ENGLISH CAPSTONE QUESTIONNAIRESWEARING AND SOCIETY

VERSION 1.5

APRIL 7, 2014

BY: MATTHEW VAUGHN

ADVISORY

Dear Participant,

The questionnaire you are about to fill out contains offensive language. It is a questionnaire designed to collect research about college student’s perception of swear words and the factors that cause their perceptions. Your name will not be required but it will ask for certain information regarding your background. You are free to not answer any questions about your background as well as the questions on the swear words themselves. This research is strictly a school project and the results will not be academically published. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, simply return the questionnaire unanswered or dispose of it yourself. I thank you for your time and your aid in my research.

Regards,

Matthew Vaughn

4/7/2014 English capstone Questionnaire 1

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

What is your Age?

What is your gender?

What is your marital status?

What is your ethnicity?

What School/University do you attend? What year are you? (Senior, Junior)

What is your Major/Minor?

What specific religious sect do you affiliate with, if any? (Ex. Sunni Muslim, catholic Christian)

What area/region did you spend your childhood?

If multiple places, list all

Where do you currently live?

What Socio-economic class were you raised in? (Ex. Lower, Middle, Middle-Upper, Upper)

How many siblings do you have?

SWEAR WORDS

For the following section there will be two categories of swear words, Religious and Carnal. In the first column rank each word from 1-5 (1 being least severe, 5 being most severe) in severity if you heard the words said in PUBLIC (places like school, work, public areas). In the second column rank the words again for severity if you had heard the words said in PRIVATE (places like home or with friends). As far as rankings go, think of ranking a 1 as passable without any repercussions whatsoever, and think of 5 as absolutely unutterable without strong repercussions.

RELIGIOUS SWEAR WORDS

RANK 1-5 (1 LEAST, 5 WORST)

PUBLIC CONTEXT

PRIVATE CONTEXT

DAMN

4/7/2014 English capstone Questionnaire 2

RANK 1-5 (1 LEAST, 5 WORST)

PUBLIC CONTEXT

PRIVATE CONTEXT

HELL

GOD (said in vain)

JESUS (said in vain)

CARNAL SWEAR WORDS

RANK 1-5 (1 LEAST, 5 WORST) PUBLIC CONTEXT PRIVATE CONTEXT

1SHIT

2FUCK

3DICK

4CUNT

4/7/2014 English capstone Questionnaire 3