معرفی
Dr. Sara Finney is a Professor of Graduate Psychology and Associate Director for Student Affairs Assessment at James Madison University, leading the Student Affairs Assessment Support Services (SASS) team. She holds a Ph.D. in Quantitative and Qualitative Methods from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2001), an M.A. in Educational Psychology (1997), and a B.A. in Psychology (1994). Her research focuses on examinee motivation in testing, structural equation modeling applications, and program evaluation in higher education. Dr. Finney has been recognized with six national awards for her work in student affairs assessment, emphasizing program theory and implementation fidelity. She has authored/co-authored over 90 publications (13,000+ citations), often collaborating with graduate students. Her recent research explores priming techniques to improve test-taking effort, equity-centered assessment frameworks, and the impact of test-taking emotions and motivation on accountability data.
Education:
- Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2001): Quantitative and Qualitative Methods
- M.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1997): Educational Psychology
- B.A., University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1994): Psychology
Research Interests:
- Test-Taking Motivation & Emotions
- Program Theory & Implementation Fidelity
- Structural Equation Modeling
- Equity in Assessment Practices
- Low-Stakes Testing Validity
Articles Trends: Recent work emphasizes behavioral priming interventions, gender differences in test motivation, and the development of equity-centered assessment rubrics. Her studies bridge theoretical frameworks with practical applications to enhance institutional accountability and student outcomes.
Awards:
- 6 National Awards from ACPA & NASPA
Advising & Grants: Over 75% of her publications involve graduate student collaboration. She contributes to the revision of CAS Standards and supports professional development in assessment practices.
Labs/Teams: Leads SASS team advancing student affairs assessment capacity through consultation, education, and scholarly dissemination.
