Jerold Pearson, '75 Director of Market Research, Stanford Alumni Association Partner, eAdvancement

Research Archive

All studies were designed, written, analyzed, and reported by Jerold Pearson, pictured here...

Before working at Stanford.	And now, after a hard day's work.

   For your delectation, you may read:

A Few Notes on Survey Response -- What are some of the factors that affect response rates to surveys?

Salutations and Response Rates to Online Surveys -- Do personalized salutations get a higher response than generic salutations do?  If so, is one kind of personalized salutation better than another?  This research tested four salutations to an online survey (conducted among Stanford alumni) in September 2002.

An Overview of the first four years of research with Stanford alumni -- explaining what we learned, how all the research fits together, and how it's been used.  This paper also includes a discussion of methodological issues unique to research with alumni.

The critics agree:

"What a maverick.  You betcha, doggone it!" -- Caribou Barbie Palin

"Neat stuff!  Now let's crush this miserable worm before he steals our market share." -- Bill Gates

"Die luft der freiheit weht!" -- Gerhard Casper, president emeritus of Stanford

"Do we actually pay this little gerbil?" -- Howard Wolf, President, Stanford Alumni Association

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   Here is the complete list of major studies conducted by this office. 

1994	Initial Study of Undergraduate Alumni Giving	focus groups followed by a survey
1994	School of Education Alumni	focus groups followed by a survey
1994	Department of Athletics	focus groups followed by a survey
1995	Alumni of Color	survey
1995	The Stanford Channel	survey
1995	School of Engineering Graduate Alumni	focus groups followed by a survey
1995	School of Humanities & Sciences Graduate Alumni	survey
1995	School of Law Alumni	focus groups followed by a survey
1995	Princeton, Yale, Penn, and Stanford Alumni	survey
1995	The Stanford Fund: First Annual Report	survey
1996	Students of Color	focus groups
1996	School of Medicine Alumni	focus groups followed by a survey
1996	Football Tickets Marketing Strategy	focus groups followed by a survey
1996	Alumni in Asia	focus groups
1996	The College Selection Process: The Parents' Perspective	focus groups
1996	The Stanford Channel: First Year Viewership	survey
1997	The Stanford Fund: Second Annual Report	survey
1997	Stanford Magazine	focus groups followed by a survey
1997	Committee For Art Membership Strategy	focus groups
1997	School of Engineering: Graduate Alumni Communications	survey
1997	Planned Giving Advertising	focus groups
1997	Online Services for Alumni	focus groups
1998	The Undergraduate Experience at Stanford (current students)	survey
1998	Continuing Studies Program: Young Adult Marketing	survey
1998	Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Direct Appeals Program	survey
1998	The Stanford Fund: Third Annual Report	survey
1998	Stanford Alumni Association-Stanford University Merger	focus groups followed by a survey
1998	Alumni Events	survey
1998	Alumni Attitudes, Awareness, and Engagement	survey
1998	The Stanford Fund Lapsed Donors	focus groups
1998	School of Law Campaign Issues	focus groups
1998	Reunion Homecoming Attendees	survey
1998	Alumni Communications	survey
1999	Stanford Alumni Association Membership Benefits	focus groups
1999	Stanford Introductory Studies: Sophomore Programs (current students)	survey
1999	Department of Athletics Consolidated Annual Fund	focus groups
1999	Office of Development Web Site	user testing
1999	The Stanford Fund: Fourth Annual Report	survey
1999	Online Library Resources for Alumni	focus groups
1999	Stanford Alumni Association: Graduate Alumni Membership	focus groups
1999	Stanford Alumni Association Customer Service	survey
1999	Alumni Communications	survey
2000	@Stanford Readership	survey
2000	Graduate School of Business Lapsed Donors	focus groups
2000	Stanford Alumni Association Web Site Redesign	focus groups
2000	School of Education Younger Alumni	focus groups
2000	Alumni Volunteering	focus groups
2000	Campaign for Undergraduate Education Web Site	user testing
2000	The Stanford Channel: Five Years Out	survey
2000	School of Medicine non-MD Alumni	focus groups
2000	@Stanford and Alumni Giving	survey
2000	Alumni Feelings, Awareness, and Engagement	survey
2000	Stanford Alumni Association Web Site	user testing
2001	Alumni of Color	survey
2001	Stanford Alumni Association Student Programs	focus groups
2001	Stanford Alumni Association E-mail Services	focus groups
2001	Stanford Magazine Readership	survey
2001	Campaign for Undergraduate Education	survey
2001	Stanford Volunteer Clearinghouse	user testing
2001	Information Technology: Wireless Connectivity in Teaching and Learning	focus groups
2001	Alumni Communications	survey
2001	Alumni Affiliations and Affinities	focus groups
2002	Cardinal Class Core: Program Evaluation and Positioning	focus groups
2002	Career Services for Alumni	focus groups
2002	School of Engineering Graduate Alumni Relations	survey
2002	Faculty Housing	survey
2002	Stanford Alumni Association Logos and Branding	focus groups followed by a survey
2002	inCircle Online Alumni Community	focus groups
2002	The Freshman Year at Stanford (current students)	survey
2002	Alumni Feelings and Engagement	survey
2003	Stanford Associates: Volunteer Recognition	survey
2003	Stanford Parents	survey
2003	Stanford Travel/Study	survey
2003	Cantor Arts Center Member Communications	survey
2003	inCircle Online Alumni Community	focus groups
2003	Major Donor Stewardship	survey
2003	Young Alumni	survey
2004	Stanford Alumni Association Web Site	user testing
2004	Regional and Class Communications	focus groups
2004	Stanford Magazine Readership	survey
2004	Minority Alumni Conference Attendees	survey
2004	Recent Graduates and Alumni Programming	focus groups
2005	Graduate Alumni Feelings and Engagement	survey
2005	Alumni of Color	survey
2005	Medical Development	focus groups
2005	Alumni Segmentation	survey
2005	Alumni Center Services	survey
2005	Stanford Alumni Association Membership	focus groups
2005	Stanford Travel/Study Program	focus groups
2006	School of Engineering Alumni Relations	survey
2006	Volunteer Satisfaction	survey
2006	Alumni Feelings and Engagement	survey
2006	Class Notes	survey
2006	Online Donor Recognition	focus groups
2007	Stanford Alumni Association E-mail Service	focus groups
2007	Overseas Alumni Feelings and Engagement	survey
2007	Stanford Alumni Association Credit Cards	focus groups
2007	Stanford Magazine	focus groups followed by a survey
2007	The Stanford Challenge	survey
2007	Stanford Magazine September/October Issue	survey
2007	The Stanford Fund Loyal Donors	survey
2007	Stanford Magazine November/December Issue	survey
2008	Stanford NCAA Promotional Videos	survey
2008	Stanford Magazine January/February Issue	survey
2008	Leading Matters San Diego	focus groups
2008	School of Earth Sciences Alumni	focus groups
2008	Stanford Magazine March/April Issue	survey
2008	Stanford Magazine May/June Issue	survey
2008	Stanford Alumni Association Strategy Refresh	survey
2008	Stanford Magazine July/August Issue	survey
2008	Alumni Communications	focus groups
2008	Ivy League Magazine Network Readership	survey
2009	Jumpers (alumni who have jumped into a more active behavioral segment)	survey
2009	Class Notes	survey
2009	Stanford Alumni LinkedIn Group	survey
2009	Online Professional Networking	focus groups
2009	Stanford University Facebook Page	survey
2009	Stanford Alumni E-mail Services	survey
2009	Social Media and Alumni Relations	survey
2009	Stanford E-newsletter Redesign	survey