Becoming a Researcher 1.0: A Critical Convergent Mixed-Methods Study of Graduate Students at a Minority-Serving Research Institution

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Learning and Using Mixed Methods Research to Explore Intersections of Identity and Experience (Table 2)

Abstract

As a part of a larger multi-phase sequential mixed methods study, this initial study explores graduate students' understanding and operationalization of researcher identity while assessing the reliability of an adapted science identity scale. Employing a critical convergent mixed methods design, the study integrates quantitative data from an adapted scale and qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. The results demonstrate good internal consistency of the scale and reveal two key themes: the impact of research on societal change and the influence of positionality on research perspectives. These findings contribute to the understanding of researcher identity, particularly within the context of underrepresented graduate students at minority-serving institutions.

Author

• Monica Hernandez-Johnson, University of Nevada - Las Vegas