For this study, we are going to see if texting is related to traffic crossing behaviors on campus. To collect this data, please go to a “pedestrian traffic intersection” on SDSU campus. This can be “pedestrian” traffic (where two walkways intersect), “bike” traffic (where a bike lane intersects with a pedestrian walkway), or “automobile” traffic (where a car lane intersects with a pedestrian walkway, like a crosswalk). Make a chart like the one below on a piece of paper so that you can simply mark checks in the appropriate box. You are to observe and collect data for at least 20 minutes at a “pedestrian traffic intersection.” You are going to be observing people walking in and around these “pedestrian traffic intersections” (not the behaviors or people on bikes or in cars).
● NOTE. You cannot have any empty cells. That means you cannot have a box with 0 observations in it. You need to have at least 5 in all of your cells so please make sure to observe a “traffic intersection” with at least moderate traffic (i.e., do not observe a remote corner of campus at night when no one is walking around).
● We are going to observe two different variables: texting and traffic crossing behaviors:
Texting: People texting on a cell phone would be a “yes” under the texting column. All other people would be a “no” under the texting column (including those who do not have cell phones and those who are talking on the phone and not texting).
Traffic crossing behaviors: People who carefully cross into traffic (looks both ways, stops if there are others present) would be a “safe” on the traffic crossing behavior row. People who do not carefully cross into traffic (does not look both ways, bumps into someone) would be a “risky” on the traffic crossing behavior row.
● *To make this easier, you may want to collect this data in pairs, with one person observing and the other recording the data. If you do collect data with another student, please write down their name, so that we know whose data matches whose. ● Once you have collected your data, please write the number (not marks) in the table above and the name of the student you worked with: ______________________. ● *Show your observed data to your TA for the 3 prelab points*
Data collection table
Texting
No Yes
SafeTraffic crossing
behavior Risky
Prelab—Outline for Method Section (3 points)
Complete this outline prior to lab. Your TA will check to make sure you have completed this. You may write in fragments for the outline.
Participants
● Who were the participants? How many people did you observe?
(NOTE. We do not have participant data on these drivers, but usually we would describe variables like age and gender in this section.)
Apparatus/Materials (N/A)
● (NOTE. If we used any special equipment or surveys, we would describe them here. But since we essentially used a paper and pen/pencil, there is no need to put this section in this paper. However, we mention it because we will be using this subsection in the survey project lab.)
Procedure
● How did we collect the data? Be specific so that this study could be replicated.
What are our variables? How did we operationally define our variables? ● Did you collect alone or in pairs?
● Where did you collect the data? What type of “traffic intersection” did you observe (pedestrian, bike, automobile)?
● How long did you watch?
● What time of day did you make your observations?