Wesleyan female graduate surveys 778-821

The collection consists of over 800 surveys received from individual women graduates as well as computer printouts of data gained from these surveys.

Most of the surveys are labeled with a number on the upper right-hand side. Surveys 1-821 are labeled, with the possible exception of numbers 15, 65, 185, 441, 459, 509, and 591, which are missing. 23 surveys are unlabelled, or perhaps have lost their labels over time. The surveys are stored in order of numbered label, with the unlabelled surveys stored in a separate folder.

Delegard sent the surveys to approximately 2,000 graduates from the classes of 1970-79, 1984, and 1990. The surveys ask a series of biographical questions such as year of graduation at Wesleyan, parents' education level and occupation, and personal marital status. The surveys also ask a variety of questions about the graduates' decision to attend Wesleyan and their experiences while at Wesleyan, particularly with gender, sexism, and feminism. Though many of the women wrote in brief answers, others provided lengthy responses. Delegard quoted extensively from the written answers and used the multiple choice or short answers for substantial statistical analysis.

Included in the collection are the computer printouts from Delegard's statistical analysis of the surveys. Comprising three boxes, the printouts show the extent of Delegard's data exploration of the surveys she received, and provide an excellent example of early 1990s computer processing and research techniques.