Predictors of exam scores in physics through the lens of academic misalignment

This multivariate study examines nine academic phenomena and their relationships with student performance on physics exams. A survey was given to undergraduates in two introductory physics classes (one intended for majors, another for non-majors) who had recently completed the first physics exam of the spring semester. The survey measured student beliefs on several axes, including expert-like or novice-like attitudes about physics, a growth-versus-fixed mindset, Impostor Syndrome, perception of workload in the course, methods of studying for the exam, and feelings of “Academic Misalignment.” This paper defines Academic Misalignment as the phenomenon of an instructor’s academic expectations, beliefs, or goals differing from those of the students. This exploratory study proposes a novel method for quantifying students feelings of AM. For the non-major physics course, exam scores negatively correlated with Novice-Like Thinking (p = 0.0014), feelings of Impostor Syndrome (p = 0.0019), and feelings of Academic Misalignment (p = 0.000041). Also, Novice-Like Thinking positively correlated with feelings of Impostor Syndrome (p = 0.000042). The study conducted qualitative interviews with students to investigate the cause behind these correlations. The paper emphasizes the phenomenon of Academic Misalignment as a potentially promising area of future research.