Carnegie Mellon   RAIRE Award

Engineering Evaluation Study

 The purpose of this survey is to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of summer experiences with respect to student growth. This survey is completely confidential and anonymous. However, the answers you give at the beginning of the summer will be paired to answers you provide at the end of the summer using the last 4 digits of your social security number. Your answers to these questions are very important and will facilitate the evaluation of Carnegie Mellon University’s programs in science and engineering.

Instructions: Please fill out the survey below today and return to the proctor. You will be asked to fill out a follow-up survey when you return to campus in the fall. To receive compensation for participating in this study, you must complete the follow-up survey (s).

Background Information

Last 4 digits of social security number (will be used to pair your responses to surveys at the beginning and end of the summer)

Major(s):

Best estimate of your cumulative GPA (Circle one):      4     3.5     3     2.5     2.0     1.5

Sex (Circle one):     Male     Female

Class (Circle one):     Freshman     Sophomore     Junior     Senior

How many different internships that were directly related to your intended career have you participated in
(Circle one):     0     1     2     3     4     5

How many different internships directly related to your intended career do you plan to complete before graduating from college
(Circle one):     0     1     2     3     4     5

What sector of employment do you intend to work in after graduating from college (Circle the most relevant category):

Academia     Professional (Doctor/Lawyer)
Industry     Business
Consulting     Other

Past Summer Experiences

Describe the internships, jobs or experiences that have you engaged in during the last three summers.

Summer 1998:

Summer 1997:

Summer 1996:

Considering your most recent summer experience (Summer 1998), please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the next 9 statements. The scale ranges from 1- strongly disagree to 7-strongly agree.

(1) My summer experience was interesting.

Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (2) My summer experience taught me useful career skills. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (3) My summer experience lacked excitement. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (4) I was able to ‘network’ and develop personal contacts during my summer experience. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (5) I regret my choice of summer experience. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (6) I would recommend this summer experience to other students. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (7) I learned new skills that were unique to my type of summer experience. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (8) My summer experience was challenging. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (9) I was dissatisfied with the outcome of my summer experience. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree

Summer 1999 Experience

Describe the internship, job or experience that you will be engaged in this upcoming summer (1999).

Consider your summer experience you will be engaged in this summer (1999). Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the next 7 statements. The scale ranges from 1- strongly disagree to 7-strongly agree.

(1) I expect that my summer experience will be interesting.

Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (2) I expect that my summer experience will teact me useful career skills. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (3) I expect that my summer experience will lack excitement. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (4) I expect to ‘network’ and develop professional contacts this summer. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (5) I regret my choice of summer experience. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (6) I expect to learn new skills that are unique to my type of summer experience. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree (7) I expect my summer experience will be challenging. Strongly disagree            1                    2                    3                 4                    5                    6                 7             Strongly agree If your summer job or experience is unrelated to your career goals or college major, please explain why you decided to seek this type of employment.

Self-Evaluation Questions - Academic

Instructions: Please circle the number that most accurately describes how well you feel you can perform the various tasks listed. The scale ranges from 1-very well to 7-not well at all.

(1) How well can you function appropriately on a multi-disciplinary team?

Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (2) How well can you solve problem sets or homework assignments when assistance from peers, teaching assistants and the instructor is unavailable? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (3) How well can you communicate effectively in everyday life? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (4) How well can you successfully interview for job or internship in your field? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (5) How well can you deliver a complex presentation to your peers in a formal lecture? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (6) How well can you design and conduct an experiment to test a specific hypothesis? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (7) How well can you articulate your technical opinion in a disagreement with a professor? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (8) How well can you use the techniques, skills and modern tools necessary for professional practice in your intended career?

Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (9) How well can you explain the processes involved in the scientific method? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (10) How well can you learn new technical material on your own? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (11) How well can you converse with professors about topics in your field? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (12) How well can you analyze and interpret data from experiments? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (13) How well can you visualize the impact of your major in a global and societal context? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (14) How well can you understand the content of journal articles published in your field of study? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (15) How well can you articulate your technical or scientific opinion in a disagreement with another undergraduate? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (16) How well can you participate in discussions of contemporary issues? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (17) How well can you apply your knowledge of math, science or engineering to solve problems in your major? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (18) How well do you think you could lecture the material in your favorite subject as an instructor in a college level course? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (19) How well can you write a clear and coherent technical or scientific report? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (20) How well can you identify and solve problems common in your field of study? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (21) How well can you conduct yourself in an ethical and professional manner? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (22) How well can you verbally communicate technical or scientific details to your peers? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (23) How well can you read and understand the material in engineering or science textbooks on your own? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (24) How well can you ask a professor to clarify a confusing aspect of the last lecture? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (25) How well can you master the material in your coursework? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (26) How well do you think you could lecture the material in your most difficult subject as an instructor in a college level course? Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all

Self-Evaluation Questions - Career

Imagine that you are a second semester senior interviewing for a job with a company that has sent a recruiter to campus. The company, which you believe is a highly desirable company to work for, plans to interview 250 people to fill 5 positions. Please indicate how well you think you could answer the following questions asked by the recruiter during the interview. The scale ranges from 1-very well (your answer would be among the best answers given by the 250 people interviewed to 7-not well at all (your answer would be among the worst answers given by the 250 people interviewed). These questions, which are all commonly asked during interviews, are based on the Endicott Survey, which is published by the Placement Center of Northwestern University.

(1) How well would you answer the question: "Do you enjoy doing independent research?"

Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (2) How well would you answer the question: "Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (3) How well would you answer the question: "Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and subordinates?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (4) How well would you answer the question: "Do you have plans for continued study?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (5) How well would you answer the question: "How do you work under pressure?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (6) How well would you answer the question: "Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (7) How well would you answer the question: "What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (8) How well would you answer the question: "What are your long-range goals and short-range goals and objectives, when and why did you establish these goals, and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (9) How well would you answer the question: "What do you really want to do in life?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all (10) How well would you answer the question: "How has your education prepared you for a career?" Very well     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not well at all Given that 5 people will be hired out of a pool of 250 total people interviewed, how likely do you think it is that you would be asked to participate in a second follow-up interview at the company headquarters? Very likely     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not likely at all How likely do you think it is that you would be offered a job as a result of your interviews? Very likely     1     2     3     4    5     6     7     Not likely at all Have you ever visited the Carnegie Mellon University Career Center for the specific purpose of improving your interviewing skills
(circle one)?   Yes     No

Finished.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Please return this survey to the proctor. You will be contacted in the fall concerning the follow-up survey. You will receive compensation for participating in this study at that time

Credits:

Some academic evaluative questions derived from the 1998 Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology, Inc. (ABET) accreditation criteria. See Engineering Criteria 2000, Criterion 3. Program Outcomes and Assessment located at http://www.abet.org/

The interview questions from the Endicott Survey are available at the Carnegie Mellon University Career Center Web page at http://synergy.as.cmu.edu/career/

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