Category: Research


  • Supporting Sophomore Success: A Closer Look at Retention Beyond the First Year

    Although often overshadowed by first-year retention, sophomore retention is a meaningful indicator of student progress. This blog post presents an analysis of second-to-third-year enrollment patterns at Ball State, highlighting factors that support continued enrollment. The analysis includes 7,649 Fall 2020–2022 first-time students who returned for a second year. The project builds on a project initiated by […]

    Read More
  • Data Literacy at Ball State University

    In the world of Institutional Research, there are many cases where technical skills must be merged with linguistic, organizational, and social skills. Data literacy is one such area that calls for expertise across all four of these dimensions. At Ball State University (BSU), we are committed to growing our collective capacity to make data-informed decisions […]

    Read More
  • Introducing the IRDS E-Magazine

    Welcome to the first edition of Ball State University Office of Institutional Research and Decision Support (IRDS) E-Magazine! This publication serves as a platform to showcase how we are fulfilling our mission for Ball State. The IRDS E-Magazine provides readers a glimpse into the work that supports planning, decision-making and student success across the university. […]

    Read More
  • Literature Review – Factors Affecting Student Success

    Literature Review Synthesized from Ernest Kwakye’s Annotated Bibliography by Alison Winiarski   Student success in university settings can be conceptualized through student performance, such as a student’s GPA, and retention. The following details variables that have been found to impact both constructs in hopes to understand how data can be used to improve student success. […]

    Read More