Levi Jordan Plantation

QUESTIONNAIRE

Some questions about you, archaeology, history, and this web site.

This questionnaire is for ANYONE who visits this web site. It doesn't matter whether you've looked at the whole site or not, or whether you are an "expert" or not. We'd like to hear from everyone who visits, if possible – THERE ARE NO "RIGHT" OR "WRONG" ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTION.

This could take up to about 20 minutes (but may take a lot less – it may look long but it really isn't). You will probably find that you will answer most of the questions very quickly. If you find you don't have time to finish all of the questions, we would be grateful if you would scroll to Question # 22 and go ahead and finish the last few questions before sending us the form.

  

To navigate to other places in this web use the navigation links at the bottom of this page, or use "back" on your browser.

Your answers will NOT be used (now or in the future, by me or anyone else) for any kind of solicitation or marketing purpose. All answers will be completely confidential.

If you want to get the results of this research from time to time, please send us a feedback form and tell us so.
I (that is, Carol McDavid) am conducting this study under direction of the University of Cambridge Department of Archaeology and the Levi Jordan Plantation Historical Society. You can contact Jane Woods at jew1001@cam.ac.uk if you want to verify my identity as a researcher in Cambridge, or Ginny Raska at g_raska@hotmail.com to verify my work with the Society.

1. Name

You can use your own name if you want to, but this isn't required unless you're doing this for a class assignment. If you are completing this questionnaire because of a class assignment, please type in your real name (and the name of your teacher) so that you can receive credit for participating. Your answers to the following questions will NOT be revealed to your instructor.

The following set of questions will help us understand what sort of experience you had as you were looking at this web site.

1. How long have you been using the Internet (including using email, gopher, ftp, web sites, etc.)?

This question will give us a general feel for your experience on the Internet. It can refer to either occasional or everyday use.
Less than 6 months      
6-12 months      
1-3 years      
4-6 years      
7 years or more      
If you want to clarify or expand your answer please type here (typing space will expand as needed).

2. How did you find out about this web site? (please check all that apply)
Followed a link from another web page      
Found the site by using a search engine or index (like Yahoo, Altavista, etc.)
Saw a posting about the site in a newsgroup or mailing list
Was told the web site address by a friend or colleague
Read about it in a newspaper or magazine
One of my teachers gave me the URL
Other      
If you want to clarify or expand your answer please type here (typing space will expand as needed)

3. Why did you decide to visit this web site? (please check all that apply)
One of my teachers asked me to look at the site.
I was asked to look at the site by one of the people involved in the project.
I wanted to learn about the archaeological research that’s been done at the Jordan Plantation.
I wanted to learn about archaeology in a more general way, and this site looked interesting.
I wanted to learn about the history of the Jordan Plantation.
I wanted to learn about history in a more general way, and this site looked interesting.
I am connected to the Jordan Plantation in some way (family, community member, descendant, etc.). and wanted to see what the web site project was all about.
I was interested in information about African American history.
I was interested in information about plantation life.
I was just surfing one day and came across it.
Other      
If you want to clarify or expand your answer please type here (typing space will expand as needed).

4. How much time have you spent on this web site today? (we just need a rough estimate here)
Almost none (use this category if you came directly to the questionnaire from the home page without "surfing" the site at all)
Less than 5 minutes      
5-15 minutes  
15-30 minutes  
30-45 minutes  
45 minutes to one hour  
one to two hours  
more than two hours  
If you want to clarify or expand your answer please type here (typing space will expand as needed)
.

5. How much time have you spent on this web site since you first learned about it (including the time spent today). This does not refer to a previous version of the site you may have seen before November, 1998. It can also refer to the total time spent in multiple visits (a rough estimate is fine).
Almost none (use this category if you came directly to the questionnaire from the home page without "surfing" the site at all)
Less than 5 minutes      
5-15 minutes
15-30 minutes
30-45 minutes
45 minutes to one hour
one to two hours
more than two hours
If you want to clarify or expand your answer please type here (typing space will expand as needed).

6. What aspects of the site did you find the MOST interesting and/or useful to YOU?
Don’t know; I really haven’t seen enough if it to have an opinion    

7. What aspects of the site did you find the LEAST interesting and/or useful to YOU?
Don’t know; I really haven’t seen enough if it to have an opinion    

8. What do you think we could do to make the site more interesting and useful to YOU?
Don’t know; I really haven’t seen enough if it to have an opinion    

9. Did you visit the Discussion forum on this web site? THIS IS NO LONGER ON THE SITE
Yes No
If "Yes", we would appreciate your comments about this experience (or, if you like, a comment about why you didn't go!). Typing space will expand as needed.

10. Did you use one of the other feedback forms on this web site?
Yes No
If "Yes", we would appreciate your comments about this experience (or, if you like, a comment about why you didn't go!). Typing space will expand as needed.

The following questions have to do with history and archaeology.

11. If YOU were trying to understand what peoples' lives were like in a certain place 100-150 years ago, which of the following things do you think would be the most useful? Please indicate how important you think each thing is by typing a number to the left of each item, with "10" being VERY important and "1" being NOT AT ALL important.

You can use a number more than once if you want. Type in the number "0" if you feel that you do not have enough information to have an opinion.
Written records like census records, account books, store inventories, wills, etc.
Diaries written by people who once lived at what is now an archaeological site
Measurements and descriptions of the objects found at an archaeological site
Written accounts that describe local politics when the site was occupied
Maps and pictures showing where objects were found in the ground as an archaeological site was being excavated
Information about how people use objects NOW        
Stories told by someone’s grandparents about what their own grandparents did when they lived on the site.
History books about an area in which an archaeological site is located
Scientific information that shows how old an object found at the site really is.
If you want to clarify or expand any of your answers please type here (typing space will expand as needed)

12. If an ARCHAEOLOGIST was trying to understand what peoples' lives were like in a certain place 100-150 years ago, which of the following things do you think he or she would find the most useful? Please indicate how important you think each thing would be by typing a number to the left of each item, with "10" being VERY important and "1" being NOT AT ALL important.

You can use a number more than once if you want. Type in the number "0" if you feel that you do not have enough information to have an opinion.
Written records like census records, account books, store inventories, wills, etc
Diaries written by people who once lived at what is now an archaeological site
Measurements and descriptions of the objects found at an archaeological site
Written accounts that describe local politics when the site was occupied
Maps and pictures showing where objects were found in the ground as an archaeological site was being excavated
Information about how people use objects NOW      
Stories told by someone’s grandparents about what their own grandparents did when they lived on the site
History books about an area in which an archaeological site is located
Scientific information that shows how old an object found at the site really is
If you want to clarify or expand any of your answers please type here (typing space will expand as needed)

The following questions will give us some idea of what you already know about archaeology and history.

Please say "yes" to the following questions if you have a degree in one of these fields at the college level or higher, or if you have special training of some other sort that would enable you to earn money from doing work in the field.

13. Are you an archaeologist?

Yes   No  

14. Are you an anthropologist?

Yes   No  

15. Are you an historian?

 Yes   No  

16. Are you a museum or "heritage" professional?

 Yes   No  
If you want to clarify or expand your answer to one of questions 13-16 please type in the box below (typing space will expand as needed).

If you answered "Yes" to any of questions 13-16, please skip to question 18.

17. Are you taking or have you taken courses in any of the following subjects? Please answer "yes" if you have taken courses in a school, college, field school or if you have had some other special training.

17a. Archaeology

 Yes No    

17b. Anthropology

 Yes No    

17c. American History

 Yes No    

17d. Museum or "Heritage" Studies

 Yes No    
If you want to clarify or expand your answer to one of questions 17a - 17d please type it in the box below (typing space will expand as needed).

18. Are you involved (as either a professional or a volunteer) in planning and/or conducting presentations of archaeological, historical or anthropological material?

This refers to working in a museum, working in the area of heritage management, being a tour guide at a historical site, teaching at the high school level or higher, or some similar activity.
Yes No
If you want to clarify or expand your answer to Question 18 please type here (typing space will expand as needed).

The following questions will give us some idea of your relationships with the descendants of the people who lived on the Jordan Plantation.

19. Do you live in the Brazoria County, Texas area now?
Yes No

20. Are you descended (as far as you know) from someone who lives or lived in the Brazoria County area?
Yes No

21. Are you descended (as far as you know) from someone who lived on the Jordan Plantation?
Yes No

If your answer was "yes" to either # 20 or #21, we would appreciate knowing which families or people you are descended from.

This information is optional, but would be appreciated so that we can get an idea of how many different descendant families have members who are looking at this web site. Please type your answer below.
If you want to clarify or expand your answer to Questions 19-21 please type here (typing space will expand as needed).

Finally, a few questions about yourself

22. What is your sex?
Male  
Female  
Rather not say  

23. Please indicate the highest level of education that you have completed. (If you have more than one degree at any particular level, please indicate this in the box below the question)
Elementary school or less (in the United States, this usually means grades K - 5 or 6)
Middle School
High School
Some College, University or Technical/vocational training
Vocational/Technical degree (2 year or equivalent value in your country)
Junior College degree (2 year or equivalent value in your country)
College or University Graduate (4 year or equivalent value in your country)
Master’s Degree
Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.)
Professional Degree (MD, JD, etc.)
Other
Rather not say
If you want to clarify or expand any of your answers to the above question please type here (typing space will expand as needed). Also use this space if you want to write your answer in terms that your own country uses to classify educational levels.

24. What is your age?
Under 5 46-50
5-10 51-55
11-15 56-60
16-20 61-65
21-25 66-70
26-30 71-75
31-35 76-80
36-40 81-85
41-45 Over 85
Rather not say  

25. Although the following is a sensitive question, we hope you will consider answering it. This web site deals with important issues related to the history of race relations in the United States. Your answers can help archaeologists to learn how to present materials about this issue in meaningful, sensitive ways. (FINAL QUESTION!)

What ethnic and/or racial group or groups do you identify with most of the time?
Rather not say
       
     
       

We need your help to make this site better! Please tell us what you think by going to:
* Questionnaire #1 (Adults) * Questionnaire #2 (Kids)*
* Feedback Form*

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For information about this site or this project, contact or .
‹ Carol McDavid 1998