This markdown includes data from Chemistry students in classes CHM 121, CHM 221, and CHM 222 in Fall 2019 and Fall 2020. Data from the Spring 2020 semester were excluded due to the changes in university classes necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Students who dropped and who completed the class are both included in the data.

1 Gender

1.1 Grades by gender

Students’ average grades are calculated by averaging the grades (0-100) of their 4 or 5 exams.

1.2 Goal Grade by gender

At the time of each exam, participants were asked what their goal grade for the class is.

goal grade screenshot

1.3 Prediction Error by gender

Prediction Error is the difference between the grade a student predicted that they got on an exam and the actual grade they got on that exam. A negative prediction error means that the predicted grade was higher than their actual grade, meaning they overestimated. Participants are asked for their grade prediction on the day of the exam.

goal grade screenshot

1.4 Drops by gender

2 Race

In the plots and analyses below, data from students who identified as “Native American” or “Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander” were omitted due to small group sizes (2 students and 1 student, respectively). Data from students who identified as “Other” were not included as a unified group due to the heterogeneity of races specified.

2.1 Grades by race

2.2 Goal Grades by race

2.3 Prediction Error by race

2.4 Drops by race

3 Ethnicity

3.1 Grades by ethnicity

3.2 Goal Grade by ethnicity

3.3 Prediction Error by ethnicity

3.4 Drops by ethnicity

4 Summary

Female, Hispanic/Latino Female, Non-hispanic Male, Hispanic/Latino Male, Non-hispanic
African American or Black 6 46 0 7
Asian or Asian-American 2 57 0 19
Caucasian or White 105 184 43 68
Multiracial 6 29 5 9
Native American 2 0 0 0
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 0 0 1 0
Other (please specify) 4 4 5 1