Liana Zegart

Sociology 382 Introductions to Social Research Methodology

December 17, 2015

Liana Zegart 1

Abstract

Arcata has had a thriving local food system for many years. Local food systems are

beneficial for a number of important reasons. They enrich their local communities by supporting

local businesses, they provide high-quality organic food to community members, they employ

local workers, and they provide the consumer with a direct connection to their food. Recent

studies have found that farmers’ markets and other components of local food systems are over-

represented in White middle and upper-class communities. At the same time, many studies have

found that urban food deserts are drastically over-represented in low-income communities of

color. These food deserts are not actually lacking food—they lack quality food, especially fresh

produce. Poor neighborhoods actually have more fast food restaurants and convenience stores

per capita than higher-income areas. This has led to increased rates of obesity, heart disease and

type 2 diabetes in low-income minority neighborhoods. Low-cost farmers’ markets have been

introduced to some of these communities to mitigate these effects, yielding promising results.

Arcata’s racial demographics are changing rapidly as more Latino and African-American

students from Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area have been attending Humboldt State.

Historically, Arcata had been a predominantly racially homogenous “White” city. From a social

justice theoretical framework, I am interested in examining minority populations’ relationship

with Arcata’s local food culture to determine if there are any cultural or economic barriers to

participation. Using stratified random sampling, I will conduct online surveys through email to

1,000 racially-representative students at Humboldt State to assess attitudes, opinions, and

spending habits. My survey will be a fifteen to twenty minute-long close-ended questionnaire.

With this valuable information, Arcata’s local food system can to be altered or augmented to

better serve its racially/ethnically diverse low-income population.

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Table Of Contents

Cover Page……….....................................................................…………………………………..1

Abstract…………………………………………………….……………………………………2

Table of Contents…………………………………………………...…………………..………3

Executive Summary………………..........................................................................................…4-5

Introduction……………………………………………….…………………………………….6-8

Literature review………………………………………………………………………….……9-13

Research Methodology……………………………………………………………….………14-15

Sampling Plan……………………………………………………...……………………15-16

Data Collection Plan and Procedures………………………………………………...…16-17

Data Analysis………………………………………………..………………………..…17-18

Framework…………………………………………………………………...……………..18

Operationalization of Concepts and Measurement………………………………….…..19-21

Human Subject Protocol……………………………………………..………………….21-22

Administration and Timetable: …………………………………………………………….23

Limitations of Study…………………………….…………………………………………..24

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………...……..…25-26

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Executive summary:

Introduction: Arcata has a very prevalent local food culture. Local food systems are beneficial to communities for a variety of reasons. One drawback of “local food” is that is generally more expensive. The majority of Arcata’s major grocery stores primarily provide local and organic food at a higher cost than traditional grocery stores. An increasing number of Latino and African-American students have been moving into Arcata, changing the previously homogenous demographic makeup. Student of low-income racial minority groups may have cultural and economic barriers that discourage them from “buying local.” Previous literature suggests that these groups have higher incidences of diet-related diseases due to lack of access and low-income (Smoyer-Tomi 2008). Therefore, my study aims to address issues of social justice within Arcata’s local food system.

Literature Review:

Many of my studies involved food deserts, indicating that low-income minority communities have unequal access to healthy, quality food. Farmers’ markets are valuable resources for providing communities with fresh, healthy food (Weatherspoon 2015; Ruelas 2012). Farmers’ markets are over-represented in White middle and upper-class neighborhoods. Economic and cultural barriers may prevent poor minority communities from accessing farmers’ markets and other local food retailers (Kremer, Deliberty 2011). Strategies can increase involvement in local food systems in low-income minority communities through collaboration and community awareness (Freedman, Bess 2011).

Research Methodology:

Research Design: I will be conducting cross-sectional exploratory research through closed-ended questionnaire.

Sampling Plan: I will use stratified random sampling to examine responses from specific target populations. My sample size will consist of 1,000 students of varied race and socioeconomic status. I will obtain my sample through an email list compiled by HSU’s IRP.

Data Collection Plan and Procedures: Self-administered online questionnaires will be sent to HSU students through a link on their HSU emails. Data will be collected online. Surveys will be sent approximately half-way through the semester. Second emails will be sent 1 week later. Data will be analyzed using SPSS and Atlas T.I. I will offer a $100 gift card as a price incentive for participating in my survey.

Framework/Theory: My study is being conducted using a social justice theory theoretic lens, as I will be addressing issues of economic and social barriers. I will also use symbolic interactionism theory to understand attitudes and motiving factors for participation in Arcata’s local food system.

Human Subjects Protocol: Humboldt State students between the ages 18-25 will be participating in my online questionnaire. Participation is voluntary, anonymous, and respondent

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may withdraw from the survey at any time. My questionnaire and associated information will be offered in English and Spanish. My study is no to low risk, but counseling resources and resources to help with issues of food security will be provided to respondents.

Limitations of Study: HSU is not representative of Arcata’s greater population. This poses an issue of external validity. Cross-sectional survey provides limited scope of people’s behavior and attitudes. Mostly close-ended survey questions may not adequately address complex explanations for behavior and attitudes

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Introduction:

The City of Arcata is known for its prevalent local food culture. Although the ample

availability of fresh local produce and food is a positive attribute, there may be challenges and

unintended consequences as a result of local food system practice. Organic food often costs

more, from both supply and demand factors, and local organic food is sometimes attributed to

“food elitism”. Stores often charge higher prices on these items, which negatively impacts people

with very low incomes or limited budgets. An example of this is the fact that there are only three

grocery stores in central Arcata: Wildberries, The Co-Op, and Safeway. Wildberries charges

comparatively high prices for locally-grown and/or produced organic foods, while Safeway

charges lower prices for “non-local” corporate-produced foods. For many, the incentive is high

to go for the lower price, even at the cost of ecological waste and less healthy food.

The average participants within a farmers' market and local food culture tend to be

personified as educated, middle to upper-class white people. There is growing concern that

people of different ethnic and racial backgrounds are inadvertently being discouraged from

getting involved in the local food system due to a lack of racial diversity and representation.

Lack of representation within a community event like the farmers' market can lead to a lack of

motivation for engagement, or even lack of motivation to explore the possibilities (Lyson 2014).

Farmers markets have been successfully introduced in poor urban areas in recent years, showing

a promising trend (Ruelas 2012, Weatherspoon 2015). In recent years, there have been an

increasing number of students of color moving to Arcata from other parts of California like Los

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Angeles and the Bay Area. Participation within the Latino and African-American communities

will be a definite factor in determining the sustainability of Arcata's local food economy. Arcata

has been very successful at promoting the ideology of a local food lifestyle. However the

execution of the system and the cost of regular participation viable for people of low

socioeconomic status and people of color?

Statement of the Problem: Arcata has a strong local food system, but adjustments may be

necessary to encompass the needs of the changing community. I suspect that food elitism,

socioeconomic inequalities, and a probable lack of diversity within Arcata’s local food system

might be hindering participation within minority populations. Local food movements are often

criticized as being “white” and “elitist”, despite the fact that they have the potential to benefit

diverse communities of varied race and socioeconomic status (Lyson 2014). This is unfortunate,

as people of color and the poor disproportionately suffer negative health effects from lack of

access to fresh fruits and vegetables (Ruelas 2012).

Specific Aims of the Research: My research goal is to examine the attitudes, opinions and

spending habits of students at Humboldt State University to determine if there are barriers

discouraging or preventing participation within populations of color and of low-income. I will be

examining Arcata's current methods and practices within its agricultural food system, as a rural

community of increasingly diverse racial/ethnic makeup. This will be compared against data

from existing studies of urban local food systems and movements. I will survey Humboldt State

students to determine their rates of participation in this system, their motivations for participation

(or non-participation), and corresponding racial and socioeconomic demographics. I want to

determine if Arcata’s current local food system is inclusive, affordable, and accessible to people

of color and of low-income. This information can serve as a valuable tool for increasing

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awareness, representation and participation in Arcata’s local food culture for low-income

minority populations in Arcata.

Research Questions:

My research questions will include the following:

What are the motivating factors that encourage people to actively purchase local and

organic products?

Does these factors vary by race and socioeconomic status?

Are the current prices of local foods cost-prohibitive, or competitive with corporate

suppliers?

Are there cultural or economic barriers that hinder students of color and/or low-income

from having access to, or actively purchasing locally-produced food?

What changes need to take place in order to promote greater participation within the local

food/farmers' market culture?

Relevance to Sociology: In recent years, food production and its effects on human culture has

become a widely-discussed topic within sociology. Local food movements have become

increasingly popular in the last 10-15 years. People want healthy food and healthy communities;

local food systems provide both. Unfortunately, farmers’ markets and locally produced food are

disproportionately available to upper to middle-income White communities (Kremer and

Deliberty 2011). Yet, recent studies indicate that low-income minority communities need fresh,

healthy food the most (Ruelas 2012; Lyson 2014). To promote racial justice, it is essential that

racial minorities and people of low income have fair and balanced access and representation

within local food systems.

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Literature Review, Background, and Significance:

DEFINING A LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT

There is no true consensus about the exact definition of a local food system in terms of direct

miles from the farm to the table. Local food is often socially defined and understood by

community ties and relationships (Kremer 2011). However, the U.S. congress’ 2008 Farm Act

states that a locally or regionally produced agricultural product must be “less than 400 miles

from its origin, or within the State in which it is produced”(Martinez 2010). Others, such as those

who practice the 100-mile-diet, would obviously use a different definition. Besides mere

geographical proximity, local food movements have a set of attached philosophical components.

Obviously, someone living next to a Hostess factory wouldn’t be considered a “locavore” by

eating lots of Twinkies. Local food systems encourage local production of sustainably-produced

organic produce, grass-fed beef and other naturally raised livestock, and other goods that are

produced locally and, for the most part, naturally (Whitman 2012, Hardesty 2008). Local food

movements consist of farmers’ markets, CSAs (community supported agriculture), and Co-ops

(Whitman 2012). A local food system helps a community connect with its food. Connecting

local food consumers with food producers helps improve local economies, promotes

environmentally sustainable agriculture practices, and helps a region to be more self-reliant

(Freedman & Bess 2011).

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BENEFITS OF LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENTS

Local food movements directly support a region’s local economy. They employ local farmers

and workers in the community and initiate and build community interaction and relationships

(Freedman 2011, Whittman 2012). They also promote environmentally-friendly and

conscientious agricultural practices and decrease food miles, thus decreasing transportation costs

and oil consumption. Organic produce provided at Co-Ops and farmers’ markets are sustainably

produced without the use of pesticides that can be harmful to agricultural workers and

consumers. Unlike industrial agribusiness practices, local food movements’ primary concerns are

not strictly profit-driven; they are community-driven and ecologically sustainable (Freedman

2011). For these reasons, is argued that local food systems promote more just and democratic

methods of food production (Lyson 2014; Whittman 2014).

HEALTH BENEFITS FOR INCREASED PRODUCE INTAKE

In many poor neighborhoods, especially those of color, there is lack of access to

supermarkets and farmers’ markets and an overabundance of fast food restaurants and

convenience stores that provide cheap, calorie-dense, nutritionally deficient foods (Ruelas 2011;

Weatherspoon 2015). The phenomenon is known as a food desert. What defines a food desert is

not necessarily lack of food, but a lack of healthy, nutritious food. This puts residents of poor

communities at higher risk for heart disease, cancer, and other diet-related illnesses (Companion

2010; Ruelas 2012; Weatherspoon 2015). Farmers’ markets have been put into some urban food

deserts in recent years, yielding positive results (Andreyva 2010; Hillier 2011; Weatherspoon

2015). These farmers’ markets are centrally located within food deserts and accept various

federal food programs, such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC

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(Women, Infants, and Children) (Weatherspoon 2015). This provides nutritious healthy food to

local residents, as well as business to local farmers and vendors. The use of government food

programs at farmers’ markets increases participation in a local food movement, whether

intentional or not (Weatherspoon 2015). Overall numbers of farmers’ markets have been

drastically increasing within the last 10-15 years (Shermain, 2008; USDA 2009).

Arcata is not considered a food desert, but food security and access to low-cost healthy

food is important for college students and other low-income residents. Inadequate nutrition is

even associated with decreased cognitive ability and poor educational performance (Florence

2008). A local food movement can be beneficial to providing access to fresh, nutritious food

while simultaneously enriching the local community. Local food movements provide access to

healthy, organic produce that contains no harmful pesticides or GMOs. Additionally, many

people buy fresh organic produce from farmers markets’ because it simply tastes better.

ISSUES WITH LOCAL FOOD

Accessibility and price are the two key components of people’s food purchasing habits

(Smoyer 2008). Multiple studies on urban food deserts have determined that lack of access to

affordable fresh produce, coupled with an overabundance of fast food restaurants in close

proximity, are the primary causes of unhealthy eating habits (Andreyva 2010; Dimitri 2014;

Smoyer 2008; Weatherspoon 2015) . In many low-income areas food choices are largely dictated

by price and ease of access. Basic food security is an issue for many people, so one’s

philosophical beliefs around how food should be processed and the active process of buying

organic and local are not realistic options. People who are food insecure rely on cheap food

prices and/or what is available for free through food pantries and other programs (Companion

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2012). Arcata is a special case, because it has capped the number of franchises within city limits.

There are no fast food restaurants in downtown Arcata, whatsoever, and two of out the three

main grocery stores in downtown Arcata specialize in natural and local food (The Co-Op and

Wildberries). Fortunately, the Arcata farmers’ market accepts federal and state food programs,

making participation viable for low-income people.

Local grocery stores like the Arcata Co-Op and Wildberries also accept federal food

programs, but their prices are considerably higher than other chain stores such as Safeway.

Substantial price differences create a dilemma to the consumer where they may be forced to buy

cheap non-local products instead of healthy local products. Farmers’ markets generally offer

reasonable prices, but are only available one or two days out of the week during harvest season.

In the winter there is only a very limited farmers market. This limited availability makes

shopping at grocery stores not only more convenient, but necessary for most people. Analyzing

data of students’ self-reported buying habits and food budgets will provide useful information to

understand current shopping habits and accessibility issues.

SOCIAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE ON LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENTS

Farmers markets’ and CSAs allow the opportunity for direct face-to-face contact with the

food producers and local consumers. This is an important incentive and provides another facet to

the food shopping experience (Freedman & Bess 2011). Several studies have found that farmers’

markets are over-represented in middle and upper-class White neighborhoods (Kremer &

DeLiberty 2011). These findings, coupled with the prevalence food deserts, indicates that poor

racial minorities have unequal access to food. This is why I am approaching my research using a

social justice theoretical framework. According to statistics from the 2010 US Census Bureau

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data, Arcata was 81.8% white. However, in recent years an increasing number of minority

students have been moving in from primarily Los Angeles and the Bay Area to attend Humboldt

State. According to statistics on Humboldt State’s website, as of fall 2015 only 45.5% of the

student body was White, with the remainder mostly identifying as Hispanic/Latino or two or

more ethnicities. Arcata is a small rural town of relatively low socioeconomic status, but it has

high participation in its local food movement. It is useful to study participation within Arcata’s

local food system among Latinos and other ethnic minorities to note any differences from the

White population. It is important to study this in order to understand if there is equal

representation and cultural inclusivity for low-income students of color. Urban food movements

must address issues of ethnic diversity in order to operate efficiently and provide resources to

different groups. Arcata is now facing this new component to its local food system as a rural

community rooted in white homogeneity. Successful local food systems require socioeconomic

and cultural harmony in order to remain sustainable (Lyson 2014). The Hispanic/Latino

population is becoming a more important demographic to consider in Arcata’s local food

movement. Hopefully, with better understanding of minority populations’ role in Arcata’s local

food system, any barriers preventing participation can be addressed.

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Research Methodology:

Research Design: I am studying Arcata’s local food system to determine if it is inclusive

to people of color and low socioeconomic status. I will conduct a survey using an online

questionnaire with closed-ended questions and one open-ended space at the end for comments or

concerns. My survey will be administered through email to students at Humboldt State. The

closed-ended questions will use Likert scales and simple census-style questions for. I will use a

quantitative approach to determine rates of participation among various races/ethnicities and

socioeconomic statuses, and a qualitative approach to assess attitudes and opinions.

I will be conducting cross-sectional exploratory research to observe and investigate how

people of color and low socioeconomic status participate in Arcata’s local food movement. My

survey is exploratory and explanatory. I will be conducting research from both a pragmatic

theoretical perspective and advocacy/participatory perspective. From gathering quantitative data

I will determine based on demographic information, if there are significant differences in

participation and buying patterns between people of color and/or low socioeconomic status

versus Whites and people of middle or high socioeconomic status. With this information,

strategies can be put in place to make Arcata’s local food system less cost-prohibitive and more

culturally inclusive.

My survey-based approach will allow me to collect data to determine if there are unequal

participation rates amongst different classes/races. I will also include Likert-style questions to

collect qualitative information on attitudes and behavior. Space at the end of the survey for

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additional comments can help me gain further insight into personal attitudes or unaddressed

concerns. This will help determine causal factors for participation or non-participation from the

perspective of the participant. Since I will be using questionnaire surveys for descriptive data, I

will use a non-experimental research design.

I have chosen this approach because it allows me to conveniently analyze my data using a

large sampling size. It is not widely established from existing studies whether or not participation

in local food movements varies based on socioeconomic status and race in rural communities of

mixed racial makeup. Most studies address urban areas or primarily White rural areas. I hope to

establish whether or not there are issues adversely affecting non-White/low-income individuals

from participating in Arcata’s local food movement. If significant issues are found, measures can

be taken to address the situation and develop strategies to make Arcata’s local food system more

accessible and culturally-inclusive.

Sampling Plan:

I will use stratified probability sampling to conduct my survey questionnaires. I will

stratify by race, sex and socioeconomic status. This will be achieved by requesting email lists of

my stratified samples from Humboldt State’s Institutional Research and Planning department. I

will then email these students a link to the survey on SurveyMonkey.com. I would like my

sample size to be around one thousand students.

I have chosen these sampling methods so that I am better able to examine differences in

responses between the specific target populations versus the rest of the sample population. The

random stratified sampling will allow me to assign an appropriate weight of the target groups’

responses against the non-target population when examining my questionnaire responses. One

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external validity issue is that only college-level age groups are represented in my sample. Also,

students at Humboldt State are not representative of the population of Arcata, at large.

My study population will consist of current students at Humboldt State with internet access and

an HSU-assigned email address. Students of all class standings will be included.

My data will be collected electronically through an online survey. This will take place wherever

the student has internet access, whether from a home computer, school computer, or smart

phone.

Data Collection Plan and Procedures:

Recruitment: My sample will include students at Humboldt State University. The age range for

my sample will be between 18 to 25 years old. My sample will be predominantly low-income

White and Latino/Hispanic men and women; this is representative of the student population.

My sample will be selected from Humboldt State’s student email list, with representative

demographic information selected from pre-existing data collected by Humboldt State’s

Institutional Research and Planning department.

Data Collection Techniques: I will conduct self-administered anonymous online questionnaires

through email to Humboldt State students. My questionnaire will be semi-structured to collect

basic closed-ended demographic information as well as qualitative data on attitudes and

opinions. A single open-ended space will be provided for any additional questions or comments.

It will be a 15-20 minute-long questionnaire. This method will allow me to better understand

attitudes, opinions, and experiences of the participants in relationship to their demographic

information. Questionnaires will be administered using stratified random sampling to collect

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representative data of each racial/ethnic subpopulation. I will work with Humboldt State’s

Institutional Research and Planning department to assist me in selecting my participants. Emails

will be sent containing a link to the questionnaire with specific instructions in both English and

Spanish. Participants will have the option to complete an English or Spanish language

questionnaire. I will use a bi-lingual research assistant to transcribe my questionnaire in Spanish,

as well as interpret the data written in Spanish.

I will collect my data from the internet, as I am conducting internet-based questionnaires.

I will be accessing my participants through email. The first round of questionnaires will be sent

out on a Monday (holidays excluded) at 12 p.m., approximately one month before mid-semester.

My rationale behind this is that students are engaged in coursework (thus checking email

regularly) during this time, but not so busy with mid-terms that they neglect to answer the

questionnaires. The time frame for completing the questionnaire will be 2-3 weeks, depending

upon my response rates. I will send out a second reminder email 1 week after my initial email.

In hopes of increasing my response rate, I will offer a prize incentive for participating by

randomly selecting a winner of a $100 gift card at a local business of their choice.

Data Analysis: I will analyze my data using SPSS and Atlas T.I. I am comparing rates of

participation in the local food movement between different demographic categories, and will use

SPSS to do this. I will further analyze my qualitative data in the open-ended portion of my

questionnaire using Atlas T.I. software which allows for direct data export to SPSS. I will be

using multivariate analysis and bivariate analysis to determine rates of participation measured by

frequency of local food purchases on a monthly basis by age, sex, socioeconomic status, and

race/ethnicity using cross-tabulation.

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Framework: I will be exploring this through a social justice perspective to determine if

participation in local food culture is cost-prohibitive to people of low socioeconomic status, as

well as if it is culturally/racially inclusive to a diverse student population. According to the 3rd

edition Oxford Dictionary of Sociology, social justice theory stems from philosopher John

Rawl’s “A Theory of Justice”, where he argues that “inequalities in the distribution of scare

goods are justified only if they serve to increase the advantage of the least favored groups in

society” (Scott, Marshall 2005). In the context of sociology, social justice refers to an

extrajuridical concept of fairness that is focused on exposing and ending social inequalities.

Based on pre-existing research on urban food deserts, poor neighborhoods of color have some of

the highest incidences of diet-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain

types of cancer (Weatherspoon 2015. Recently, farmers’ markets have been introduced in some

urban food deserts to provide fresh, low-cost produce to the local communities, yielding positive

results (Ruelas 2012; Weatherspoon 2015). I am interested in examining Arcata’s local food

system, because there is very little data available about food access and dietary habits amongst

racial minorities in rural areas. I am also interested in examining how a strong local food system,

such as Arcata’s, affects people’s dietary and food purchasing habits.

In addition to social justice theory, I will also be examining the attitudes and behavior of

minorities with regard to Arcata’s local food system through a symbolic interactionism lens.

George Herbert Mead and Max Weber are the two most famous theorist of symbolic

interactionism. I am interested in examining the symbolic meanings and social constructs around

race/ethnicity, economic class, and gender with regard to Arcata’s local food system

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Operationalization of Concepts & Measurement:

“Is Arcata’s local food system cost-prohibitive and/or culturally inclusive to low-income

students of color at Humboldt State?”

Culturally inclusive is defined by a coded scale through a series of self-reported answers by

survey respondents, indicating the following factors of Arcata’s food movement: Cultural

diversity, an atmosphere that is welcoming and tolerant of different races and cultures, and

fair and equal representation.

Cost-Prohibitive defines food items that are priced so high that people are discouraged or

prevented from purchasing them.

Low-income is defined by socioeconomic status, measured as 150% or less of the

Department of Health and Human Services’ 2014 poverty guidelines. DHHS income

guidelines for a 1 person household is $11, 670 per year; for a family of two, $15, 730, and

for a family of three $19,790.

People of color are all of those surveyed who do not self-identify as White.

Local food is defined as food produced within 100 miles of its point of purchase. The local

food movement describes an organized social movement and/or ideology surrounding locally

produced food. Specifically, the act of actively purchasing local food items in preference to

food that is not locally produced.

My control variables include: average prices of non-local food and White people’s participation

in Arcata’s local food system.

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Independent: Race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, sex, distance and accessibility of

grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

Dependent: Participation in local food system, number of local products purchased on a

regular basis.

Interval/ratio measurement will be used to measure food prices, distance and location of

stores and farmers’ markets.

Nominal measurement for race/ethnicity and sex of those surveyed.

Ordinal measurement will be used for socioeconomic status, age and attitudes about cultural

inclusivity of those surveyed.

To assess attitudes about participation in the local food movement, as well as age, race and other

demographic information I will use stratified random sampling to conduct an online

questionnaire distributed through email. Arcata is largely comprised of college students, so

conducting an email survey with a link to SurveyMonkey.com is a convenient and effective

method of data collection. I will use a Likert Scale to determine attitudes about participation,

accessibility, frequency of participation, and food prices. For questions about race, age, sex, and

socioeconomic status I will use standard census-style questions. All questions will be closed-

ended, with space at the end of the questionnaire to provide any comments.

Validity and reliability of standardized measures:

Online surveys facilitate large sample sizes and allow several variables to be analyzed

simultaneously. My questionnaire will have high reliability, as all questions are closed-ended and

all respondents answer the same series of questions. To mitigate any potential issues of internet

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validity, I will conduct a pilot study of my questionnaire to a group of students to determine if

anything needs to be rephrased, added or taken out. Questions requiring self-assessment can

provide skewed answers, and the process of asking questions related to the topic could alter the

respondents’ answers.

Human Subjects Protocol:

My sample will include students at Humboldt State University. Because of this, the age range for

my sample will be between 18 to 25 years old. My sample will be predominantly low-income

White and Latino/Hispanic men and women; this is representative of the student population.

My research material consists of online survey responses from human subjects. All of this

data will be obtained specifically for research purposes. Additionally, I will be accessing

population demographic data provided by Humboldt State’s Institutional Research and Planning

department to conduct my stratified random sampling.

My sample will be selected from Humboldt State’s student email list, with representative

demographic information selected from pre-existing data collected by Humboldt State’s

Institutional Research and Planning department. Self-administered online surveys will be sent to

each participant. Within these emails, written consent will be provided in English and Spanish,

informing them that their participation in my survey is both voluntary and anonymous and that

they can withdraw from it at any time. They will also be informed of their right to privacy.

This study poses low to no risk to my participants. One potential risk is those completing

the survey may be somewhat distressed about their lack of accessibility to quality food other

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poverty-related issues. They may additionally be reminded of race-related discriminatory issues

regarding access to food or the culture of Arcata’s local food movement.

For those who may be distressed due to issues relating to food insecurity or perceived

prejudice/discrimination, information will be provided of free services available through

Humboldt State and Humboldt County to help with these issues. Examples of this are the Arcata

Food Pantry, Humboldt States’ food pantry and free farmers’ market, Food for People in Eureka,

and information on how to apply for CalFresh and other state/federal services. Information about

free and low-cost counseling services through Humboldt State and Humboldt County will

additionally be provided at the end of the survey.

The risks presented in this study are none to very low relative to the potential benefits it

can provide. This study will provide valuable information that can benefit students who are low-

income and/or racial/ethnic minority. With more information about the potential barriers

preventing students from accessing fresh local food, local farmers’ markets, grocery stores, and

other resources providing locally-produced food can be augmented or altered to better serve the

student population. Better overall availability of local food, affordability, and culturally-inclusive

practices surrounding the movement are the key goals. In addition to benefiting student

consumers of locally-produced food, greater overall purchasing and involvement in the local

food movement benefits the local community at large.

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Administrative Timeline:

I will spend the first 1-3 weeks writing up my research proposal. For weeks 4-6 I will write up

my online questionnaire. A Spanish-speaking assistant will assist me in translating my survey to

Spanish. On week seven, I will submit my proposal to the IRB. Also during this time, I will

request my email lists for my stratified sample through the IRP. Hopefully, by week 9 my

proposal will be approved by IRB and my stratified sample will be provided. By week 10 I will

send out my first set of emails. By week 11 I will begin analyzing my data and send out the

second set of emails. I will send emails to 1000 students, and hope to achieve a response rate of

at least 700. During weeks 12-13, with the help of my Spanish-speaking assistant, Atlas T.I., and

SPSS, I will finish my data analysis. I hope to complete my final research report within 15

weeks.

Timeframe ActivityWeeks 1-3 Write Research ProposalWeeks 4-6 Create online questionnaire and perform pilot studyWeeks 7-8 Submit proposal to IRB and obtain stratified sample list through IRPWeeks 9-10 Obtain stratified sample email lists through IRP and send out first survey.Week 11 Send out second email and begin process of analyzing dataWeeks 12-13 Finish fata analysisWeeks 14-15 Complete research report

Liana Zegart 23

Limitations of the Study:

My study has some external validity issues. Humboldt State University is not

representative of Arcata’s greater population. A larger city or county-wide survey would include

a more racially and socioeconomically-representative sample.

Due to time constraints, my survey is cross-sectional. Unfortunately, this cross-sectional survey

may provide limited scope of people’s behavior and attitudes over time. Living in Arcata over an

extended period of time will likely alter attitudes, behavior and spending habits. Additionally,

close-ended survey questions may not adequately address complex explanations for behavior and

attitudes.

Liana Zegart 24

Literature Cited

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Companion, Michele. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs 2010. “Constriction in the Variety of Urban Food Pantry Donations by Private Individuals.” Journal of Urban Affairs (32):5 633-646.

Florence Michelle et.al. 2008.” Diet Quality and Academic Performance.”Journal of School Health 78: 209-215.

Freedman, Darcy A. and Kimberly D. Bess. 2011. “Food Systems Change and the Environment: Local and Global Connections.” American Journal of Community Psychology 47:397–409.

Hardesty, Shermain 2008. “The Growing Role of Local Food Markets” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 90(5): 1289-1295

Hillier, Amy et al. 2011 “How Far do Low-Income Parents Travel to Shop for Food? Empirical Evidence from Two Urban Neighborhoods.” Urban Geography 2011 32(5): 712-729

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Lyson, Helena C. 2014. “Social Structural Location and Vocabularies of Participation: Fostering a Collective Identity in Urban Agriculture Activism.” Rural Sociology 79(3):

310–335.

Martinez, Steve, et al. 2010 “Local Food Systems: Concepts, Impacts, and Issues” ERR 97, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Organic Consumers Association 2013. “State/Local Efforts to Control GMOS.” Retrieved October 2015 https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/statelocal-efforts-control-gmos

Ruelas, Valerie et al. 2012. “The Role of Farmers’ Markets in Two Low Income, Urban Communities.” Journal of Community Health 37: 554-562

Smoyer-Tomic, Karen E., JC Spence, KD Raine , Amrhein C, Cameron N, Yasenovskiy V, Cutumisu N, Hemphill E, Healy J.. 2008. “The Association between Neighborhood

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Socioeconomic Status and Expose to Supermarkets and Fast Food Outlets.” Health & Place 14: 740-754.

Weatherspoon, Dave et al. 2015. “Fresh Vegetable Demand Behavior in an Urban Food Desert.” Urban Studies 52(5): 960-979.

Whittman, Hannah et al. 2012. “Linking Local Food Systems and the Social Economy? Future Roles for Farmers’ Markets in Alberta and British Columbia.” Rural Sociology 77(1): 36-61

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