John M. Braxton

The influence of student problems on student withdrawal decisions: An autopsy on “autopsy” studies

The influence of student problems, which are often cited by students as reasons for withdrawal, is compared with the influence of constructs derived from Tintos student attrition model. The findings suggest that data from post-hoc attrition studies should be used cautiously.

TEACHING PERFORMANCE NORMS IN ACADEMIA

As most faculty have autonomy in their teaching, social control mechanisms to guide teaching in the interests of clients are needed. Thus, this study posed the question: What is the normative system for undergraduate college teaching? To answer this question, the College Teaching Behaviors Inventory was administered to a sample of 800 faculty holding appointments in biology, history, mathematics, and psychology at Research I Universities and Comprehensive Colleges and Universities II. Principal components analysis was used to identify four patterns of teaching norms: interpersonal disregard, inadequate planning, moral turpitude, and particularistic grading. Analysis of variance was used to test for differences in the degree of impropriety accorded to these normative patterns by academics in the two types of institutions and in the four academic disciplines included in this inquiry. Although institutional differences were observed for interpersonal disregard and inadequate planning, disciplinary differences were not found for any of the four normative patterns. Conclusions and implications of these findings are presented.

INSTITUTIONAL VARIABILITY IN FACULTY CONFORMITY TO THE NORMS OF SCIENCE: A Force of Integration or Fragmentation in the Academic Profession?

Fragmentation in the academic profession derived from differences among academics in different types of colleges and universities suggests a need to identify possible compensatory integrating mechanisms. This study seeks to determine whether faculty conformity to the four norms of science identified by Merton are such integrating mechanisms or whether they are forces of further fragmentation. The 1977 Survey of the American Professorate conducted by Ladd and Lipset was the data source for this study. The results indicate that the norms of universalism and communality serve as a compensatory integrating mechanisms, while the norms of disinterestedness and organized skepticism function as forces of further fragmentation among academics in different types of colleges and universities.

Quality of graduate department origin of faculty and its relationship to undergraduate course examination questions

Quality of graduate department origin for faculty and its relationship to the asking of undergraudate course examination questions requiring analysis or synthesis of course content was this studys focus. Findings indicated a tendency for faculty holding advanced degrees from higher quality graduate departments to ask more synthesis questions than their counterparts trained at lower quality departments. Implication for faculty selection are drawn from this studys findings.

DEVIANCY FROM THE NORMS OF SCIENCE: A Test of Control Theory

Control theory of deviance is extended to the case of deviancy from the four Mertonian norms of science. Control theory is tested on a national sample of faculty in seven academic disciplines. The 1977 Survey of the American Professoriate conducted by Ladd and Lipset was the data source for this inquiry. The results indicate that both the internalization of a given norm and disciplinary colleague conformity to a given norm exert an influence on deviancy from each of the four norms of science. These findings provide support for control theory as an explication for deviancy from the norms of science. However, the influence of the extent to which disciplinary colleagues are perceived to be conforming to these norms on norm deviancy is stronger than that of individual norm internalization. Deviancy from the norms of science is the consequence of ineffective social control. Thus, these findings suggest that social control in the academic profession lies primarily in the community of the academic disciplines rather than with personal controls.