Summative Evaluation Tool #2:
Participant Characteristics
What Questions May Be Addressed by This Measure?
This tool provides insight into who from within the campus community
is utilizing your services.
How Do I Use This Measure?
Participant characteristics should be recorded as early and often
as possible. This type of information is often collected in
a questionnaire/survey format, completed by the participant.
Incorporating questions into the various systems you have in place
or are creating is an excellent way to ensure you are collecting
this type of data. For example, the questions included in
this tool could be included in an exit evaluation survey given at
the end of a mediation session. This tool contains examples
of characteristics you might want to track. You will want
to think through issues of confidentiality.
What Information Will the Results Give Me?
Results from this tool also provide important information for both
report writing and for identification of areas for improvement.
For example, it can help identify populations on campus who may
need to be targeted for outreach about your services.
Participant Characteristics -- Sample Questions
Demographic data -- These questions provide insight into
the types of people using your services. The list provided
below is a template; modify as needed.
Age -- have disputant write in their actual age or check an age
category (e.g., 18-22).
Gender -- useful to have disputant check a box rather than write
it in.
Ethnicity -- consult the campus human relations office for appropriate
categories.
Education -- you can focus on completed education (e.g., high school
diploma, bachelors, masters, doctorate), the current year in school
(e.g., sophomore, junior, masters, doctorate), or both.
Affiliation/role -- provide a checklist of different roles on campus:
e.g., student, faculty, staff.
Role in mediation -- provide a checklist for the participant. Listed
below are different roles with an explanation for each.
_____ Complainant (first party or initiator of contact with the
mediation resource)
_____ Respondent (second party)
_____ Observer (a mediation center staff or trainee)
_____ Support person (ranges from advocate for to friend of a disputant)
Relationship -- You are interested in gaining insight into
the type and length of the relationship among the parties involved
in the dispute. A checklist is probably the easiest way to
collect this information. The list provided below is a template;
modify as needed:
_____ acquaintances
_____ landlord/tenant
_____ classmates
_____ employer/employee
_____ roommates/housemates
_____ co-workers (staff or faculty)
_____ neighbors
_____ faculty-staff
_____ friends
_____ student-faculty
_____ dating
_____ family (immediate or extended)
_____ domestic partners/married
_____ strangers
_____ divorced/separated
_____ Other: __________________
_____ ex-boyfriend/girlfriend
Repeat Player -- This provides information about whether
a participant has previously utilized mediation. A simple
checkbox, with a "yes" or "no" answer, will
likely suffice. If you are interested in learning whether
their experience with mediation was with your program, you may want
to include a question.
Have you previously participated in mediation?
_____ Yes _____ No
If yes, was it with our office? _____ Yes
_____ No
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