Organic chemistry is a widely feared course in the undergraduate curriculum. Attrition rates and low academic performance in organic chemistry have been attributed to several aspects of the curriculum, but student attitude also likely plays a role. The relationship between attitude and achievement in organic chemistry has been understudied. Thus, we have collected quantitative data with the Attitude toward the Subject of Chemistry Inventory version 2 (ASCIv2) at several points throughout the semester in multiple sections of a first semester organic chemistry course at a large public research university in the Southeast, immediately before each of three exams. Measurement invariance testing confirmed that the data gathered with the ASCIv2 instrument had the expected factor structure for the Hispanic female students in this study.  We investigated attitude trends and exam performance for multiple groups in this course and focused on Hispanic female students’ academic trajectories. Attitude toward chemistry was observed to be slightly below neutral before the first exam and trending downward with each subsequent exam. Additionally, we explored a reciprocal causation model that indicates a positive relationship between emotional satisfaction and exam scores. This relationship suggests that providing support for both affect and academic performance is worthwhile to continue to sustain and increase participation of Hispanic female students in chemistry. Quantitative approaches have been long criticized for their inability to investigate individuals’ and groups’ lived experiences, particularly those belonging to underrepresented minorities in STEM fields, so we welcome suggestions for how to re-imagine ways to use quantitative methods to investigate social justice issues. <br/>

Attitude toward the subject of chemistry for Hispanic female students throughout a first semester organic chemistry course

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.