Definitions Matter: Investigating and Comparing Different Operationalizations of Academic Undermatching

Simple item page
dc.contributor.author Gansemer-Topf, Ann
dc.contributor.author Downey, Jillian
dc.contributor.author Genschel, Ulrike
dc.contributor.author Gansemer-Topf, Ann
dc.contributor.department Statistics
dc.contributor.department School of Education
dc.date 2019-12-09T20:54:10.000
dc.date.accessioned 2020-06-30T02:15:29Z
dc.date.available 2020-06-30T02:15:29Z
dc.date.copyright Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2017
dc.date.issued 2017-01-01
dc.description.abstract <p>Effective assessment practice requires clearly defining and operationalizing terminology. We illustrate the importance of this practice by focusing on academic “undermatching”—when students enroll in colleges that are less academically selective than those for which they are academically prepared. Undermatching has been viewed as a potential obstacle in the United States’ goal of increasing degree attainment but operationalizing undermatching is difficult. Using ELS: 2002, a national dataset from the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2014), we developed eight operationalizations of undermatching by altering three commonly used variables. We then compared the number and demographics of students who were identified as undermatched. Differences in operationalizations resulted in significant differences in undermatching by gender, race, parental education, and socioeconomic status. Results of this study illustrate the importance of the need to operationalize terminology used in assessment carefully and consistently.</p>
dc.description.comments <p>This article is published as Gansemer-Topf, A.M., * Downey, J., & Genschel, U. (2017). Definitions matter: Investigating and comparing different operationalizations of academic undermatching. <em>Research and Practice in Assessment</em>, 12, 28-40. Posted with permission. </p>
dc.format.mimetype application/pdf
dc.identifier archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/edu_pubs/131/
dc.identifier.articleid 1129
dc.identifier.contextkey 15036666
dc.identifier.s3bucket isulib-bepress-aws-west
dc.identifier.submissionpath edu_pubs/131
dc.identifier.uri https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/22839
dc.language.iso en
dc.source.bitstream archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/edu_pubs/131/0-7_2019_granted_permission_request___GansemerTopf_Research_and_.pdf|||Fri Jan 14 19:44:37 UTC 2022
dc.source.bitstream archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/edu_pubs/131/2017_Granted_Gansemer_TopfA_DefinitionsMatter.pdf|||Fri Jan 14 19:44:38 UTC 2022
dc.subject.disciplines Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
dc.subject.disciplines Educational Methods
dc.subject.disciplines Gender and Sexuality
dc.subject.disciplines Higher Education
dc.subject.disciplines Race and Ethnicity
dc.title Definitions Matter: Investigating and Comparing Different Operationalizations of Academic Undermatching
dc.type article
dc.type.genre article
dspace.entity.type Publication
relation.isAuthorOfPublication 214cc672-840d-4f5e-b925-3029d6d27c4f
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication 264904d9-9e66-4169-8e11-034e537ddbca
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication 385cf52e-6bde-4882-ae38-cd86c9b11fce
File
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Name:
2017_Granted_Gansemer_TopfA_DefinitionsMatter.pdf
Size:
646.59 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Name:
0-7_2019_granted_permission_request___GansemerTopf_Research_and_.pdf
Size:
219.42 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Publications