We Still Here: An Examination of the Experiences of Black Undergraduate Women at PWIs Post COVID-19 Shutdowns – Member Checking
This summer I was able to complete the final stage of the constructivist, grounded theory pilot study that explored the overall sense of belonging and negotiation strategies for persistence in Black, undergraduate women attending predominantly white institutions (PWIs). I engaged in a qualitative technique described as member checking. This process involves returning to participants of a study, or to individuals who meet the same criteria, to seek validation of the results of the data collected. I conducted a virtual focus group with individuals who fit the same criteria as participants in the study (Black, undergraduate, female attending the same institution) and shared the emerging themes of the study with them. We then engaged in a discussion about how the themes resonated with their own experiences and this helped to establish the trustworthiness and validity of the themes. Currently, I am working on coding and analyzing the transcript of the discussion and will incorporate the findings from this member checking process into the findings section of the pilot study.
