, additional questions will be included so
that the respondent can develop his thoughts though in a concise and short manner.
For the interview part of the research, I would chose a focused interview since I will have
previous knowledge on the respondent’s opinion and answers from the questionnaires. This
will be my chance to clarify on any interesting points I have identified in the questionnaire.
Also, it gives the interviewee the chance to speak freely about the topic.
Introduction
As a first year student in his 2nd
semester, I have realized that many students I have talked to
have shown dissatisfaction with the grading system used in UCM. Some claim that the level of
strictness varies greatly between tutors when it comes to grading, others have told me that
they feel uncomfortable about their grades being published on the same site as everyone else’s,
making the comparison with the rest of the course inevitable.
Moreover, studies at other universities such as the University of Technology Sidney with similar
structures as UCM are facing the same issue and are all trying to solve this dilemma.
However, there are also students who seem satisfied and content with the way their grades are
being handled. So in order to solve the grading debate for once and for all, this calls for a mixed-
research methodology!
Research Question
Do students feel comfortable
and equally handled with the
grading system currently used
by UCM staff?
Solve the grading debate at UCM for once and for all!
Report on Grading Discrepancies. (2015). Arts & Science Undergraduate Society, 14-14. Retrieved April 19, 2015,
from http://www.queensasus.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Report-on-grading-discrepancies.pdf
Willey, K., & Gardner, A. (2010). Improving the standard and consistency of multi-tutor grading in large classes.
Retrieved April 20, 2015, from http://www.iml.uts.edu.au/pdfs/Willey.pdf
Jonas van Hooff 6087649

Research question
- How can class rankings affect students' performances?
Hypotheses
- Making students aware of their rankings in class will make them more competitive.
- Higher competition among students will improve their overall results.
#1
#2
Abstract
The attitude of the current genera-
tion is often linked to a culture of
mediocracy. Educational institu-
tions are regularly confronted
with this problem and they try to
create incentives for their students
to become more diligent. This re-
search will try to find out if rank-
ings can give students enough
motivation to lift them out of the
culture of C’s.
Earlier research
Some schools use rankings and
students with the highest rankings
are rewarded. Research has
shown that rankings like these
have the ability to predict future
performances, but it is not yet
proven that they also have an in-
fluence on future outcomes
(Loftus, Arnold, Willoughby, &
Connolly, 1992). Nevertheless,
Stiglitz (1984) has shown that a
competitive environment creates
incentives to work harder.
Kim Verspeek—I6084615
#3 Relevance
- Knowing whether students are influenced by the knowledge of their rankings, can give
educational institutions an incentive to introduce or not to introduce a ranking system in
their schools and therefore insure the best possible performances of their students.
Methodology
- Quantitative experiment
- Sample: two groups of forty
students
- Independent variable: receiving
the rankings or receiving no
rankings at all
- Dependent variable: the results
of the second test
#5Schedule
References: Loftus, L.S., Arnold, L., Willoughby, M.S., & Connolly, A. (1992). First-year residents’ performances compared with their
medical school class ranks as determined by three ranking systems. Academic medicine, 67(5)
Stiglitz, J.E., (1984). Theory of competition, incentives and, risk. Econometric research program research memorandum, 311
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In the pedagogic concept of PBL, learning is achieved through
creating a problem in a group and solving it by assessing
learning resources in a self-directed way. PBL aims to support
team work as well as to provide students with flexible
knowledge, the skill to solve complex problems, self-directed
learning and motivation.
Ever since its adaption in educational institutions, PBL
has been subject to controversies. Earlier, mostly qualitative
research focused on achievements of PBL regarding students’
performance in comparison with directed forms of learning.
This qualitative research takes a different approach: it aims to
uncover how students themselves experience PBL and what
stand they take towards the concept.
How do students at UCM experience problem-
based learning?
Until now, only little research has focused on students’ attitude towards
PBL. Therefore, this study is theoretically relevant: turning to “insiders”
will reveal an important perspective on the learning concept. PBL
students are directly affected and might contribute to the debate in a new
way, proposing strengths and flaws which have not been considered by
academics yet.
Furthermore, the research is socially relevant: since students’
satisfaction with their current format of learning might be crucial to their
motivation and overall well-being, this study might come up with
propositions of how to enhance the practice of PBL at UCM, taking the
opinion of its students into account.
The research will be designed as a qualitative case study,
focusing only on the opinion of students within UCM. Since the
study is explorative, the research question is defined relatively
broad in order to leave room for diverse viewpoints. The
sample will comprise 45 students, thereof 15 of each academic
year. Data will be collected in semi-structured interviews.
Possible questions are: How do you see the advantages and
disadvantages of PBL? Would you say PBL is too
demanding for students in their first year? How do you see
the role of the tutor in PBL? How would you evaluate PBL
in comparison with other directed forms of learning?
Lea Dannich (i6089663) Image source: http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/web/Faculties/SBE/TargetGroup/Education/researchmaster/EducationalProfile/ProblemBasedLearning.htm

The intention of this study is to find
out if the quality of a UCM student’s
diet has influence on his/her GPA.
Previous empirical studies
Sampling
Data collection
Relevance
Aim
•  These two previously done empirical studies
support the hypothesis (van der Velde,
2015).
1.  Study in North Tripura district, India looked
into the effect of nutrition on college
students. This survey showed that BMI and
fat consumption are negatively correlated
with academic achievement (Ghosh & Saha,
2013).
2.  During a study in Nova Scotia, Canada 5200
Grade five students were surveyed as part
of the Children’s Lifestyle and School-
performance Study. Again, there was a clear
correlation found between low diet quality
and poor academic performance. (Florence,
Asbridge, & Veugelers, 2008)
This study is relevant because when
a correlation is discovered between
a healthy diet and better academic
performance, students will be more
aware of their eating habits. This will
not only improve the academic
performance of the students but
also the student’s overall health at
UCM (van der Velde, 2015).
•  Surveymonkey.com will be used to
create the questionnaire.
•  UCM students will be able to fill out the
questionnaire on multiple devices such
as phones, tablets and computers.
•  Consequently, SPSS will be used to put
the data into graphs or any other
possible correlation figures.
•  So, Survey Monkey together with SPSS
will be used to gather and analyses the
data needed for the research.
Population:
•  Students studying at UCM.
•  Stratified random sampling:
students divided into groups,
according to current
semester.
•  Within each semester, a
simple random probability
sample is used to select 30
students.
•  In total, the sample of
students used is therefore
180 in total.
•  The expectations are
that there will be a
correlation between a
healthy diet and a
student’s GPA at UCM.
•  To be more precise
expected is that a
positive correlation
between an unhealthy
diet and lower academic
performance will be
found.
Hypothesis
The questionnaire will consist of a closed
question and scaled questions.
•  Students will be asked to fill in their
average GPA.
•  Further questions will attempt to
identify what the quality of the diet of
the students is. Questions could range
from asking what a student’s BMI is to
what quantify of vegetables they eat
every day.
•  Other questions will be based on an
eating habits questionnaire by the
Dana-Farber cancer institute. (van der
Velde, 2015)
•  This research can be seen as an
analytical survey because it has a
deductive approach and fits in the
philosophical framework of positivism
because it deals with a reality that
consists of what is available to the
senses and therefore discusses facts
and not values. The research will be
conducted in a value-neutral way and
is therefore objective. The ultimate
goal is to confirm or refute the
hypothesis through observation,
analysis and measurements (van der
Velde, 2015)
References:
•  Florence,
Michelle D,
Asbridge, Mark, &
Veugelers, Paul J.
(2008). Diet
Quality and
Academic
Performance*.
Journal of School
Health, 78(4),
209-215.
•  Ghosh, Santanu,
& Saha,
Haradhan.
(2013). The Role
of Adequate
Nutrition on
Academic
Performance of
College Students
in North Tripura.
The Online
Journal of New
Horizons in
Education, 41.
•  Van der Velde, L
(2015). Research
proposal.
Unpublished
manuscript.
Maastricht
University
Philosophical reflection

A case study to the opinion of UCM students
towards internships and extracurricular activities.
Introduction
In the past few years, the
unemployment of graduated
students has been rising. In 2014,
one third of the just graduated
population in the Netherlands could
not find a job fitting their level of
education (Zeeuw, 2014). The
competition between graduates in
the labor market has been
increasing and this is due to a rise in
higher education students. A degree
itself does not guarantee anymore
for a job and an expanded résumé
can therefore be helpful. Doing
internships or extracurricular
activities is one strategy to achieve
this positional advantage. Students
from University College Maastricht
(UCM) have already the advantage
of studying at a leading university in
the Netherlands, but do they also
believe they have to expand their
résumé?
Research Question
Do students of UCM believe doing extracurricular activities
or internships during their Bachelor are necessary for
career-employment later in life?
Hypothesis
Students from UCM are highly motivated students and are
willing to do internships or extracurricular activities for
their own personal interest, not necessarily to gain an
advantage for career-employment later in life.
Earlier empirical work
Callanan, G., & Benzing, C. (2004).
Assessing the role of internships in the
career-oriented employment of
graduating college students. Education+
Training, 46(2), 82-89.
Roulin, N., & Bangerter, A. (2013).
Students’ use of extra-curricular
activities for positional advantage in
competitive job markets. Journal of
Education and Work, 26(1), 21-47.
Methods
Construct basis for the
qualitative interview.
Interview twenty
students from UCM.
Analyze and drawn a
conclusion from the
interviews.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3

Do
UCM
students
learn
more
effec3vely

when
taking
notes
by
hand
or
by
laptop

during
lectures?

ABSTRACT:
The
aim
of
this
research
is
to
discover

whether
there
is
a
difference
between
the
quality
of

knowledge
amongst
UCM
students
aFer
a
lecture
when

looking
at
whether
they
take
notes
by
hand
or
by

laptop.
In
the
past
there
have
already
been
a
few

studies
on
this
specific
topic.
However
this
experiment

would
s3ll
be
relevant
to
do
as
it
shows
whether
it

would
be
beLer
for
UCM
students
to
use
or
to
not
use

their
laptops
to
take
notes.

Refernces:
Bui,
D.,
Myerson,
J.,
&
Hale,
S.
(2013).
Note-‐taking
with
computers:
Exploring
alterna3ve
strategies
for
improved
recall.
Journal
of
Educa3onal

Psychology,
105(2),
299-‐309.

Bigenho,
C.,
&
Lin,
L.
(2011).
Note-‐taking
and
memory
in
different
media
environments.
Computers
in
the
Schools,
28(3),
200.

METHODOLOGY:
For
this
experiment
a
quan3ta3ve

approach
would
fit
best
as
we
are
aiming
to
compare

two
different
groups
of
people,
UCM
students
who
take

notes
by
hand
and
those
who
take
notes
by
laptop.
A

ques3onnaire
consis3ng
of
one
part
open
ques3ons
and

one
part
mul3ple
choice
ques3ons
will
be
used
to

measures
possible
differences.
However
before
the

par3cipants
will
fill
out
the
ques3onnaire
they
will
be

shown
a
short
video/presenta3on
on
which
they
have
to

take
notes.

HYPOTHESIS:
UCM

students
who
have

taken
notes
by
hand

will
score
beLer
on
the

open
ques3on
part,
as

they
are
forced
to

listen
more
ac3vely

while
taking
notes
as

they
do
not
have
the

3me
to
write
down
as

much
as
people
with

laptop.
Therefore
they

will
even
aFer
a
longer

3me
s3ll
be
able
to

grasp
the
explained

concepts.

SET-‐UP/SAMPLING:
The
popula3on
that
the
experiment

will
focus
on
are
UCM
students.
The
sampling
will
be

completely
random
as
all
students
get
the
chance
to

par3cipate
and
the
sample
size
will
then
depend
on
how

many
people
would
be
willing
to
par3cipate.

All
students

will
be
shown
the
same
video/presenta3on
about
a

general
topic
so
that
the
different
concentra3ons
of

people
within
UCM
will
not
influence
the
results.

STAGES:
First
students

will
be
showed
a

video/presenta3on
of

about
5
to
10
minutes

on
which
they
are

asked
to
take
notes

either
by
hand
or

laptop
according
to

their
own
preference.

AFer
this
they
will

have
30
minutes
to

look
over
their
notes,

before
they
are
asked

t o
fi l l
o u t
t h e

q u e s 3 o n n a i r e

consis3ng
of
2
parts.

Liese
Voortmans,
6091382

Lise Carlier‐i6087200
EXERCISE AND LEARNING
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND THE ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE OF FIRST YEAR UNIVERSITY COLLEGE MAASTRICHT STUDENTS?



METHODOLOGY
A quantitative approach is taken. The instrument
used to collect the relevant data will be in the
form of a survey. This will be distributed to each
student taking part in the research, during their
2nd semester.  The Grade Point Average (GPA) will
be used in order to measure academic
performance
RANDOM PROBABILITY SAMPLING
From the first year University College Maastricht
students, random students will be selected for
this research. In total, 150 to 200 students will be
given the survey.
PROCESSING DATA
The frequency per week will be multiplied by the
amount of minutes students do physical exercise.
After collection the data will be plotted onto a
graph (as on the left). From the graph the Pearson
correlation will be found to see how much the
variables relate to each other. Additionally the
linear function will be calculated to
find the formula which relates both variables.
INTRODUCTION
This research concentrates on first year students of
UCM as these are often the students which
experience most stress and struggle in their studies,
because they encounter a lot of change within a
short amount of time. This research tries to see if
physical exercise would help first year students
perform better academically. Though research has
been done on the effect of regular physical exercise
on stress and depression, not much research has
been done on the effect of physical exercise on work
productivity among university students.
HYPOTHESIS
The previous research shows that regular physical exercise increases
energy and decreases levels of stress within the brain. Stress has been
linked to unproductiveness. Therefore the hypothesis of this research
paper is that the more frequently University College Maastricht
students do physical exercise the better grade point average they will
obtain.
0
2
4
6
8
10
0 200 400 600
Grade point average of the student
Time the student dedicates to physical exercise
whithin a week (minutes)
Relation between amount of physical exercise
and the grade point average of first year UCM
students
EMPIRICAL WORK
Previous studies have been conducted to study the effect of
physical exercise on the brain tissue and have shown that :
‐ Blood flow increases, which raises oxygen flow and as a
result allows more energy to be produced in the brain
(Center for BrainHealth, 2013)
‐ More mitochondria  is produced which allows a higher
production of energy (Davis, J.M, 2011)
‐ There is an increase in the release of endorphins.
These reduce the perception of pain (M. Conrad
Stroppler, 2014) and decrease the amount of stress
hormones within the brain (Amir.S, 1980)
REFERENCE LIST
Amir, S., Brown, Z., & Amit, Z. (1980). The role of endorphins in stress: Evidence
and speculations. Retrieved March 20, 2015

Conrad Stroppler, M. (2014, January 12). Endorphins: Natural Pain and Stress
Fighters. Retrieved February 15, 2015

Kilduff, J. (2014, September 3). Workplace stress leads to less productive
employees. Retrieved March 21, 2015

Davis, J.M., Steiner, J.L., Murphy, E.A., McClellan, J.L., Carmichael, M.D., (2011,
August 4). Exercise Training Increases Mitochondrial Biogenesis in the Brain.

Study Finds Aerobic Exercise Improves Memory, Brain Function and Physical
Fitness. (2013, November 12). Retrieved March 20, 2015

Motives for Sport Participation and Exercise
Introduction & Relevance
Benefits an active life style
 Good for Physical health
 Better quality of life
 Better mood states
 Better functional capacities
 better aappearance
 social interaction
(Dahn, Frank, Jason & Penedo, 2005)
?
?
?
?
?
"What are the motives for UM students to participate in sport activities and to exercise?"
References: Lucie Wolters, I608672
Kilpatrick, M., Hebert, E., & Bartholomew, J. (2005). College students' motivation for physical activity: differentiating men's and women's motives for sport participation and exercise. Journal of American college health, 54(2), 87-94.
Penedo, F. J., & Dahn, J. R. (2005). Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Current opinion in psychiatry, 18(2), 189-193.
Methodology Earlier empirical research
Focus questions
Motives for an active life style
This research tries to shine more light on the motives of students
of UCM to have an active lifestyle. This research is also focusing
on the correlation between certain motives and the preference
for exercising, and certain motives and the preference for
sporting activities.
Social relevance: The benefits of an active lifestyle are well
known, but to motivate students to have an active lifestyle their
motives to participate in sport activities and to exercise must be
known. Also, if it turns out that most students prefer sport
activities, this could be used as a reason for UM to provide more
sport accommodations for sport activities.
Empirical relevance: This research will provide more information
about the correlation between different motives of students (of
UCM) and different forms of active lifestyles.
 What are the motives for students to exercise?
(Piechart)
 What are the motives for students to participate in
sport activities? (Piechart)
 Is there a significant difference between the motives for
exercising and participation in sport activities?
 Are students more interested in sport activities or in
exercising?
 Are there significant differences between the motives of
men and the motives of women?
Kilpatrick, Hebert and Bartholomew did a similar research
on a university in south-eastern United States on College
Students' Motivation for Physical activity: Differentiating
Men's and Women's Motives for Sport Participation and
Exercise (2005). The results of their surveys showed that:
 Intrinsic motives were more likely to be reported
by the participated students, as enjoyment.
 Motivations for exercise were mostly focused on
appearance.
The methodology of this research can be used to structure
the proposed research.
Other researchers have mostly focused on exercise and
the benefits of physical activity.
Quantative research:
 Surveys
Sample: All UCM students will be asked to fill in a internet
survey on the UCM Facebook page.
Schedule for research:
Week 1 Constructing online survey that captures
the relevant information
Week 2 Distribution of the survey online
Week 3 Interpretation of the gathered data using
SPSS
Week 4 Explaining results and Writing of the final
paper
Exercise or Sport activities?

Research Question: To what extend do social considerations influence the
smoking behaviour of UCM students?
‘Social smoking’ is identified as a distinct pattern of tobacco use particularly
detectable among young adult populations. Research on smoking behaviour of
colleges in the United states has shown that the majority of smoking college students
are of the category social smokers (Moran, 2007), (Waters et al, 2006). The
phenomenon lacks a clear definition. but is commonly understood as smoking mainly
or only in presence of other people. Moran (2007) has identified that this group of
smokers is associated with a lower frequency and intensity of tobacco use, less
nicotine dependence, less intention to quit and fewer recent quit attempts. A
characteristic of social smoking lies in the perception of one’s smoking behaviour.
Denial of being a smoker is a common dissonance among social smoking students
(Levinson et al. 2007). Interviews have indicated that smoking in social situations
forms an instant conversation starter and it creates a bond between complete
strangers. Furthermore, social smokers feel in control of their smoking behaviour, do
not intend to continue smoking after college and feel like they found a way of
cigarette usage without the negative social stigma and health effects. (Waters et al.,
2006).
Social smoking among UCM students
Mae de Monchy, I6091021 Research proposal
Background
Aims and objectives
The objectives of this study are (1) to identify characteristics of
smoking behaviour of UCM students and (2) to further analyse the
perceptions and motivations behind the phenomenon of ‘social
smoking’ at UCM.
Hypotheses and expectations:
‐ A significant amount of students at UCM smoke mainly in a social
context, rather than alone
‐ External social considerations form the main motivation for
tobacco usage in this group
‐ Social smokers do not perceive themselves as smokers and are
little concerned with the consequences of tobacco usage on their
health
Methodology
A stratified sample of 100 adolescent participants studying at UCM will be
conducted. Students who indicated to have smoked once or more in the past
30 days will be part of the analysis. With this group quantitative methods will
be used to identify basic trends in frequency of cigarette use and context of
usage in the form of questionnaires.
Through these methods two distinct groups of students, who indicated to
smoke mainly or only in the presence of other people, will be further
investigated: daily and non‐daily social smokers.
In order to identify further insights on social smoking. A selective sample of
10 students from these groups will be used to conduct indept qualitative
interviews of 20‐ 30 minutes regarding the factors that influence their
motivation to smoke and how they perceive their smoking behaviour.
“I’m not a smoker.”
References
Levinson, A. H., Campo, S., Gascoigne, J., Jolly, O., Zakharyan, A., & Tran, Z. V. (2007). Smoking, but not smokers: Identity among college students who smoke cigarettes. Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
Moran, S. (2004). Social smoking among US college students. Pediatrics, 114(4), 1028–1034.
Waters, K., Harris, K., Hall, S., Nazir, N., & Waigandt, A. (2006). Characteristics of social smoking among college students. Journal of American College Health, 55(3), 133–139.
Stratified random
sample
(questionnaires)
Identify
characteristics
Selective sample
Daily social
smokers
(Qualitative interviews)
Identify motivations
and perceptions
Selective sample
Non‐daily social
smokers
(Qualitative interviews)
Identify Motivations
and percepetions
Schedule
Week 1: Compose and distribute questionnaires
Week 2: Proccess data and select interview participants
Week 3: Conduct interviews
Week 4: Evaluation of results
“I only smoke at parties”
“I could quit if I wanted to”
“I never smoke alone”

REFERENCES
Kirschner,
P.,
&
Karpinski,
A.
(2010).
Facebook®
and
academic
performance.
Computers
in
human
behavior,
26(6),

1237-‐1245.
Postmes,
T.,
Spears,
R.,
&
Lea,
M.
(1998).
Breaching
or
building
social
boundaries?
SIDE-‐effects
of
computer-‐

mediated
communication.
Communication
research,
25(6),
689-‐715.

Rosen,
L.,
Carrier,
L.,
&
Cheever,
N.
(2013).
Facebook
and
texting
made
me
do
it:
Media-‐induced
task-‐switching

while
studying.
Computers
in
Human
Behavior,
29(3),
948-‐958.
B.
Ellison
(2014).
Technology
dependence
decreases
social
skills.
The
Breeze.
Cartoon:
TomFishBurne,
Marketoonist.
Retrieved
19.04.2014
from:

http://tomfishburne.com/2012/12/our-‐social-‐plan.html

Map:
V.
Woollaston
(2014).
The
most
tech
addicted
country
in
Europe?
DailyMail.
Retrieved
19.04.2014
from:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-‐2696187/The-‐tech-‐addicted-‐country-‐SPAIN-‐
Spanish-‐use-‐devices-‐9-‐hours-‐day-‐OUTSIDE-‐work.html

AIM
Prove
that
the
addiction
to
technological
devices

created
at
a
young
age
is
problematic
for
the
future
of

the
students’
social
performance
and
job
success.
HYPOTHESES
-‐
Students
that
seem
unable
to
maintain
concentrated
in

class
or
while
studying
will
most
probably
be
unable
to

manage
the
workload
in
their
future
job.
-‐
Students
who
aren’t
able
to
control
the
number
of
hours

they
spend
on
electronic
devices
will
most
probably
be
less

able
to
manage
their
time
over-‐all.
-‐
Students
who
feel
more
comfortable
to
communicate

through
text
messages
will
later
on
develop
struggles
to

perform
in
social
undertakings.

Manon
Macharis
i6087463

UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
MAASTRICHT
METHODOLOGY
WHAT:
-‐
Study
whether
there
is
a
link
between
weak
self-‐control

and
the
use
of
cellphones
while
studying
or
the
need
to

communicate
by
text.

-‐
Consequently
find
out
how
this
could
evolve.

WHO:
-‐
Population:
students
-‐
Sample:
students
of
Maastricht
University
HOW:
-‐
Qualitative:
importance
of
technology;
sort
of
effect
it
has

on
the
students.
-‐
Quantitative:
measure
the
effect
technology
has
on

students
over
the
years;
forecast
how
this
will
influence

their
future.
SCHEDULE:
WEEK
1:
questionnaires:
find
out
more
about
the
students’

habits
concerning
technology
and
studies/social
activities.
WEEK
2:
analyze
students
in
their
environment
WEEK
3:
collect
all
data
and
compare
WEEK
4:
conclude
by
use
of
representation
of
the
collected

data
(graphs
etc.)
ABSTRACT
The
technological
boom
has
brought
many

disadvantages
alongside
its
benefits.
One
of
the
most

problematic
drawbacks
is
the
dependence
young

people
have
developed
towards
technology.

We
have
all
experienced
those
get-‐togethers

that
were
supposed
to
be
fun
and
entertaining,
where

suddenly
everyone
is
individually
looking
at
their

Facebook
newsfeed
or
texting
to
others.
Another

common
situation
is
while
being
in
a
lecture,
and

rapidly
being
totally
drifted
away
from
the
course
after

having
replied
to
a
text.
It
is
safe
to
say
that
the

technological
devices
are
controlling
our
behavior
in

many
situations.

As
this
has
often
been
researched
in
the
last

few
years,
this
research’s
aim
is
to
investigate
whether

this
high
technological
dependence
will
hinder

students
to
create
social
ties
or
perform
well
at
their

jobs
in
the
future.
Therefore,
the
strength
of
the

obsession
to
technological
devices
will
be
studied

among
students
in
order
to
find
out
whether
this
is

problematic
for
their
future
functioning.
WHICH ARE THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES REGARDING THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGICAL
DEVICES ON STUDENTS’ SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE?
EARLIER
RESEARCH
L.
Rosen,
L.
Carrier,
N.
Cheever
(2013).
Facebook
and
texting
made
me
do
it:
Media-‐induced
task-‐switching
while
studying.
-‐
Impact
of
technology
on
social
connectivity.
-‐
Influence
technological
devices
have
on
concentration.

B.
Ellison
(2014).
Technology
dependence
decreases
social
skills.
-‐
Communication
changed
due
to
technology.

-‐
Less
attentive
during
conversations
as
the
technological
devices
are
always
present.
-‐
Our
social
skills
are
diminishing
due
to
social
media.
TECHNOLOGY IS IMPEDING THE YOUTH TO LIVE THEIR LIVES

METHODOLOGY
- Quantitative, confirmatory, deductive.
- Surveys
• Sample: all exchange students at UCM,
via e-mail (OSA).
• Assessment of
• number and strength of
international, co-national, and
host-country friendships, through
a friendship network grid
(Hendrickson et al., 2011).
• Homesickness, using Gruijters‘
S-R Homesickness Inventory (in:
Van Heck et al., 2005)
- Independent variable: friendship ratio
Dependent variable: homesickness
Mix & Mingle
Analyzing exchange students‘ friendship networks Mareike Moraal, I6086363
INTRODUCTION
UCM, known as an international
environment, attracts many exchange
students. However, research by
Hendrickson, Rosen, and Aune (2011)
has shown that exchange students
benefit more from having host-country,
in this case Dutch, friends.This would
mean that UCM‘s internationality
actually makes it harder for exchange
students to adapt. But does this theory
also hold in a student city such as
Maastricht, whose international culture
differs from the host country‘s? Are
international friendships in such an
environment not just as beneficial in
reducing homesickness?
RESEARCH QUESTION
How does the composition of
friendship networks of exchange
students at UCM affect their
homesickness levels?
HYPOTHESIS
Students with a higher ratio of
host-country or international
friends experience less home-
sickness than those with a higher
ratio of co-national friends.
REFERENCES
Hendrickson, B., Rosen, D., & Aune, R. K. (2011). An analysis of
friendship networks, social connectedness, homesickness, and
satisfaction levels of international students. International Journal of
Intercultural Relations, 35(3), 281-295.
Van Heck, G. L., Vingerhoets, A. J. J. M., Voolstra, A., Gruijters,
I., Thijs, H., & Van Tilburg, M. A. L (2005). Personality, temperament,
and homesickness. In M. A. L. Van Tilburg & A. J. J. M. Vingerhoets
(eds.), Psychological aspects of geographical moves: Homesickness
and acculturation stress. (161-178). Amsterdam: Amsterdam
University Press.

The impact of going Greek on your student life
Research Question:
Is there a correlation between Greek life, GPA and stress at UCM?
Abstract Methodology Schedule
Expectations
Earlier Empirical Work
Pascarella, E. (1994). Cognitive Effects of Greek Affiliation
during the First Year of College.
Wallace, W. L. (1967). Faculty and fraternities:
Organizational influences on student achievement.
Administrative Science Quarterly, 643-670.
Pike, G. R. (2000). The influence of fraternity or sorority
membership on students' college experiences and cognitive
development. Research in Higher Education, 41(1), 117-139.
Sample: 80 Dutch students from UCM
Sampling method: Anonymous surveys
Variables:
¦ Sex (male/female/other)
¦ Participation in Greek life (yes/no)
¦ GPA (out of 10)
¦ Stress rate (Between 0 and 1 calculated from various
statements, to which participants have to give a number
between 0 and 10, the former being a total disagreement and
the latter being a complete agreement)
While entering university, many Dutch students decide to
take part in a student association based on the Greek
model, widely developed in the United States. Even
though the student associations based in Maastricht do
not involve Greek letters, the term « Greek life » is kept
to refer to the different sororities and fraternities in a
clear and concise way. The interactions one has with his
or her student association (fraternity or sorority) vary
among the different associations but most of them
demand their members to show loyalty through rites
which can involve public humiliation. However, joining a
student association is purely voluntary and one can find
satisfaction in joining an already established community,
providing them with various opportunities and social
interactions. This research aims at evaluating the impact
of greek life on stress and academic success at UCM by
comparing them to non-members.
¦ Members of fraternities and sororities suffer
from periods of stress which can impact their
student life.
¦ The negative influence of Greek life on GPA is
higher for male members than for female
members.
Week 1 Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Preparation of
surveys
X
Data collection X X
Data analysis X X
Revision and
conclusion
X X
Martin Deron I6085888

Research Methods Posters 2014-2015, Period 6

Research Methods Posters 2014-2015, Period 6

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