Degree & Year in the Program
3rd year PhD
Advisors
Kristen Olson, Jolene Smyth
Areas of Specialization
Survey research methodologies, quantitative research methodologies
About Me
I am a third year Sociology PhD student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Before coming to UNL, I earned my BA in sociology with a minor in statistics from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. I received my MA in Sociology from UNL in 2020. My Master’s thesis, which was advised by Dr. Kristen Olson, examined how interviewer speaking pace is associated with respondent speaking pace. After earning my doctorate, I plan to pursue a career as a survey methodologist at a research organization or an organization of similar focus.
My primary research interests are within survey methodology, with a particular interest in interviewer effects within survey interviews and in mode and device effects within web surveys. I also examine effects of visual design and other self-administered questionnaire characteristics on data quality and the response process of respondents. My dissertation examines the degree of coverage error bias that may result in datasets from smartphone-exclusive web surveys, such as with surveys administered via smartphone apps. In my dissertation I plan to present a detailed understanding of how smartphone ownership has evolved over time in the United States, and how this change over time may impact decisions made when designing web surveys of a general population. Beyond survey research, I am additionally trained in the field of gender and sexuality studies. I am currently preparing a solo-authored manuscript on the role of Multilevel Marketing companies and consultants in the spread of harmful body image ideals for women on social media.
Although I’ve only lived in Nebraska for a short while, I have come to love it along with the UNL Sociology department. While graduate school can be incredibly challenging, it has been a breath of fresh air to have the social support offered by my fellow graduate students in the department. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such a supportive department! When I’m not in my office working on a research project, I can be found baking various baked goods that I see on the Great British Bake Off, crocheting another blanket that I don’t have the space to store, or riding my bike through the many bike trails in town.
Courses Taught
Instructor of record: SOCI 101 Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2022), SOCI 206 Introduction to Social Research II (Fall 2021, Spring 2022)
Recitation Instructor: SOCI 101 Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2018, Fall 2020, Spring 2021)
Select Publications
Phillips, Angelica, and Rachel Stenger. Forthcoming. “The Effect of Burdensome Survey Questions on Data Quality in an Omnibus Survey.” Journal of Official Statistics.
Comprehensive Exam Area
Quantitative Methods