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[drphilthethrill]

Hey guys!
 
I'm currently in my last semester of undergraduate studies (it's so hard to believe) and I have a to write a Senior Thesis. I'm deliberating on my topic and believe I want to focus on college admission rates and their change in recent history but I'm having a problem specifically focusing my question on a certain topic. I was hoping you scholars of the field (Yes, I am trying to butter you up) can help me better format my research question. I was thinking of addressing the issue of the decline in male attendance or the increase in Asian students or something. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 

[sagit]

I suggest you start reading articles related to this topic.  This should help you define a useful question.

[drphilthethrill]

I think I'm gonna go with the development of public universities in the 21st century and see if there is in fact and gender and ethnic gap.

[seniorscholar]

I think I'm gonna go with the development of public universities in the 21st century and see if there is in fact and gender and ethnic gap.

I suggest you start reading articles related to this topic.  This should help you define a useful question.

Definitely follow sagit's advice -- because I would be very surprised if there are not already twenty or thirty reputable journal articles that provide definitive answers to your question. On the other hand, if there are significant differences among the answers, you have a project worth investigating.

[drphilthethrill]

I'm going to start looking through journals and such this week! Thanks for the feedback! Any books or online articles you happen to come across about enrollment rates would be greatly appreciated!

[pigou]

Not my field, but if you're looking at Asians, be sure to look at subgroups. There's a tremendous difference between Chinese and Vietnamese Americans, for example. A difference that isn't captured when people check "Asian" on their application form.

If you're looking at admissions rates, make sure not to fall for Simpson's paradox. For example, every department at a university could have a higher admissions rate for women than for men, but the university overall could have a higher admissions rate for men than for women.

[seniorscholar]

I'm going to start looking through journals and such this week! Thanks for the feedback! Any books or online articles you happen to come across about enrollment rates would be greatly appreciated!

OK, so the next thing you need to learn, since this is a Senior Thesis, is to how to access, search, and use the databases that will direct you to articles on admission rates studies. Talk to your university library staff. (Few scholars "look through journals" except for general keeping-up-with-the-field purposes; when looking for material on a specific topic, or on a broad topic that needs to be narrowed into a specific topic, we begin with the subscription databases in appropriate fields that are held by our libraries.)

[drphilthethrill]

That makes sense. Thanks senior! Also, does anyone happen to know any good journals that deal specifically with admissions and enrollment rates?