TABLE 7.
Alignment with scientist descriptiona
| Theme | Subtheme | Exemplar quote |
|---|---|---|
| I am a scientist (14) | Does or shares research (5) | I would think I go out there and I ask questions, and I conduct research, even if it’s on a computer instead of in a lab, informed conclusions, and use those conclusions to do further research. So I would consider myself a scientist. |
| Unique to single individual (3) | I think I’m very curious. I don’t know if gravity needs to be discovered again. But, I do see myself as a scientist. Someone who just wants to know a little bit more beyond, you know, “Why does this pen fall?” | |
| Nondescript/holistic (3) | I see myself as just the same [as a scientist]. I think I know quite a bit. I think I understand scientific concepts enough that I just see myself as essentially the same. | |
| Gaining knowledge (2) | I think that I’m a scientist. I am kind of a life-long learner. If there’s something that’s, you know, happening with my kids medically or something like that, I am going to research as best as I can. | |
| Physical description (1) | I feel like actually, I see myself kind of a perfect mesh of the two. I anticipate working in a lab with human subjects… so you have to wear a lab coat and stuff like that. But I also will be the person that’s you know, up in the wee hours of the night on my computer, like analyzing results and writing up a paper, like writing up a grant proposal or something. | |
| Developing scientist (7) | I would love to be like one of the scientists I imagined someday, and I kind of see myself as an entry level student, you know… And so I think I see myself as, like, developing into one of those scientists, but definitely still learning. | |
| Not a scientist (6) | I don’t think I’m quite at that level. Um, I don’t know if a lab is necessarily for me. I’m more of a person-to-person kind of thing. But, yeah, no, I don’t picture myself as a scientist. | |
| Hesitant to claim scientist (3) | Since I don’t have a degree, I would be hesitant to actually classify myself as a scientist. But, it was cool to like, be participating in an experiment like that. I felt very scientific. | |
| Mixed response (2) | So, I’ve done internships before and I really, really, dig research. It’s really fun. And… I’m still invested in it. So, I want to be one of those problem solvers. |
a
Authors added emphasis to exemplar quotes using italics to showcase the main idea in the quote.