- What do I want to discover?
I want to discover the impressions community members on the near West and South sides of the City of Syracuse have of the I-81 and I-690 freeways adjacent to their neighborhoods. In particular, what it symbolizes or represents in their eyes, if anything.
- How do I plan on discovering it? (This is called your research methods or methodology)
By means of surveys and interviews.
Who am I going to talk to/observe/survey? (These people are called your subjects or participants)
The participants will be community members and representatives.
- How am I going to be able gain access to these groups or individuals?
Via e-mail, and the help of community organizers that will serve as my contacts.
- What are my biases about this topic?
I am inclined to believe that the portions of I-81 and I-690 that run through the City Center of Syracuse do indeed symbolize social barriers.
- How can I make sure my biases are not reflected in my research methods?
I intend to discover through my research whether members of the communities adjacent to the highways mentioned see them as social barriers, and report in my essay what I find through my research, rather than forwarding my own opinion in the essay.
- What do I expect to discover?
Additionally, I would like to gather the opinions of my participants regarding the amount of participation they feel they have regarding decision making in urban development, and whether they are satisfied or not with their inclusion in the social considerations of urban development. Therefore, I expect to discover a whole range of different opinions based on the personal preference of my participants. I expect, however, that most will be inclined to see the freeways as social barriers, and that there participation in the decision making regarding the future of these structures isn’t to their satisfaction.
