Validity and Limitations of College Student Self-Report Data New Directions for Institutional Research, Number 150

by Herzog, Serge; Bowman, Nicholas A.

• ISBN13: 9781118134160
• ISBN10: 1118134168
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-06-28
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

Critics of student self-reported data claim that the accumulated corpus of research documenting student learning on the basis of survey responses stands on shaky ground. This volume argues that scholarship on proper use of student self-report data is woefully underdeveloped and contributing authors offer several important insights to assist IR practitioners in identifying potential limitations associated with self-report data. Volume editors Serge Herzog, director of institutional analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno, and Nicholas A. Bowman, postdoctoral research associate in the Center for Social Concerns at the University of Notre Dame, have assembled contributing authors who are leading scholars in the field of college student self-reports. Combined, the chapters draw on data from a mix of colleges and universities, capturing student growth at different stages of the undergraduate experience, and even beyond graduation. This is the 150th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Institutional Research. Always timely and comprehensive, New Directions for Institutional Research provides planners and administrators in all types of academic institutions with guidelines in such areas as resource coordination, information analysis, program evaluation, and institutional management.

Table of Contents

Editors' Notes	p. 1
Examining Systematic Errors in Predictors of College Student Self-Reported Gains	p. 7
Gauging Academic Growth of Bachelor Degree Recipients: Longitudinal vs. Self-Reported Gains in General Education	p. 21
Using College Students' Self-Reported Learning Outcomes in Scholarly Research	p. 41
The Tie That Binds: The Role of Self-Reported High School Gains in Self-Reported College Gains	p. 59
Measuring How College Affects Students: Social Desirability and Other Potential Biases in College Student Self-Reported Gains	p. 73
The Validity of Student Engagement Survey Questions: Can We Accurately Measure Academic Challenge?	p. 87
Clearing the AIR About the Use of Self-Reported Gains in Institutional Research	p. 99
Reconciling (Seemingly) Discrepant Findings: Implications for Practice and Future Research	p. 113
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