This retrospective book review looks back at one of the most influential and ambitious books examining college student outcomes: Four Critical Years: Effects on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Knowledge (Astin, 1977). The book has a “sequel” that is perhaps better known today: What Matters in College: Four Critical Years Revisited (Astin, 1993). Four Critical Years stands out for its unique contribution at the time in which it was published. In this review, I will provide a summary of the book’s content, discuss its contribution and influence on subsequent research, describe how higher education literature has moved forward since that time, and conclude with whether this book should be assigned in today’s student affairs and higher education graduate programs. Before beginning this discussion, it is crucial to consider the technological context in which this book was written. Here are a few points of interest:

中文翻译：

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四个关键年：大学对信仰、态度和知识的影响 亚历山大·W·阿斯汀 (Alexander W. Astin)

这篇回顾性书评回顾了最有影响力和雄心勃勃的研究大学生成果的书籍之一：四个关键年：对信念、态度和知识的影响（Astin，1977 年）。这本书有一个“续集”，也许今天更为人所知：大学里的事情：重温关键的四年（Astin，1993）。四个关键年因其在出版时的独特贡献而引人注目。在这篇评论中，我将对本书的内容进行总结，讨论它对后续研究的贡献和影响，描述从那时起高等教育文献是如何向前发展的，并总结这本书是否应该被分配到当今的学生事务和高等教育中。教育研究生课程。在开始这个讨论之前，考虑编写本书的技术背景是至关重要的。这里有几个兴趣点：