RQ: How do international students make sense of reasons why they choose the campus where they study?

Interview Protocol and Subject Informed Consent

This interview is for the purpose of collecting data on why international students choose a
particular campus as their study abroad destination. The study is conducted by Eyad Alfattal,
graduate student, and supervised by Dr. Louie Rodriguez, Ed.D. faculty and co-director.
Participation in this interview is completely voluntary and you can opt out at any time during the
interview. You may choose not to answer one or more questions. In addition, information you
will give will be transcribed and shared with you for your approval before it is incorporated into
the text of the study. You will be able to withdraw any of your responses within one week after
the transcripts are shared with you. The report that will be produced based on the information
you will provide will be used only for class project purposes and will not be published or shared
in any other form.
All of your responses will be confidential. This consent form and the voice recording files will be
placed in a locked drawer at the researchers home. The paper to be writing for this project will
report on your age, gender, and program of study; however, the report uses pseudonyms and will
not make any attempt to make it possible to reveal your identity.

By signing below, I confirm that I have been informed of the study and understand its purpose
and nature. I also freely give my consent to participate and make my responses available for
writing the project paper and sharing it with CSUSB faculty and administration.

Signature: __________________________

Date: __________________________

RQ: How do international students make sense of reasons why they choose the campus where they study?

Interview Protocol: A Phenomenological Approach

A. Establish Rapport with Subject (5 minutes)
1.
2.
3.
4.

Greet and break ice!

Make sure the subject is fine with time and location.
Explain to the subject the interview procedure.
Ask to start recording.

B. Interview Questions (20 minutes)

What is experienced?
1. What is it like to choose a university campus for study abroad?
How students experienced their choice?
2. How did you make your decision to come to this campus?
3. How do you make sense of the following reasons to choose this campus?
a. Availability of a suitable program
b. Location of the campus
c. Campus promotional materials
d. Fees and other expenses related to your study at this campus
e. Application and admission
f. The campus physical facilities
g. Faculty and staff
4. Have there been any other reasons that influenced your choice?
5. Do you want to tell me anything else about your choice of this campus experience?

C. Conclude the Interview (2 minutes)

Stop the recording, thank the subject and tell them that you will have a second meeting
with them in a week time to share the transcript and do a members check in for validity.