Abstract

Science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) occupations are the fastest-growing jobs in the workforce; therefore, the demand for university graduates with STEM degrees is at an all-time high. Ideally, students feel motivated not only to pursue STEM for the sake of job opportunities but also to learn the subject. Previous research shows that student perception influences student motivation; however, there is far less research about student perception of assessment, a key measure of academic achievement. In this article, we investigate the intersection of student perception and assessment in STEM. Specifically, we quantify relationships between students’ perception of assessment and student identity, class format, and grades earned in introductory quantitative studies courses at a private research university in the US. Our study consists of 757 students from five different introductory courses, revealing that the odds students believe an assessment measures their learning are higher for projects than exams, for students who predict they will receive higher grades, and for students who major in quantitative courses than other subjects.