A strong STEM workforce is an important factor in the nation’s economy, and there have been recent and ongoing calls to increase the number and diversity of students pursuing STEM degrees in university. In this study, we examined students’ decisions to become chemistry majors in university, and to remain as chemistry majors or leave the major, within an expectancy-value framework. Expectancy-value theory links two main aspects of an individual’s choices – their beliefs about success in their choice, and the value (task value) they associate with their choice. We found that in making their decisions, students focused on several specific areas of their expectancies for success, and they focused on several specific areas within each of the task value domains in expectancy-value theory – attainment value, intrinsic value, utility value, and cost. We also found that a particular area of students’ expectancies decreased over time (the idea that chemistry is easy), that two areas of students’ intrinsic value increased over time (the ideas that chemistry is more interesting than biology and that they enjoy learning more and more chemistry), and that an area of students’ utility value increased over time (the idea that being a chemistry major is more useful for future career options than being a biology major). These results, as well as implications for student retention in the chemistry major, will be presented.

Exploring why students become chemistry majors in university and why they choose to stay in or leave the major

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

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