The Importance of Terminology Consistency in Research on Faculty Social Class Origins

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Unpacking Faculty Identities and Institutional Barriers: From Terminology to Policy Reform (Table 6)

Abstract

Scientific terminology plays a crucial role in education research to: ensure clear communication, understand new terms, avoid ambiguity, and reduce misconceptions. The term ‘first-generation college student’ was first defined in 1980 and now has multiple definitions. Research on faculty dating back to 1947 investigated influences of parental education levels and occupations using the more general construct ‘faculty social class origins.’ The term ‘first-generation college student’ has been adapted for application to students who become faculty with the term ‘first generation faculty.’ This academic essay uses sociological theory to argue that research using the term ‘first generation faculty’ is atheoretical and authors who create new terminology for faculty omit relevant theory and previous scholarship on the topic.

Author

• Jim Vander Putten, Mercer University