Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
ORCID
0000-0003-4057-7114
Date of Graduation
5-14-2026
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
First Advisor
Megan Good
Abstract
Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have increased in popularity across the higher education landscape. Beyond popularity, UREs have also been associated with a myriad of positive student outcomes. This dissertation explores how research design choices influence conclusions about the impact of UREs on student outcomes. Across three studies, both construct validity (specifically treatment) and internal validity were considered. Construct validity was examined through treatment classification and consistency, while internal validity was addressed using statistical methods to control for selection bias. The first manuscript compared known participation rates in two majors to senior students’ self-report data of URE participation, finding a misclassification rate of 36%. Test-taking effort was found to significantly predict misclassification. In the second manuscript, the fidelity of URE offerings across an institution was evaluated in relation to the eight characteristics of high-impact practices (HIPs). Three latent profiles of fidelity were identified and named: high quality, low presentation, and interaction only. Among STEM students, these fidelity profiles were differentially associated with quantitative literacy scores, demonstrating that heterogeneity of URE fidelity can attenuate group differences when profiles are aggregated. Finally, the third manuscript estimated the average treatment effect of URE participation on a variety of student outcomes using a propensity score approach with a rich set of covariates, including personality. URE participation was found to significantly impact three of six critical thinking disposition subscales, sense of belonging, and cumulative GPA. Along with strengthening causal conclusions, this study showed that URE participation does have the positive impact on student outcomes that has been observed in the literature. URE researchers are encouraged to expand the use of quasi-experimental methods to appropriately address selection bias. Concerningly, the findings also provide empirical evidence that construct validity concerns require greater attention in the field, namely those of misclassification and variation in fidelity. Recommendations to researchers, practitioners, and institutions call for the development of a shared definition and logic model for UREs. These approaches will begin to counter the threats to construct validity and strengthen URE research moving forward.
