Research Plan

Alyson Hellenack, Allison Metts, Addie Janicki, Victoria Iloan, Vaibhavi Kamat
Overview:
As a group, we will be researching coffee intake of students at the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte. We will be looking into the amount of coffee consumption and other
aspects involving coffee, such as the health effects on coffee.
Secondary Research:
Along with observing the students on campus, we thought it was important to look deeper
into the health effects of coffee in a more general point of view. According to WebMD, coffee
effects can range from anxiety and agitation to headaches and irregular heartbeats. In more
severe cases, drinking unfiltered coffee can lead to an increase in likelihood of heart disease. As
people drink more and more coffee they become addicted to the caffeinated high. Your brain
contains a molecule known as Adenosin. Adenosin gives you the feeling of wakefulness.
Therefore, when you drink coffee that contains caffeine it substitutes for the molecule. In
addition, Statisticbrain updated on March 17th, 2015, approximately 60% of Americans rely on
coffee to start their day. Universities such as California State University, states in the University
Times that coffee is becoming an essential food group for college students. Keeping all this
information in mind will help us conduct our research and our methods of research on coffee
intake at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Research Questions:
1. How much coffee is consumed by college students?
2. Is drinking coffee more social now than it used to be?
3. How do they take their coffee? (Decaf, Frappuccino, Lattes, etc.)
4. How much money do college students spend on coffee?
5. Is coffee purchased from places like starbucks or do more students use a coffee maker?
6. What kind of effect does coffee have on college students? (Mind/Body)
Research Methods:
To receive the research information we will collaboratively divide up the research
methods. Weve chosen to observe the results of the different coffee shop locations on campus,
such as Starbucks, SOVI, and the various Peet's coffee locations. By observing the results we
will be able to conclude the reasoning behind students coffee intake. It allows us to get a more in
depth idea of when and how the customers get their coffee. We will also be handing out surveys
and interviewing select customers for a more detailed response on the research questions listed
above. As part of our secondary research we will be looking at the effects that coffee can have on
students both mentally and physically based on how much caffeine is in the coffee. With the
information received from our data collection, the group will then proceed to put the data
together in the form of charts and graphs. For the data collection, the group will split the
responsibilities evenly between all of the members of the group. Addie will create the surveys
and once all of the data has been collected, she will put all of the data on a spreadsheet. Alyson,
Allison, Victoria, and Vaibhavi will be going around campus to hand out surveys and receive the
data. They will also perform interviews on some people to get a more in depth response. Alyson

and Allison will be using a touchscreen pad to display the survey and talk to the customers when
they are waiting in line or for their coffee.

Survey:
1. At what age did you start drinking coffee?
o 10-12 years old
o 13-15 years old
o 16-18 years old
o 19 years old or older
1. How many cups of coffee do you drink each day?
o 0-1 cup
o 2-4 cup
o 5-7 cup
o 8 or more
2. How much coffee do you drink on a weekly basis?
o 0-1 cups
o 2-4 cups
o 5-7 cups
o 8 or more
3. How much would you say you spend on coffee every week?
o $0-$10
o $11-$15
o $16-20
o $21 or more
4. What size cup of coffee do you usually consume?
o Small(Short)
o Medium(Tall)
o Large(Grande)
o Extra Large(Venti)
5. What type of coffee do you order most often?
o Decaf
o Frappuccino
o Regular
o Latte
o Macchiato
o Other
6. Where do you usually drink your coffee?
o In dorm/ At home
o On the go/ In class
o In the Student Union
o In a cafe /coffee shop
7. Where do you get your coffee?
o Starbucks
o Peet's Coffee
o Coffee maker
o Atkin's Caffee
o Sovi
o Other

8. What is your reason for drinking coffee on a daily/ weekly basis? (Check all that apply)
o
o
o

To get an energy boost

For the taste
Other

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-980-coffee.aspx?
activeingredientid=980&activeingredientname=coffee
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-does-coffee-affect-your-brain-2014-8 (Video)
http://coffeeandhealth.org/topic-overview/coffee-and-health-an-overview/
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/coffee/
http://columbiaspectator.com/spectrum/2014/09/10/dont-worry-be-healthy-how-usecaffeine
http://www.csulauniversitytimes.com/news/view.php/47422/Coffee-Consumption-inCollege-Students
http://www.statisticbrain.com/coffee-drinking-statistics/