Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry
Department
Chemistry
First Advisor
Justin Pratt
Abstract
This study examined how students' study strategy decisions and perceptions of chemistry evolve across the introductory chemistry sequence. General and Organic Chemistry courses are widely viewed as difficult, and students’ experiences in these courses are often among the first to prompt them to reevaluate their study habits. Because prior quantitative work did not capture students’ reasoning, this work used qualitative methods to understand how and why chemistry students change their study strategies from General Chemistry I to Organic Chemistry I. Initially, 16 General Chemistry I students were interviewed about their study decisions and perceptions of chemistry. Students were re-interviewed in General Chemistry II (n = 6) and Organic Chemistry (n = 5) to capture changes over time. In addition, 2 students who did not continue in the chemistry sequence were re-interviewed to provide additional perspectives on chemistry. Self-Regulated Learning, Cognitive Load Theory, and Desirable Difficulties informed our interpretation of students’ studying decisions, while epistemic messaging framed our understanding of their perceptions of chemistry.
Throughout the introductory chemistry sequence, students’ decisions were guided more by their beliefs and past experiences than by research on the effectiveness of strategies. Perceptions of how much they learned from using a strategy and how well it prepared them for assessments were central to students’ choices; additionally, instructors’ suggestions and the strategies made available to students were commonly discussed as reasons for their decisions. When choosing not to use a strategy, students considered multiple cues related to their learning, the content being studied, the effort associated with a strategy, and their previous experience, including not valuing the strategy, not knowing how to use a strategy, and simply not needing it. Limited access to resources also prevented some students from using certain strategies, leading them to adopt alternatives over time. When discussing their perceptions, students viewed chemistry as more difficult than other courses (including both STEM and non-STEM) as they progressed from General Chemistry I to Organic Chemistry I. The epistemic messages from these courses led students to describe general chemistry as math-focused and organic chemistry as definition- and memorization-focused. These messages shaped the strategies students selected, which were influenced by course context, the perceived relevance of chemistry to their future careers, and the goal orientations they adopted.
Recommended Citation
Keenan, Kendra L., "UNDERSTANDING STUDENT STUDYING APPROACHES ACROSS THE INTRODUCTORY CHEMISTRY SEQUENCE" (2026). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 4571.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/4571