Putting Observations in Context
The purpose of this assignment is to put the grocery stores you observed into context and understand how others may see them. You can use what you write here for your final project.
You observed both a larger mainstream grocery store chain (Giant, Harris Teeter, Safeway, Shopper's Food Warehouse, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target) and an international food market listed on our Google Map (Super A Market, Food Star Market, Bestway Supermercado, H Mart, Grand Mart, Good Fortune).
Outline for assignment
The assignment will include the following:
•Demographic context
1. A table (template provided below) containing select population statistics for each neighborhood.
2. Using the data from the table, a brief (100+ word) written description of the neighborhood where each grocery store is located.
•Grocery store reviews
3. A brief (150+ word) written discussion of how online reviewers talk about each store.
Here's some additional information about what you'll be doing for each section:
Demographic context
Although neighborhood demographics do not necessarily reflect who shops at these stores, such information can be a helpful in understanding the context of the store.
For each store, look up demographic data that helps us understand the neighborhood where each store is located. You will produce a table similar to the one attached here , making sure to fill in the parts that are in GOLD lettering.
To find this information, you will use the Census Bureau's American Fact Finder tool
. Plug in the zip codes for each grocery store, one at a time. Instructions for looking up the information needed:
•To get Race/Ethnicity data, use the Race and Hispanic Origin Tab on the left hand side and click on the "Demographic and Housing Estimates (Age, Sex, Race, Households and Housing, ...)" link.
•To get Median Household Income, click on the Income tab on the left.
•To get the Individuals below poverty level data, click on the Poverty tab on the left.
•To get data on Foreign born populations and their regional origins, click on the Origins and Language Tab on the left hand side and click
on" Selected Social Characteristics (Household and Family Type, Disability, Citizenship, Ancestry, Language, ...)" under 2015 American Community survey.
Reviews
Using online review sites (either through Google, Yelp, or any other site you may be familiar with), research how people may view these stores. Google reviews show up whenever you use Google to search for a business (just make sure to include the location). If you use Yelp, you simply need to include the name and location of the grocery store you are searching.
For each store, look over the reviews and try to answer the following questions in your write-up:
•How do people generally describe the store, services, products, employees, etc?
•What patterns do you notice?
•Do any of the comments suggest bias/prejudice on the part of the reviewer? Is there any evidence of ethnocentrism or cultural relativism?
Submit your table, your description of the demographic context, and your summary of online reviews on the Canvas.