High school science enrollment of black students

Abstract

How can the high school science enrollment of black students be increased? School and home counseling and classroom procedures could benefit from variables identified as predictors of science enrollment. The problem in this study was to identify a set of variables which characterize science course enrollment by black secondary students. The population consisted of a subsample of 3963 black high school seniors from The High School and Beyond 1980 Base‐Year Survey. Using multiple linear regression, backward regression, and correlation analyses, the US Census regions and grades mostly As and Bs in English were found to be significant predictors of the number of science courses scheduled by black seniors.

Ethnic Differences in Science Choice, Attitudes and Achievement in Britain

“…But in this case they are all we have. Goggins & Lindbeck (1986) report that "a disproportionately small number of black students chose to pursue a science career" and that there has been "a decline in the percentage of minority students enroled in science" in recent years. Data for the percentage of Bachelors degrees in science and engineering earned by different ethnic groups in the United States, is presented in Table II.…”

Using national data bases to examine minority student success in higher education

“…In addition, the data user manuals accompanying NCES data bases (see citations in list of references) provide essential information on the design of the study, survey items, various statistical procedures, and so on. Time spent on becoming familiar with NCES data bases and the literature on how each has been used by other researchers (see for example, Velez, 1989;Stoecker, Pascarella, and Wolfle, 1988;Alexander, Holupka, and Pallas, 1987;Goggins and Lindbeck, 1986;National Center for Education Statistics, 1985) will prevent unnecessary and frustrating delays in later stages of a research project.…”