Walking a Mile in Their Shoes: Designing Inclusive Surveys to Level the Playing Field

Event Title

Power and Privilege at Play: Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Conference

Creator

Margarita ShawcrossFollow
Wendy Highby, University of Northern Colorado

Date Created

7-17-2020

Abstract

Are you ready to make your library a better environment for employees and users from all walks of life Surveys are a great way to gather useful information about how to optimally serve excluded communities. The prospect of surveying marginalized populations can be intimidating. What if your questions offend the very people you wish to accommodate and include The presenters defuse this potential minefield by sharing their lived experience of ethnic identity (Latina) and disability (Parkinsons disease). In a recent PLOSOne article it was noted that researchers establish trust with participants by designing questions that resonate with participants lived experiences. In this session we advocate that the participant experience should be central in the survey design and input from community members is critical. By involving members of the marginalized groups in the design, librarians can find solid footing that gives them confidence that the questions they ask are respectful and inclusive.

Publication Title

Walking a Mile in Their Shoes: Designing Inclusive Surveys to Level the Playing Field

Document Type

Article

Digital Origin

Born digital

Recommended Citation

Shawcross, Margarita and Highby, Wendy, "Walking a Mile in Their Shoes: Designing Inclusive Surveys to Level the Playing Field" (2020). University Libraries Publications. 124.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/libfacpub/124