Student Science Identity Survey Data from Undergraduate Field Biology Courses

165 KB of anonymized survey data and R code supports a mixed-methods study on disciplinary science identity. David Esparza, Laura Reilly-Sanchez, and Michelle Smith collected pre- and post-semester surveys and interviews from students in two undergraduate field biology courses. The data was submitted for publication in 2025 and 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze changes in competence/performance and perceived recognition scores between pre- and post-semester surveys.
• Examine qualitative code frequencies to identify factors like fieldwork practice or social support that influence identity.
• Reproduce linear mixed model analyses using the provided R Markdown script.
• Study ceiling effects in students' sense of interest in field biology using survey metrics.

Strengths

• Data includes both quantitative survey metrics and qualitative code frequencies for mixed-methods analysis.
• All analyses and figures are reproducible via the included R Markdown script.
• Study protocol was approved by Cornell University Institutional Review Board.

Limitations

• Dataset size is 165 KB, indicating a limited scope and likely small sample size.
• Raw qualitative interview transcripts are not included, only coded segment distributions.
• Data is from only two specific undergraduate courses, limiting generalizability.

Provenance

Source

David Esparza, Laura M. Reilly-Sanchez, and Michelle K. Smith.

Collection Method

Pre-/post-semester surveys and semi-structured interviews with students in two undergraduate field biology courses.

Time Range

Data collected during the semesters of the studied courses, circa 2025.

Freshness

Data last updated on April 5, 2026, and accompanies a manuscript submitted in 2025-2026.

Geography

Courses were likely at Cornell University, but specific location is not stated.