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By Jasmine Michaelson
Dan Phelps admits that before if he saw someone with a clipboard in the mall or on the street, he would have ignored him. But now he's a little more sympathetic. When Dr. Emmanuel Nneji announced in the corporate communications class Phelps was taking for his public relations major that everyone would have to come up with a survey, get at least 100 people to fill it out and then present their findings to the class, the St. Louis native had a few ideas. "But one night it just hit me," he said. "A survey about surveys! It made sense to me." The questions came quickly and easily. Why do you fill out surveys? (Most said to be considerate.) Are you honest when filling out surveys? (Only about 60 percent said always.) Which approach do you prefer most? (Most said in person.) Which do you prefer least? (Overwhelmingly phone surveys.) Do you feel your opinion counts? (About 11 percent of the "honest" But at first, Phelps felt like he was the only one it made sense to. Students and the professors of classes he passed his surveys out to weren't too excited about the idea. "There was this one teacher who thought the whole concept sucked," Phelps said, "and he told me so." He would've abandoned the idea if it weren't for his professor's "Dr. Nneji thought it was great," Phelps said. So while most of the students prepared their findings about media influence, the war in Iraq and online dating in power point form (because "our professor really likes that," Phelps said), Phelps decided to keep with the less-beaten path. Instead, he made a video documenting his two or three weeklong surveying adventure, which he presented to the class April 18. Opening with a scene of Phelps in front of a class with surveys in hand being pelted by paper wads, the first half tells the unsung story of the downtrodden surveyist complete with doors slamming, people hurriedly circling answers without reading the questions and (literally) some good old-fashioned butt-kicking. It closed with the results and lessons learned. "I think if the people who took surveys could see what became of it more people would take them, and they'd be more honest about it," he said. Phelps hadn't received his grade yet, but the doubted project was, indeed, an undoubtable success. "People in the class are still coming up to me and telling me how much they liked it," he said, beaming. "I think it left a lasting impression. And I think that's cool."
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