Replication Data for: Accidental Scientists: How Undergraduate Research in Political Science Can Help Patch the "Leaky Pipeline" in STEM Education

Education advocates lament the “leaky pipeline” in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), whereby students---especially minorities and women---drop out of STEM at successive stages of the schooling system. Defining empirical political science as a branch of STEM, I propose that undergraduate research in political science can help patch this leaky pipeline and expand access to scientific skills and habits of mind. I elaborate three rationales behind my claim: political science is a relatively diverse field of STEM; college primes students to think like (political) scientists; and people often encounter political science research opportunities for the first time as undergraduates, presenting a chance for faculty to “catch” those who selected out of STEM after high school. I substantiate my arguments by drawing on enrollment data, archival documents, the theories of John Dewey, and testimonials from former undergraduate researchers. I also recommend ways for political science departments to provide a meaningful STEM education by enhancing research programs.

教育倡导者们对科学、技术、工程与数学（Science, Technology, Engineering and Math）领域的“渗漏管道”现象深表惋惜——该现象指学生，尤其是少数族裔与女性群体，在学制的各个连续阶段中纷纷脱离STEM赛道。本研究将实证政治学界定为STEM的分支领域，提出政治学本科科研项目有助于修补这一渗漏管道，并拓宽学生获取科学技能与思维习惯的渠道。本文阐述了这一主张背后的三大核心理由：其一，政治学是STEM领域中相对多元化的分支；其二，大学阶段能够引导学生以（政治）科学家的思维模式进行思考；其三，学生往往在本科阶段首次接触政治学科研机会，这为教职人员提供了契机，能够“挽留”那些在高中毕业后主动脱离STEM的学生。本文通过利用招生数据、档案文献、约翰·杜威的理论以及往届本科科研参与者的感言来佐证上述论点。此外，本文还提出了政治学系所可通过优化科研项目，为学生提供优质STEM教育的具体路径。