ABSTRACT
What better way to end the second edition of a book than to return to its beginning again. Recall that the book has several main purposes. First, the Introduction and leading chapters were designed to review the extant literature on sense of belonging and critique that literature in light of new and emerging theory. Second, the book’s review of literature served as a foundation for synthesizing several theoretical threads and conceptual components that represent the book’s overarching organizing framework or model in Chapter 3. Third, the book presents new and relatively recent research findings from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies conducted by the author as a way of demonstrating empirical linkages between determinants of belonging, sense of belonging itself, and educational antecedents such as grades, self-efficacy, adjustment, retention, and satisfaction, to name a few. And, finally, College Students’ Sense of Belonging offers college student educators what’s really needed by translating research into better practice—practical recommendations for improving educational environments, practices, policies, and programs in ways that facilitate students’ sense of belonging on campus.
