An Analysis of Orientation Test Results in the Purdue Technical Institute Courses

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P U R D U E U N IV E R S IT Y

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE THESIS PREPARED U N D E R M Y SUPERVISION

by________ Gordon

ENTITLED

David Fred__________________________

AN ANALYSIS OF ORIENTATION TEST RESULTS

IN THE PURDUE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE COURSES_______

COMPLIES WITH THE UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS O N GRADUATION THESES

AND IS APPROVED BY M E AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE OF

Doctor of Philosophy

Dr, N.

Keuhart

June

19 $0

TO THE LIBRARIAN:-THIS THESIS IS NOT TO BE REGARDED AS CONFIDENTIAL.

lofes son

R EG ISTRA R F O R M 10— 7.47—1 M

nr

charge

AN ANALYSIS OF ORIENTATION TEST RESULTS IN THE PURDUE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE COURSES A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Purdue University by Cordon David Pred In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy June, 1950

ProQuest Number: 27714111

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Doctor N. C. Kephart, Chairman of the committee, for his cooperation and patience in guiding this study. Too, I am indebted to the members of the committee^ Doctor Joseph Tiffin, Professor E. J. Asher, Doctor I. W. Burr, and Professor W, V. Owen for their kind and helpful suggestions in presenting the data. Doctor M. R* Graney, Head of the Purdue Technical Institutes has also earned a vote of thanks for making this study possible.

No small measure of the success of

this project was due to his aid, not only in making tests and records available, but also in offering suggestions and encouragement. Too, I wish to put in writing a note of appreciation to my wife, who was an ever present source of encourage­ ment during the darker hours of this project.

Without her

understanding and cooperation, this thesis would certainly never have been written. Gordon David Pred

VITA Gordon David Pred Birthday:

August 15, 1924

Birthplace:

St. Paul, Minnesota

Graduated Lyons Hig£i School:

Entered U. S. Army:

June, 1941

December 8, 1942

Basic Training Combat Engineers:

Ft. Belvoir, Virginia,

April 1943 to August 1943 AST? Basic Engineering Curriculum:

College of the City

of New York, September 1943 to February 1944 European Theatre and 75th Infantiy Division: Discharged:

August 23, 1945

Married to Anne Lucille Slesser:

A. B.

University of Miami:

November 6, 1948

June 1947

M. S. in Psychology, Purdue University: Ph.D.

October 1944

Purdue University:

June 1950

ill

June 1948

T A O T . T S OF CONTENTS

Page INTRODUCTION.............. .............................

1

A Brief History of TechnicalInstitutes.• • • • • •

1

Admission Requirements to TechnicalInstitutes

2

• • •

THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY DIVISION OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTES L o c a t i o n .......................... Plant of Study

5 .............

5

Students ...........................................

6

Orientation Testing. . .

7

Scope and Purpose of

...

thisStudy....................... 10

PROCEDURE............................................. . . 12 S u b j e c t s .................. .........................12 Grade Point Index.

............................... 12

Percentile N o r m s ........................

14

Correlations betweenGrade Point Index and Test Scoresl4 Item Analysis of the Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test................................................

15

The V/herry-Doolittle

TestSelection Method........

15

...........................................

17

Percentile Norms...................................

17

RESULTS .

Correlations between Grade Point Index and Test Scores. .

............

24

Item Analysis of thePurdue Arithmetic Test . . . .

28

The Wherry-DoolittleSolution

..............

31

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS...............................

43

BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................

49

iv

Page APPENDIX A

THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION.

...........

52

APPENDIX B

THE PURDUE PLACEMENT TESTS IN ENGLISH. .

53

APPENDIX C

THE PURDUE ARITHMETIC ACHIEVEMENT TEST .

54

v

L IS T

0 ? TABLES

Table 1

Page Raw score equivalents of percentile scores on the American Council on Education Psychological Examin at io n ..................

2.

3.

4. 5.

6.

7•

8. 9.

10. 11.

12.

A comparison of Purdue college credit and Purdue Technical Institute raw score equivalents of percentile scores on the American Council on Education Psyc ho logical Examination Q,— and L- s c o r e s * ........................... .. * .

1°

21

Raw score equivalents of percentile scores on the Purdue Placement Test in English, Forms A and .................................

22

Raw score equivalents of percentile scores on the Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test « . .

23

Correlations between grade point index and the American Council on Education Psychological Examination.......................... « . .

25

Item validity in the Purdue Arithmetic Achieve­ ment Test as shown by a comparison of item performance by the high scoring and low scor­ ing groups on the Purdue Arithmetic Achieve­ ment Test» * # • • * • • • • • • • * • • • *

30

Intercorrelations between the four tests used in Wherry-Doolittle solution I to predict the grade point i n d e x * ............ » . . . .

32

Wherry-Doolittle solution I to predict the grade point i n d e x . ...............................

33

Beta weights for the various tests used in both Wherry-Doolittle solutions to predict the grade point index................................. 34 A comparison of the primary and hold-out groups used in the Wherry-Doolittle solutions. *

35

Intercorrelations between the six sub-tests in the American Council on Education Psychologi­ cal Examination used in Wherry-Doolittle solution II to predict the grade point index.

37

Wherry-Doolittle solution II to predict the grade point i n d e x . .........................

38

vi

ABSTRACT Pred, Gordon David,

AN ANALYSTS OF ORIENTATION TEST

RESULTS IN THE PURDUE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE COURSES, Iune, 1950,

50 pages, 12 tables, 26 titles in the bibliography,

appendix.

A research problem in applied psychology which

makes a statistical study of the orientation tests used in the Purdue University Division of Technical Institutes. Most orientation testing programs serve a two-fold pur* pose :

(1) to evaluate previous training ; and (2) to aid in

counseling students.

The purpose of this study was to

establish norms for the test battery and to determine the optimum test battery which would best predict future scho­ lastic success in the Technical Institute program. One hundred and forty-seven Technical Institute stu­ dents who had taken the entire battery of orientation tests were used in this study.

These students were all males and

were taken from the six Purdue University Centers located in Indiana. The examinations used in the orientation program in­ clude the American Council on Education Psychological Exam­ ination, the Purdue Placernent Test in English, and the Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test.

The percentile norms

established on these tests demonstrated that the test skills of the Technical Institute students were lower than the re­ lated test skills of the Purdue college credit students.

The correlations between the tests and the students1 first semester grade point index demonstrated that success in the technical institute was more dependent upon quanti­ tative than linguistic abilities. Two Wherry-Doolittle test selection solutions were per­ formed on the battery of orientation tests :

the first on

the Psychological Examination’s Q,- and L- scores. Arithmetic score, and the English score ; the second solution was per­ formed on the six sub-tests of the Psychological Examina­ tion.

The first solution best lent itself to a multiple

correlation regression equation; however, since the Arith­ metic score correlated so highly with grades it was recommen­ ded that the Arithmetic score alone be used as a predictive device. Both Wherry-Doolittle solutions indicated that early success in the Technical Institutes was highly dependent upon quantitative rather than linguistic skills. A study of institute students revealed that they were older than college credit students and that their age range was greater.

Too, it was found that a large percentage of

Technical Institute students earned a major portion of their school expenses.

Sixty per cent of the institute students

were married, and 48 per cent had more than one dependent. It was recommended that the findings in this study be used in determining admission requirements, as an aid in the

viii

counseling situation, and as critiria for abbreviating the orientation testing program by eliminating the Psychological Examination and the English test.

m

ANALYSIS OF ORIENTATION TEST RESULTS IN THE PURDUE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE COURSES As is the case with most institutions of higher learn­

ing, The Purdue University Division of Technical Institutes administers an orientation testing program to its incoming students.

This study is aimed at evaluating the tests used

in the orientation program in terms of predicting scholastic success and as aids in counseling the individual students. A Brief History of Technical Institutes.

In order to

better understand the general nature of technical institutes, a review

of their development is in order.

In both Britain and America after the industrial revolu­ tion, a movement grew for the education and welfare of work­ ing men.

This movement began about 1800 and lasted for a

half a century (20).

In Britain there were more than 250

technical institutions with an enrollment exceeding 100,000. The students were mostly part-time or evening enrollees. In America, the movement to disseminate technical infor­ mation to farmers and mechanics led, in the 1820’s, to the establishment of mechanics’ institutes In many large cities. This movement was given momentum by the Morrill Act of 1862 establishing landgrant colleges.

The first organized

teaching of industrial science was done at the Gardiner (Maine) Lyceum in 1822 under Benjamin Hale.

Gardiner’s

purposes were "to give farmers and mechanics such a scien­ tific education as wouId enable them to become skillful in

2 their professions” (20)•

The movement turned toward the

preparation of a highly trained body of technicians with the technological advances in the early and middle portion of the 19th century. Some of the early technical institutes which have since become conventional four-year engineering colleges are the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Drexel Institute of Philadelphia, and Armour Institute of Chicago. The rapid growth of the technical institute movement led to the present situation, in which the "present number and strength of the technical institutes and the range of their offerings are difficult to gauge, for lack of widely accepted definition and boundaries” (20). With the passing of years, the need for specialized training has increased (25).

The recent war with it ex­

panded technology has greatly stimulated new training pro­ grams resulting In increased enrollment in educational pro­ grams.

"Patterns of vocational training programs are chang­

ing, with the increasing consideration being given to train­ ing for *families of occupations »1

Adult education is in­

creasingly needed in a population in which the average age is rising.

All these factors affect the need for vocational

technical training” (26). Admission Requirements to Technical Institutes.

Much

research had been conducted to determine "who should be ad­

3 mitted to college,” yet a review of the literature reveals no such studies done with, schools of the technical institute type. Bradshaw*s resume of the development of admissions pro­ cedures for colleges is given here (3): "Until about 1870 each American College selected its own students primarily by examination in sub­ jects and according to local standards* Since there were no general standards as to what con­ stituted a college, there could be no,general standards or procedures for admission. In 1871 the inspecting and accrediting of high schools by universities was first undertaken (5). The year 1892 saw the first cooperative setting of standards between coleges and secondary schools. By 1915 the so-called Carnegie Unit, based on semester hours of study under standard conditions, had become generally used by those colleges which admitted students on the basis of secondary-school work. For other institutions the College Entrance Examination Board (2 4 ) provided a means of uni­ formity. ..Beginning in 1916 the Board permitted candidates to take four examinations in each sub­ ject required for admission. By 1919 most Eastern institutions were admitting students on the basis of these examinations rather than preparatoryschool certificates.*.In 1926 the College Entrance Examination Board adopted *scholastic aptitude tests* as supplementary instruments. In recent years, admissions procedures have been expanded to include the inspection of the student *s socioenonomic background, personal characteristics, and educational and vocational plans. Comprehensive achievement tests In various subjects have been used at the time of admission for sectioning students in curriculums and subjects. Admissions standards are increasingly being defined in terms of specific knowledge and skill and specific traits directly measured instead of time spent under stan­ dard conditions in a secondary school.” Unfortunately, this history of admissions procedures was not duplicated in the technical institutes.

Admission

requirements to technical institutes are as numerous as the institutes themselves.

The usual requirement (25) for

4 admission is graduation from a four year high school. ever, many exceptions are made.

How­

Purdue *s Technical institute

is open to those who have completed 14 units of high school work and who have been recommended by the principal of the last high school attended.

Still others may be admitted on

action by the director, or as special students.

The Roches­

ter Institute of Technology does not require high school graduation.

Both the University of Nebraska and the Univer­

sity of Minnesota require the same qualifications"of voca­ tional students as they do college students.

5 THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY DIVISION OP TECHNICAL INSTITUTES Locatioiu

The Purdue University Division of Technical

Institutes has six cent ers distributed throughout the state of Indiana*

These centers are at Columbus, Fort Wayne,

Hammond, Indianapolis, Michigan City, and Muncie• Plan of Study.

The Division of Technical Institutes

"offers specialized, intensive courses designed to meet the demand for technically trained persons.

The curricula

parallel and are closely related to the engineering-coliege type of curricula in that they emphasize applied and practi­ cal, rather than theoretical, study" (23).

A school year is

composed of three terms of class work, each twelve weeks in ' length. The Division offers study programs in six fields of endeavor, leading to Associate Technical Aide and Technical Aide diplomas.

These six curricula are identified as follows : I.

II.

Production Planning Technology Drafting and Mechanical Technology

III.

Electrical Technology

IV.

Industrial Technology

V. VI.

Chemical and Metallurgical Technology Building Construction Technology

"Six terms (two years) are required for full-time stu­ dents to complete requirements for the Associate Aide diploma" (23).

Approximately another year is required for

6 the Technical Aide diploma•

Provision is made for students

to enroll on a part-time basis. The following grading system is used by the Division of Technical Institutes:

Students.

A

Superior

B

Good

C

Passing

F

Failure

0

Incomplete

w

Withdrawn, passing

WF

Withdrawn, failing

There appears to be a great deal of differ­

ence between the type of student who is enrolled in a tech­ nical institute and the student enrolled in a college credit program.

McNeely (11) reports that "in a sampling of 6434

men and women in colleges of arts and sciences in 22 univer­ sities widely scattered throughout the United States, 35.4 per cent entered college in their eighteenth year.

A total

of 33.3 per cent were below this age at entrance, and 26.3 per cent were above it.

In contrast, a random sample of

entering Technical Institute students at the Indianapolis Center were found to have a mean age of 25.5 years.

Twenty-

five per cent of the students were either 26 or 27 years, with 50 per cent younger than 26 years and 2 5 per cent older than 2? years.

Ages ranged from 17 to 4 6 .

7 Another difference between college credit students and technical institute students can be noted from the students1 family responsibilities.

Sixty per cent of the above men­

tioned Indianapolis students were married, 27 per cent had one child, 20 per cent had two children, and one per cent had three children. In a study done at five institutes (20), it was found that I? per cent of the students did not earn any of their school expenses, 16 per cent earned from one to 25 per cent of their expenses, 14 per cent earned from 26 to 50 per cent of their expenses, 11 per cent earned from 51 to 75 per cent of their expenses, and 42 per cent earned from 76 to 100 per cent of their expenses.

This high percentage of students

earning the major proportion of their expenses probably accounts for the large enrollment of part-time students. Orientation Testing.

Purdue University began its campus

orientation program with the opening of the academic year of 1926-1927 (16).

The purpose of the program was to aid the

student to make a better start with his university work and to adjust himself more effectively to the new conditions of university life.

The tests given were :

the American Council

Psychological Examination; English Iraining Test ; Chemistry Aptitude lest ; Mathematic s Aptitude Test ; Physics Aptitude Test ; English Aptitude Test ; Purdue Peading Test ; Study Out-^^-ne Test ; Laird C^ ; Laird

^2 *

cations were made in the battery.

Through the years, modifi­ The current battery used

s includes the American Council Psychological Examination, the Purdue Plac ement Test in English, Purdue Mathematics Train­ ing Test, and the Purdue Physical Science Test. Until the fall of 1948, no systematic orientation test­ ing in the Technical Institutes had been done.

With the be­

ginning of the school year 1948-1949, the following orienta­ tion tests were given to the incoming beginning Technical Institute students :

the American Council on

Education

Psychological Examination for College Freshmen, 1948 Edition (18); the Purdue Placement Test in English, Forms A and C (19) ; and the Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test, Form A or B (8) "The purpose of the American Council on Education Psy­ chological Examination is to appraise what has been called scholastic aptitude or general intelligence with special reference to the requirements of most college curricula. The examination consists of the six tests that have been used for several years.

The order of the tests has been

arranged to alternate linguistic and quantitative tests be­ cause of the fatigue element" (22).

The examination is divi­

ded into Q,uatitative Tests (yielding the 0,-score) and Lin­ guistic Tests (yielding the L-score). Quantitative Tests :

They are as follows : Linguistic Tests:

Arithmetical Reasoning

Same-Opposite

Number Series

Completion

Figure Analogies

Verbal Analogies

9 From these timed six (1)

sub—tests,

an L-score related to linguistic

three scores arederived: abilities;

(2)

a 0,-

score related to quantitative abilities; and (3) a total score which is the sum of The Purdue Placement

the L- and

Q,- scores »

Test in English is "a timedachieve­

ment test consisting of seven parts :

(1) Punctuation— a

series of sentences, some incorrectly punctuated, e.g., 'The vote for president of the club ended in a tie.

Each candidate

having received fifty votes.'; students must decide whether or not each sentence is correctly or incorrectly punctuated. (2) Recognition of Grammatical Errors— a series of sentences, some with grammatical errors, e.g., 'having lived on a ranch, the boy had rode horses most of his life.'; students are re­ quired to decide whether or not each sentence is grammatically. (3) Sentence Structure— a series of sentences, some with faulty structure, e.g.,

'Leading an orchestra is fun for

awhile, but most of them soon turn to some other kind of work.'; students are required to decide whether or not each is structurally correct.

(4) Vocabulary— list of words; each

student is required to select from a group of four words following each word in the list the one meaning most nearly the same thing.

(5) Reading— a reading selection ; student re­

quired to answer questions concerning the content of the selec­ tion.

(6) Spelling— a list of words, some incorrectly spelled ;

student required to decide whether or not each is correctly spelled.

(7) Grammatical Classification— reading selection,

with certain words italicized; student required to decide what

10 part of speech each italicized word is” (13)* The

Arithmetic Achievement Test is designed to select

by survey those beginning Technical Institute students who need additional instruction or review and practice in the fundamental manipulations of arithmetic prior to taking tech­ nical courses.

Simple computational problems cover the add­

ition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, common fractions, decimal fractions and mixed num­ bers.

A few problem-solving situations are presented to

sample achievement in free choice of operations required to secure the answer desired.

The test is not diagnostic but

general areas of class and individual weakness may be deter­ mined by item study" (21).

Forms 4ÔA and 48B are identical

with regard to administration, time, and difficulty. Scope and Purpose of This Study.

One of the aims of

this study was to establish percentile norms for the tests given.

This was done because the differences between tech­

nical institute and college credit course work and students made the use of pre-deteimined college credit norms value­ less in the technical institute situation. The educational counseling, or advising, situation necessitates that certain information be available to the counselor (4).

Since poor preparation

for advanced work

is one of the important causes of failure, it is important that the students abilities be known to the counselor.

Al­

though the orientation tests previously mentioned have been

11 given to incoming students in the Purdue Division of Techni­ cal Institutes since 1948, only the Arithmetic Achievement Tests were ever scored.

These arithmetic scores were used

to determine advanced standing in mathematics.

As no attempt

has been made to this time to predict scholastic success from any of the tests given in this program, one of the aims of .this study was to determine to what extent the tests results could be used be counselors for prediction of scholastic success and for vocational guidance.

The extent to which

the optimum battery correlating with scholastic success was determined by using the Wherry-Doolittle test selection tech­ nique. Finally, the strength of the relationship between test scores and scholarship could determine the extent to which the tests could be used as determiners of entrance require­ ments.

12

PROCEDURE Sub .jeet s «

The subjects used in this study were enrolled

in the six Extension Centers of the Purdue Division of Tech­ nical Institutes.

In computing percentile equivalents of raw

scores, random samples of the entire group that had taken thee various examinations were used.

Thus, 17Ô students were used

to compute percentiles for the Psychological Examination; 72 and 99 students were used to compute percentiles on the Pur­ due Placement Test in English, Forms A and C, respectively; and 202 students were used with the Purdue Arithmetic Achieve­ ment Test.

In general, the students selected were those who

had taken more than one examination and had been in school long enough to accumulate at least 12 credit hours.

Since

not all students had taken all three of the orientation examinations, for the purpose of multiple correlation, only the 147 students who had taken all of the examinations were used. All subjects used in this study were males.

Test scores

for only one female were available, and it was deemed wise to omit these scores from the study. Grade Point Index.

Grade point indexes were computed for

all Technical Institute students participating in this study who had accumulated a minimum of 12 credit hours.

As a nor­

mal full-time load is approximately 17 credit hours, first semester grades were used to compute grade point indexes (hereafter called G.P.I.) for full-time students.

The G.P.I.

for part-time students was computed by including enough

13 semesters to assure an accumulation of a minimum of 12 credit hours. The first semester grades were used as it has generally been found that orientation tests are better predictors of first semester scholarship than are high school grades.

Grades

beyond the first semester were not used because onee first semester grades are available, they predict future scholastic success better than do the tests.

Further, limiting the study

to students who had an over-all grade index for the entire program would have greatly reduced the number of available subjects. The G.P.I. was determined in each case by multiplying the number of credit hours of each particular grade by its number of quality points, finding the total number of quality points, and dividing this by the total number of credit hours.

The

quality point schedule used by the Office of the Registrar and this study is: A

4 quality points

B

3 quality points

C

2 quality points

F

Oquality points

0

Not included in the study

W

Not included in the study

WF

0 quality points

14 Percentile Norms.

Percentile norms for the American Coun­

cil on Education Psychological Examination (subsequently re­ ferred to as the A •C •E •) were computed from a randam sample of 17Ô Technical Institute students taking the examination since September 1, 194&*

Norms were computed for each of the six

sub-tests, Q-score, L-score, and total score* The Purdue Placement Test in English (hereafter called P. P. T. E . ) was scored according to standard procedure and percentile norms were established.

Seventy-two randomly

selected students were used to establish norms for Form A, and 99 students were used to establish norms for Form B* In similar fashion percentile norms were computed for the Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test (hereafter called the P.A.T*) using a random sample of 202 institute students taking the test. Correlations between Grade Point Index and Test Scores* Correlations were computed between the grade point index and the A.G.E.

Nine correlations were determined--these were be­

tween the G.P.I. and the L-score, Q-score, total score, and the six sub-tests. correlations.

Seventy-four students were used in these

Only 74 of the available 147 students were used

in order that the remaining 73 might be used as a hold-out validating group. As with the Psychological Examination, the coefficient of correlation was computed between the English Test and the G.P.I. criterion.

The 74 students used with the A.C.E. correlations,

were used with the P.P.T.E.

15

These same 74 students were again, used to compute the co­ efficient of correlation between the Arithmetic Test and the G.P.I. criterion. Item Analysis of the Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test. Since the P.A.T.fs usage is limited to the Purdue Technical In­ stitute program, and since the test had never undergone a large scale item validation, each item on each of the two forms (Forms 48A and 48B) was validated by comparing the performance of the upper scoring group of the students taking the test with the lower scoring group taking the test.

For Form A, the high

and low 37»5 per cents were used; for Form B, the high and low 33*6 per cents were used.

These high and low percentages diff­

ered as a matter of statistical expediency. The Wherry-Doolittle Test Selection Method.

The Wherry-

Doolittle multiple correlation technique (17) was designed to select the optimum battery of tests to predict a criterion from a group of tests; each test is added to the battery in order of its importance to the final multiple correlation between the battery and the criterion.

The final multiple shrunken E ob­

tained from the Wherry-Doolittle solution is different from the ordinary multiple R in that it has been reduced (shrunken) to account for the addition of unreliability with additional tests.

The Wherry-Doolittle solution also yields Beta co­

efficients which can be used in a regression equation to pre­ dict the criiterion from the test scors.

It was hoped that the

Wherry-Doolittle would yield a optimally weighted battery which

16

would correlate highly with scholarship for counseling pur­ poses. In this study, the number of cases was randomly divided into a primary and a hold-out group.

This random division was

accomplished by alphabetizing the group and placing every other name in the hold-out group.

This resulted in having 74 cases

in the primary group and 73 cases in the hold-out group.

A

hold-out check was made to eliminate the error of validating a battery with the same group upon which it was standardized. Two such Wherry-Doolittle solutions were performed.

In

the first Wherry-Doolittle solution, the A.C.E. Q-score, the A.C.E. L-score, the Purdue Placement Test in English, and the Purdue Arithmetic Test were used to predict the G.P.I. criter­ ion.

In the second solution, the six components of the A.C.E.

were used to predict the G.P.I. criterion.

17

RESULTS Percent lie norms•

The raw score equivalents of percen­

tile scores on the six sub-tests, Q,-score, L-score, and total score on the A.C.E. are presented in Table 1.

In order that

a comparison of Technical Institute norms can be made with Purdue1s college credit norms, raw score equivalents of decile scores are presented on the Q,- and L- scores for both the college credit program and the Technical Institute in Table 2. It is of interest to note in Table 2 that in every instance the raw score equivalent of each decile is higher for the college credit program.

This difference could be due t ô a real differ­

ence in intelligence between college credit and institute students determined by the very nature of the educational pro­ grams involved, the a g e ,differential which would work in favor of the younger college credit studentss, or perhaps, the lapse of time since the older institute students had been en­ rolled in any sort of educational program.

It seems ùnlikely

that the personal history of the students other than their age, vtiould be affecting the scores in light of Asher and G-ray's study (1) with the Kentucky Personal History Blank.

This

study reported a very low correlation (.06?) between personal histbry scores and intelligence test scores. Since September 1, 1948, two forms (A and G of the P.P.T.E. have been administered to the incoming Technical Institute stu­ dents.

Table 3 lists the raw score equivalents of the percen­

tile scores for both forms of this test.

18 TABLE 1 RAW SCORE EQUIVALENTS OF PERCENTILE SCORES

ON

THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAM INATION

lile >core

Total Score

1ÛO 99 9# 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 39 88 37 86 35 34 33 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70

142135-141 133-134 132 130-131 128-129 126-127 125 124 123 123 122 121 119-120 118 117 116 115 113-114 112 111 111 111 . 110 109 108 107-108 106 105 105 104 103-104 102 101 100 100 100 99 99 99 98 98

68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59

Q Score 63 62 57 56 55 55 54 53 52 51 51 50 49 49 49 49 48 48 47 46 46 46 45 *5 45 45 44 44 44 44 43 43 43 42 42 42 42 42 41 41 40 40

Arith. Reas. Score

Fig. Anal. Score

17 16 15 14 14 14 13 13 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 8 8

24 23 22 21 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 19 19 19 18 18 18 18 18 18 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 15 15 15

No. L Series Score Score 29 25 24 24 22 22 22 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 18 18 18 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 16 16 16 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15

96 91 90 87 86 85 33 80 78 76 75 73 72 72 71 70 69 68 68 68 68 67 66 66 66 65 65 65 64 64 63 62 62 62 61 61 61 60 59 59 58 57

Saine Opp. Score 40 37 35 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 26 25 25 25 24 24 23 23 22 22 22 21 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 19 19 18 13 18 17 17 16

Compl. Score 31 25 24 23 23 22 22 22 21 21 21 21 20 20 19 19 19 19 19 19 18 18 18 18 18 18 17 17 17 17 17 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 15

Verb Anal Scor< 36 35 34 33 33 32 31 31 30 30 30 29 29 29 29 28 28 28 28 28 27 27 27 27 27 26 26 26 26 26 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 24 24 24 24 24

19 TABLE 1 (CONTINUED) RAW SCORE EQUIVALENTS OF PERCENTILE SCORES ON THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION

#ile Score

Total Score

5« 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49

97 97 96 96 96 95 95 95 94 94 93 92 92 91 91 _ 90 88-89 87 86 85 85 85 84 83 82 81

47 46 45 44 ' 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20

H 18

16

380° 79 79 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 72 71 70 69 68

Q Score 40 40 40 40 39 38 38 38 37 37 37 36 36 36 36 35 35 35 35 34 33 33 33 32 32 32 31 30 30 29 29 28 28 28 28 27 26 26 26 25 25 25 24

Arith. E"lg. Reas. Anal. Score Score 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5

15 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 14 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 8 8 8 8 7 7 7 7

No. Series L Score Score 15 14 14 14 14 14 14 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 8 8 8

57 56 55 55 54 54 54 53 53 53 52 52 52 52 51 51 51 50 50 50 50 50 50 49 49 48 48 48 47 47 46 46 46 45 45 44 43 43 43 42 42 41 40

Same Opp. Score

Compl. Score

16 16 16 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 13 13 13 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 99 9 9

15 15 15 15 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 10

Verb. Anal. Score 24 24 24 24 24 23 23 23 23 23 23 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 21 21 21 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 18 18 18 18 18 17 17 16

20

TABLE

1

(CO NTINUED)

RAW SCORE EQUIVALENTS OF PER C E N TILE SCORES ON THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAM IN ATIO N

#ile Score 15 14 13 12 11 10 9

& 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Total Score 67 67 64-66 61-63 60 56-59 56-57 55 54 52-53 47-51 42-46 40-41 39 —— 36

Q Score 23 22 21 20 20 19 16 16 17 16 15 14 14 13 12

Arith* Fig, Reas, Anal, Score Score 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2

6 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0

N = 176

No. Series L Score Score 6 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 2 2

40 39 39 36 36 37 35 34 32 30 26 27 26 23 19

Same Opp. Score

Compl. Score

Verb. Anal. Score

9 9 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 6 5 4 3 2

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 6 3 6 6 6 5

16 16 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 13 11 10 6 7 4

21

TABLE 2 A COMPARISON OF PURDUE COLLEGE CREDIT M D PURDUE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE RAW SCORE EQUIVALENTS OF PERCENTILE SCORES ON THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION QAND L- SCORES

Decile Scores

Or Score

L-Score C.C. T.I.

C.C.

5M.

10

75

63

107

96

9

62

51

88

75

8

57

46

81

68

7

54

43

76

63

6

51

40

72

58

5

48

37

68

53

4

45

35

64

50

3

42

30

59

47

2

38

26

55

43

1

32

19

49

37

22 TABLE 3 RAW SCORE EQUIVALENTS OF PERCENTILE SCORES ON THE PURDUE PLACEMENT TEST IN ENGLISH. FORMS A AND C file Score 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 95 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 85 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 75 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 65 62 61 60

Form A

Form C

180 164 162 162 159 158 158 157 156 152 148 141 137 136 136 134 153 133 131 130 129 129 123 122 122 120 118 117 117 117 116 116 116 115 114 114 112 110 109 109 109

127 124 121 120 119 115 110 109 108 107 104 101 86 85 81 80 80 80 76 75 75 75 71 70 69 63 65 64 63 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 54 53 52 52 51

file Score 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19

Form A 108 108 107 106 105 105 104 103 102 102 101 101 101 100 99 98 96 92 92 92 92 92 86 86 86 86 86 86 86 85 85 84 84 84 82 80 80 80 80 77 77

Form A: Form C:

Form 0 51 51 50 49 48 48 47 47 45 45 45 45 45 44 43 43 43 43 42 42 41 41 41 39 39 39 38 38 38 3? 37 36 36 35 34 33 33 33 32 32 31 N = 72 N = 99

file Score 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Form .A

Form C

75 74 73 73 75 72 70 69 67 66 66 65 62 62 62 53 48 42

30 30 29 29 28 27 26 26 25 24 24 24 20 20 20 17 12 11

£3 TABLE 4 RAW SCORE EQUIVALENTS OF PERCENTILE SCORES ON THE PURDUE ARITHMETIC ACHIEVEMENT TEST P.A.T. Score 00

99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87

86 85 84 83 82

81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69

68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61

40 36 35 34 33 32 32 31 31 30 30 30 29 29 29 28 28 28 27 27 27 27 26 26 26 26 26 26 25 25 25 25 25 24 24 24 24 24 24 23

%lle Score 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 25 22 21

P.A.T. Score 23 23 23 23 22 22 22 21 21 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 19 19 18 18 18 17 17 17 16 16 16 16 15 15 15 14 13 13

N = 202

Xile Score 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

P.A.T. Score 13 13 12 12 11 11 10 9 9 9 8 8 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 1

24 The percentile norms for the Purdue Arithmetic Test, shown in Table 4» were computed without regard to which form (A or B) had been administered.

This was done because the two

forms are identical (21). Correlations between Grade Point Index and Test Scores * The relation between the G.P.I. criterion and the A.C.E. is shown by the coefficients of correlation between the G.P.I and the sis sub-tests, Q-score, L-score and total score.

As shown

in Table 5, these correlations extend from .109 for the SameOpposite test to .446 for both the Q-score and the Figure Analogies test. The A.C.E. manual points out that, "in general, linguistic tests give higher correlations with scholarship in the liberal arts colleges than do quantitative tests.

This higher corre­

lation is probably, in part, due to the fact that most of the freshman courses in the liberal arts colleges depend more up­ on linguistic abilities than upon the abilities involved in quantitative thinking.

For the scientific and technical

curricula the quantitative tests may be more significant" (22). This latter prediction is borne out by the correlations with the G.P.I.

While the Q-score correlated .446 with grades, the

L-score correlated only .184 with grades.

Only one score re­

lated to quantitative abilities, the Number Series, was not significantly different from zero beyond the one per cent level of confidence— conversely, only one test related to linguistic abilities, the Verbal Analogies, was shown to be significantly

TABLE 5 CORBEIATIONS BETWEEN G-RA.DE POINT INDEX AND THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION Test

11r11

Q-score

*446 *

Arithmetical Reasoning

•310 «

Figure Analogies

•446 *

Number Series

•189

L-score

.184

Completion

•140

Same-Opposite

.109

Verbal Analogies

.226

N = 74 * Significantly 1^ level of Significantly 5^ level of

different from zero beyond confidence different from zero beyond confidence

26 different from zero, and this at the five per cent level. A comparison of the above correlations with college cre­ dit correlations at Purdue again emphasizes the differences be­ tween programs.

While the institute students1 grades correla-

ed .446 with the Q,-score, the college credit correlations be­ tween grades and Q,-score was only .355 (13) *

The difference

between the correlations for the L-score and scholastic achieve ment is even more startling.

The institute students1 correla­

tion between grades and the L-score was .184; for the college credit students, this correlation was .379.

Though the magni­

tude of the individual correlations is a function of the size and range of the sample, making visual comparisons almost mean­ ingless, the reversal between best predictors does appear to be significant.

However Table 2 does show that the range of

talent for both college credit and Technical Institute students is about the same.

The high correlation for the L-score in

the college situation probably lies in the emphasis placed on linguistic skills.

The emphasis in the institute program, on

the other hand, is turned in the direction of mechanics and simple arithmetical skills ; even the few linguistic demands that are made in the institute are very elementary in nature. Since the correlations reported are with first semester scholarship, a glance at the first semester programs for both College credit and the Technical Institute is in order.

The

typical Purdue college student, regardless of school, takes an English course, a mathematics course, perhaps a biology

27 course, and usually one or more social science courses*

On

the other hand, the Technical Institute student typically takes only two courses, English and Personal Adjustment, accounting for only four credit hours, not directly related to basic arithmetical skills. As both forms of the English test measure the same skills, percentile norms represent equivalent achievement.

As such,

in order to increase the number of cases, scores were converted to percentiles and these percentile scores were then correlated with the G.P.I. criterion. be .231.

Table 7 shows this coefficient to

This correlation is significantly different from zero

at the five per cent level of confidence. Again, a comparison of the correlation between grades and English test score for both the college credit program and the Technical Institute points out the previously mentioned basic differences in the nature of the programs.

The correlation

for the college credit students was .471 (13), while for the institute students it was only .231.

These correlations lend

credence to the theory that verbal demands made on institute students are less than those for the college credit students. The coefficient of correlation between the P.A.T. and the G.P.I. creiterion was found to be .557*

Tables 5 and 7 show

this test to have a higher correlation with scholastic success than any other test or sub-test in the battery.

This table

also shows that the Arithmetic test correlates most highly with the Q,-score of the A.C.E., and the least with the L-score

28 of the A.C.E.

It is not strange, in view of the previous dis­

cussions, to note that this elementary arithmetic test is more closely related to academic success in the Technical Insti­ tute program than is the more involved Q-score.

It is the

opinion of this author that this phenomenon might be due to the elementary nature of the quantitative skills required for success in the Technical Institute program.

These quantita­

tive skills are, in general, applied to simple numerical prob­ lems . Since the correlation of .557 between grades and the Arithmetic test is higher than that given by any other test, it could be used in the counseling situation to predict the grade point index for the first semester using the following standard formula (12): X = rxy ^

(Y - My) 4 Mx

Substituting our values for rXy, cfx , oy, My, and Mx , using the G-.P.I. for x and the P.A.T. for y, our equation becomes : G.P.I.predioted - .052(P.A.T. - 22.176) / 2.907 The standard error of this predicted score would be .597 G.P.I. point, using this formula: #xy

■

V I

-

•

Item Analysis of the Purdue Arithmetic Test.

The dis­

criminative value of each item on both forms of the test was determined by finding the significance of the difference be­ tween the percentage of the low scoring group passing any one item.

For Form A, the high and low 37.5 per cents were used :

29 for Form B, the high and low 35.6 per cents were used.

These

high and low percentages varied as a matter of statistical expediency.

The significance of difference between the per­

centage of the low group passing an item and the percentage of the high group passing an item was determined by using Lawshe and Baker's nomograph (10).

The confidence level was

determined by using the following formula: t = CaJV N~". These omega values and corresponding confidence levels are indicated in Table 6. One can easily discern from a glance at Table 6 that the items in Form B seem to have a higher discriminative value. This visual observation is borne out by a comparison of the average omega values for both forms.

The average omega value

for Form A is .322, which is significant at the five per cent level; the average omega value for Form B is .425» which is significant at the one per cent level.

Since each test in­

cludes the same number of each type of item, the type of item made no difference in terms of discriminative value. This study would indicate that further work should be done on both forms of the examination to equalize item dis­ crimination and perhaps, item difficulty.

Should the items

which were shown not to discriminate be replaced by better items, it is possible that the correlation of .557 between the Arithmetic Test sand the G-.P.I. could be raised.

Of course,

it is possible that the difference in the items found is not a true difference, but one merely due to sampling error.

30

TABLE 6 ITEM VALIDITY IN THE PUBDUE ARITHMETIC ACHIEVEMENT TEST AS SHOWN BY A COMPARISON OP ITEM PERFORMANCE BY THE HIGH SCORING AND LOW SCORING GROUPS ON THE PURDUE ARITHMETIC ACHIEVEMENT TEST Item No. I 2 5 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Omega value s Form B Form A .25 .47* ♦31*** .45* .18 .22 •29*** .35** .13 .33** .26 .40** .40** .66* .55* .36** .44* .62* .50* -.30

.00 .20 ♦25 .56* .33** .37** .37** ♦50* .62* .49* .35** .55* .35** .43* .15 .66* .29*** .25 .61* .24

Item No. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Omega values Form B Form A .40** .43* .49* .31*** •35** .36** .42* .00 .47* .37** .20 .11 .50* .00 .20 .28*** .35** .19 .21 .39**

.54* .50* .55* .40** .66* .34** .32*** .39** .62* .45* .51* .62* .38** .33** .46* .52* .44* .45* .47* .48*

^Significantly different from zero beyond 1$ level of confidence **Signifieantly different from zero beyond 5$ level of confidence ^^Significantly different from zero beyond 10/£ level of confidence N = 38 Form A, higa and low groups N = 36 Form B , high and low groups

31 The Wherry-Doolittle Solution,

A Wherry Doolittle mul­

tiple correlation technique was applied in two ways to the primary group in order to select the optimum batter of tests which would yield the maximum shrunken multiple correlation with the G.P.I. criterion.

In the first Wherry-Doolittle

solution (W-D I), using the A.G.E. Q-sand L-score, the P.P.T.E., and the P.A.T. to predict the G.P.I. criterion, the first test selected was the P.A.T. correlating .557 with the criterion.

The second test selected was the L-score,

which increased the shrunken multiple H to *558.

The third

test selected, the Q-score, added nothing to the shrunken multiple R, and thus was not included in the battery. shows the matrix of correlations used in this solution.

Table 7 The

resulting multiple correlations are shown in Table 8. Using the beta weights shown in Table 9, the following regression equation was derived to predict the G.P.I., know­ ing the P.A.T. score and the L-score: G.P.I.predicted = 1-946 - .005 L-score / .057 P.A.T. The standard error of estimate was found to be .595 using the following formula: ^est

s tf0

V

1

~

Using the regression equation, G.P.I. scores for the hold­ out group were predicted.

Then these predicted scores were

correlated with the actual G.P.I. scores for the hold-out group.

Table 10 shows this correlation to be .461, signifi­

cantly different from zero beyond the one per cent level of

TABLE 7 INTERCORRELATIONS BETWEEN THE FOUR TESTS USED IN WHERRY-DOOLITTLE SOLUTION I TO PREDICT THE GRADE POINT INDEX Test

O.P.I.

P.P.T.E,

.231**

0,-8co re

.446*

.554*

L-score

.184

.703*

.468*

P.A.T.

.557*

.550*

.718*

P.P.T.E.

0-sco re

L-score

.488*

N - 74 *SIgnifleantly different from zero beyond level of confidence ^Significantly different from zero beyond 5% level of confidence

TABLE 8 WHERRY-DOOLITTLE SOLUTION I TO PREDICT THE GRADE POINT INDEX

Tests in Battery

Shrunken R

Unshrunken R

P.A.T.

.557*

.557*

L-score

.558*

.566*

Q-score

.556*

.575*

N = 74 * Significantly different from zero beyond 1$ level of confidence

TABLE 9 BETA WEIGHTS FOR THE VARIOUS TESTS USED IN BOTH WHERRY-DOOLITTLE SOLUTIONS TO PREDICT THE ORADE POINT INDEX

Test

W-D I

P.A.T.

.613250

L-score

-.115266 .160088

Arith. Fig.

W-D II

Anal.

.383405

N = 74

TABLE 10 A COMPARISON OF THE PRIMARY AND HOLD-OUT GROUPS USED IN THE WHERRY-DOOLITTLE SOLUTIONS

Mean G-.P.I. Std. Dev.

Primary Group

Hold-out Group

2.907

2.601

.306

.717

.820

.103

.461*

.097

30%

.373*

.085

40%

R vs. r (w-D d : W vs. r (W-D II)

.458*

Dlff.

Signif. Level

2%

^Significantly different from zero beyond 1% level of confidence

36 confidence.

The difference between this correlation and the

shrunken multiple correlation for the battery was .097, which was shown not to be a significant différénee--we can, there­ fore, conclude that this battery does predict G.P.I, about as well as can be expected from the multiple R. The practical difference between the results of using this regression equation derived from W-D I and the results which would be obtained using the formula with only the P.A.T. scores is not great enough to warrant using the more lengthy procedure involved in the W-D I formula.

Hence it is recom­

mended that the formula with the Arithmetic scores previously mentioned, be used to compute the G.P.I. In the second Wherry-Doolittle solution (W-D II), using the six components of the A.C.E. to predict the G.P.I. cri­ terion, the first test selected was the Figure Analogies, correlating .446 with the criterion.

The second selected

test was the Arithmetical Reasoning test, which increased the shrunken multiple R to .458.

The third selected test, the

Number Series, added nothing to the shrunken multiple H, and thus, was not included in the battery.

Table 11 shows the

matrix of correlations used in this solution. multiple correlations are shown in Table 12.

The resulting It can be noted

that onone of the A.C.E. sub-tests correlated, individually or combined, as highly with the criterion as did the P+A.T. alone.

37

TABLE 11 INTERCORRELATIONS BETWEEN THE SIX SUB-TESTS IN THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION USED IN WHERRY-DOOLITTLE SOLUTION II TO PREDICT THE GRADE POINT INDEX

Test

G.P.I.

Arith. Reas.

Fig. Anal.

No. Same Series Compl. Opp.

Arith. Reas.

.310*

Fig. Anal.

.446*

.391*

No. Series

.189

.446*

.504*

Compl.

.140

.465*

.110

.118

Same Qpp.

.109

.469*

.094

.293**

Verb* Anal.

.226**

.461*

.509* .523*

Verb. Anal.

.699* .472* .564*

♦Significantly different from zero beyond level of confidence ♦♦Significantly different from zero beyond 5% level of confidence

TABLE 12 . WHERRY-DOOLITTLE SOLUTION II TO PREDICT THE GRADE POINT INDEX Tests in Battery

Shrunken R

Unshrunken R

Fig. Anal.

.446*

.446*

Arith. Reas.

.458*

.470*

No. Series

.455*

.479*

N = 74 ♦Significantly different from zero beyond 1$ level of confidence

39 Using the beta weights shown in Table 9» the following regression equation was derived, to predict the G-.P.I., knowing the Figure Analogies score and the Arithmetical Reasoning score : G.R.l.predicted = 1.868 / .037 Fig* Anal. / .050 Arith. Reas. The standard error of estimate was computed as with W-D I and was found to be .637* G-.P.I. scores for the hold-out group were then predicted using the above regression equation. correlation to be .373.

Table 10 shows this

The difference between this correla­

tion and the shrunken multiple correlation for the battery was .085» which was shown not to be a significant difference.

Thus,

we can conclude that this battery, too, does predict the O.P.I. in keeping with the multiple R. For the purpose of counseling, the regression equation computed with the first Wherry-Doolittle solution is much su­ perior to the second one.

Still, the difference between the

first solution and the prediction which could be made knowing only the Arithmetic score does not warrant using the long Wherry-Doolittle regression equation.

In the counseling situ­

ation, the counselor would compute the estimated G-.P.I. using the P.A.T. formula or the first Wherry-Doolittle solution re­ gression equation and compare this predicted grade point index with the student’s actual G.P.I.

Should the actual index be

lower by more than one standard error of estimate (approxi­ mately .60), it would suggest that the student’s abilities.

40 plan of study, and effort need re-evaluation.

Should the

actual index equal or be above the estimated index, it could be assumed that, in the case of low grades, these grades were not due to lack of ability or poor preparation, and the coun­ selor could proceed to investigate other possibilities. Extreme caution should be used in the individual counsel­ ing situation with any of the above prediction devises.

As the

correlations are not high, a great deal of the variance in grade point index is not accounted for by test scores. It is important to point out here that though the total group was divided with care into primary and hold-out groups, Table 10 reveals that these two groups are not truly alike with respect to grade point index mean or standard deviation. No explanation for the differences found are offered.

The mean

of the primary group was 2.907, the mean of the hold-out group was 2.601.

The obtained difference, .306 was large enough to

indicate at the two per cent level that these means are truly different.

A comparison of standard deviations show them to

be different at the one per cent level of confidence.

Had

these groups been more similar, it is possible that less shrinkage would have occurred with the multiple correlations involved in either V/herry-Doolittle solution. Of additional value in the counseling situation are the tables of percentile equivalents of raw scores on the various tests and the tables of correlations between these tests and scholastic achievement.

These could jointly be used to diagnose

41 the student's difficulty with regard to particular courses. Should a student do poorly in a particular subject, his test score on related subject matter could be checked to see if the difficulty was due to insufficient background. Though the rather small multiple correlation found in the second Wherry-Doolittle solution makes this battery im­ practical for use as a predictor of grades in the counseling situation, it does point out a significant fact regarding the Technical Institute program.

This fact is that success in the

early part of the Technical Institute program is, to a large extent, determined by quantitative rather than by linguistic ability.

In fact. Table 12 shows that none of the first three

tests selected by the Wherry-Doolittle method were of the lin­ guistic type.

Too, Table 11 shows that these three first

selected tests individually correlate higher than any of the linguistic tests with the exception of the Verbal Analogies sub-test which correlated higher than the poorest of the quan­ titative tests, the Number Series.

This same conclusion Is

borne out by the first Wherry-Doolittle solution, done with the A.G.E. Q,- and L- scores, the English test, and the Arith­ metic test.

For this solution, Table 9 shows us that the

linguistic ability score actually carries a negative beta weight in the multiple regression equation. Although this study was not meant to establish admission requirements for the Technical Institutes, the data included here furnish evidence as to the type of requirements which could be established.

The high relationship between quantita­

tive skills and simple arithmetical skills suggest that the percentile equivalents of raw scores on an arithmetic test might well be used to determine if the prospective students' abilities were such as to enable him to successfully complete a course of study in the program.

Too, these percentile norms

could be used to identify those areas in which the student would need remedial work.

43 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS A study was made of the orientation tests taken by 147 Purdue University Division of Technical Institute students since September 1, 194#.

The orientation test battery in­

cluded; The American Council on Education Psychological Exam­ ination for College Freshmen, 194# Edition, The Purdue Place­ ment Test in English, Forms A and C, and The Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test, Forms A and B* Percentile equivalents of raw scores were computed for each of the above mentioned tests and the sub-tests of the Psychological Examination* Grade point indexes were computed for the students on the basis of letter grades assigned for course work grades* These grade point indexes were correlated with each test and each sub-test of the A.C.E*

The P.A*T. correlated *557 with

the G*P*I* and the P.P.T.E* correlated .231 with the G.P.I. For the A.C.E. the correlations with the G.P.I. were as follows: ing— .310;

Q-score— .446;

L-score--.lS4> Arithmetical Reason­

Figure Analogies— 44# ;

Completion— .140;

Number Series— .189;

Same-opposite— .109;

Verbal Analogies—

. 226. In order to determine

weightings for the optimum battery

of tests to predict scholastics success, two Wherry-Doolittle solutions were performed.

The first solution was done with

the Quantitative and Linguistic scores of the A.C.E., the

44

P.P.T.E., and the P.A.T. sub-tests of the A.C.E.

The second was done with the six It was hoped that the resulting

multiple ïï»s would be large enough to indicate the use of re­ gression equations to predict grades in the counseling situ­ ation. Using the Batteries of t ests selected by these two WherryDoolittle solutions, grade point indexes were predicted for a hold-out control group.

Then these predicted grade point

indexes were correlated with the actual grade point indexes. The first Wherry-Doolittle solution selected the P1A.T. and the A.C.E. L-score for the battery— this battery corre­ lated .55& with the G.P.I. criterion.

The second solution

selected the A.C.E.1s Figure Analogies and Arithmetical Reasoning tests to correlated.45& with the criterion.

Using

these batteries and the resulting regression equation, grade point indexes were predicted for a hold-out group.

Then

these predicted grade point indexes were correlated with the actual grade point indexes and the amount of shrinkage from the original multiple correlation was noted.

For the first

solution (R = .55$)> the actual G.P.I. correlated .461 with the predicted grades; for the second solution (5 = .45#), the actual grades correlated .373 with the predicted grades.. Where possible, comparisons of students and comparisons of test relationships to grade point index were made between the Purdue Technical Institute and the Purdue college credit program.

45

The major findings were:: 1.

The single test which correlated most, highly with the

scholastic schievement criterion was the Purdue Arithmetic Achievement Test, this correlation was .557# 2 . Success in the Technical Institute is more dependent upon quantitative skills than upon linguistic skills.

The Q-

score of the A.C.E. correlated .446 with the grade point in­ dex compared to a correlation of .104 between the L-score of the A.C.E. and the index. 3.

Percentile norms for the Technical Institute students

were shown to be considerably lower than those norms for the same test for Purdue University College credit students. 4.

Technical Institute students were found to be older,

with a greater age range than college credit students.

Too,

a great percentage were married, had dependents, and spent much time earning school expenses. 5.

The Technical Institute program was found to be more

closely related to quantitative skills than was the case in the collebe credit program (the correlations were .446 and .355, respectively).

Less relationship was found between

linguistic skill and grades in the institute than in the college program (these correlations were .104 and .379, respect­ ively) . 6.

The highest shrunken multiple correlation yielded by

the Wherry-Doolittle solution to predict grades in the Technical

46

Institute was produced by a battery of tests including the the Purdue Arithmetic Test and the L-score of the Psychologi­ cal Examination.

This multiple correlation was *553

The following recommendations are offered: 1,

On the basis of this study it appears that the English

test is of little value in the prediction of first semester scholarship in the Technical Institutes.

This

low relation­

ship raises serious doubt as to the advistability of continu­ ing the use of this test in thà institute program for pre­ diction of first semester grades. 2.

Since the Psychological Examination was shown to add

virtually nothing to a multiple correlation between tests and grades beyond what was obtained from the Arithmetic test alone, it might be suggested that the use of the Psychological Exam­ ination be also discontinued as a predictor of first semester scholarship. 3*

The item analysis demonstrated that the Arithmetic

test could be improved with the strong liklihood of increasing its predictive value. 4*

Am a maximum prediction of first semester scholarship

is represented by a correlation of .553 with the A.C.E. and the P.A.T., and by a correlation of .557 with the P.A.T. alone, it might be adviseable for the Technical Institute to try out other tests from time to time in order to find a better com-

47 combination of tests for prediction, 5.

The reasonably high correlation between the P.A.T,

and first semester grades suggests that this test would be of value in the counseling situation and also indicates its possible use in the determination of entrance requirements.

48

BIBLIOGRAPHY

49 BIBLIOGRAPHY 1.

ASHER, E. J. and GRAY, FLORENCE E. The relation of per­ sonal history data to college success* J. Ed. Psychol., 1940, p 517-526.

2.

BOYNTON, P. L. Intelligence and age. Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Macmillan, 1941, p 622-633•

3•

BRADSHAW, F. F. Student personnel work--l. Admissions Procedures. Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Mac­ millan, 1941, p 251-253.

4,

BRUMBAUGH, A. J. Student personnel work--?. Educational counseling. Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Mac­ millan , 1941T P 276-281."

5*

DUFFUS, R. L. Democracy enters college. p 244#

6.

DWYER, P. S. The correlation between age at entrance and success in college. J. Ed. Psychol., 30, 1939* p 251-263.

7.

EURICH, A. C. and CAIN, L. F. Prognosis. Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Macmillan, 1941, p #38-060.'

8.

KELLER, M. W. Arithmetic Achievement Test, Forms 4&A and 4&B, mimeographed by Purdue University, Lafayette, 194#.

9.

KELLEY, T. L. Interpretation of educational measurements. World Book, World Book Co., 1927, p 363.

Scribner, 1936,

10.

LAWSHE, C. H. and BAKER, P. C. The significance of the difference between two percentages, 1949, (published privately).

11.

LINDQUIST, E. F. Afirst course in statistics. Houghton Mifflin Co., New York, 1942.

12.

McNEELY, J. H. 1937, p 44.

13.

REMMERS, H. H . , ELLIOT, D. N ., and GAGE, N. L. Predictive­ ness of the orientation tests at Purdue University and their use in counseling. Mimeographed by Purdue Univer­ sity, Lafayette, 1949.

14.

SEGEL, D. Prediction of success in college. of Education, Bull, 1934, No. 15, p 9#.

15.

SORENSON, H. Adult abilities. Press, Minneapolis™ 193#.

College entrance ages. Sch. Life, 23,

U. S. Office

The University of Minn.

50 16.

STÀLNAKER, J . A statistical study of some aspects of the Purdue orientation testing program. Studies in Higher Education VIII, Purdue University, Lafayette, 19287

17.

STEAD, W. H. and SHARTLE, C • L . , et. al., Occupational counseling techniques. American Book Co,, New York 1940

18.

THURSTONE, L. L. and THURSTONE, THELMA GWINN, American Council on Education Psychological Examination for College Freshmen. Educational Testing Service, New York, 1948.

19.

WYKOFF, G. S., McKEE, J. H . , and REMMERS, H. H. Purdue Placement Test in English, Houghton Mifflin.Co., New York, 1929.

20

.

A study of Technical Institutes, The Society for the Promotion of Engineering Education, 1931.

21

.

Manual, Arithmetic Achievement Test, Forms 48A and 4&B, mimeographed by Purdue University, Lafayette, 1948.

22

.

Manual of Instructions, American Council on Education Psychological Examination for College Freshmen. Edu­ cational Testing Service, New York,1948.

23.

Technical Institutes Catalogue. Lafayette, 19491

Purdue University,

24.

The work of the College Entrance Examinations Board, 19011925, Ginn and Co., 1926, p 3007

25.

Vocational education of college grade. Federal Security Agency, U, S. Office of Education, Bull. 1946, No. 18

26 .

Vocational-technical training for industrial occupations— Report of the consulting committee on vocatïonal-technical training appointed by the U. S. commissioner of education, U. S. Govt. Printing Office, Wash., D.C., 1944.

51

APEBNDIX

1948 Edition

A M E R IC A N C O U N C IL O N E D U C A T IO N

Psychological Examination For College Freshmen Prepared by Educational T esting Service From materials developed by L . L. Thurstone and T helm a G w inn Thurstone

Copyright 1948 by

Educational Testing Service Cooperative Test Division 15 Amsterdam Avenue, New York 23, N . Y. A ll rig h ts re serv ed P r in te d in U . S. A.

General Instructions T h is exam ination is different from the ordinary school exam in ation s to w hich you have been accustomed. T h e plan for each of these tests is as follow s. F irst, you are given detailed instructions about the test, so that you know just what you are expected to do. T h en you have som e practice p roblem s. T h en you go to the test prop er. T h is is the procedure for each of the six tests in this exam ination. T h e total exam ination requires an hour. T h e s ix tests in this exam ination represent a variety of tasks. T h ree of them in volve thinking of a quantitative sort, w h ile the other three require m ore linguistic ability. If you find one test hard, do not be dis­ couraged ; you may find the n ext test easier. N everth eless you should do your best on all the tests. P eople differ m arkedly in the speed w ith w hich they can do these different tests. T h e tests are long enough to keep everyone busy for the w h ole tim e, and you are not exp ected to com plete the tests in the time allow ed. B y noting how m any questions you can answ er in a certain len gth of tim e, w e can determ ine your speed on each kind of test. Y ou m ust begin to w ork on a test prom ptly w hen the exam iner calls the starting tim e and stop im m ediately w hen he says "Stop." D o not begin a test until the exam iner g iv es the starting sig­ nal for that particular test. D o not turn back to a test after the tim e for it has expired. Y ou are to work on each test during, and only during, the specified tim e as announced by the exam iner in charge. Y o u are to record your answ ers on a separate answ er sheet rather than on the pages of the test booklet. Instead of w riting dow n your answ ers, you w ill record each answ er by blackening the space betw een a pair of lines. D o not m ake any m a r k s or reco rd a n y a n sw e r s on the pa ges of this test booklet. Y our answ er sheet w ill be scored accurately if you observe carefully the follow in g directions : 1. O n the answ er sheet, find the section w hich corresponds to the practice problem s or to the test proper on w hich you are w orking. 2. T h en find the r o w of a n sw e r spaces w hich is num bered the sam e as the question you are answering, 3. T h en find the pair of d o tte d lines w hich corresponds to the answ er you choose and blacken the space. M IS P L A C E D A N S W E R S A R E C O U N T E D A S W R O N G A N S W E R S . 4. Indicate each answ er w ith S O L I D B L A C K P E N C I L M A R K S draw n vertically betw een the two dotted lines. Solid black m arks are m ade by go in g over each m ark tw o or three tim es and by pressing firmly on the pencil. 5. M ake your marks as long as the dotted lines. 6. If you change your answ er, erase your first mark com pletely. 7. M ake no unnecessary m arks in or around the dotted lines. 8. K eep your answ er sheet on a hard surface w h ile m arking your answ ers. 9. M ake no folds or creases in the answ er sheet. 10. N o scratch p a p er is allow ed for any of these tests. T he answ er sheet contains a special section which m ay be used for scribbling. 11. F o ld the pages of your test booklet back so that only one page is visible. P lace the test booklet to the left. K eep the answ er sheet under the test booklet so that the answ er spaces being m arked are as close as possible to the questions being answ ered. (O m it the next paragraph unless the tests are to be m achine-scored.) T h e exam ination will be scored by an electric test-scoring m achine, w hich m akes use of the fact that a solid black pencil mark will carry a current of electricity in the sam e way that a copper wire does. L IG H T P E N C IL M A R K S M A D E W IT H A H A R D P E N C IL W IL L N O T C A R R Y A C U R R E N T O F EL E C ­ T R I C I T Y ! T he m achine w ill not give you a correct score unless you indicate your answ ers with solid black pencil marks made with the special pencil which is provided. D o not use any pencil other than the special one provided. T he m achine cannot distinguish betw een intended answ ers and stray pencil m arks. If you are careless in erasing or if you leave unnecessary marks on or near the pairs of lines, such m arks m ay be counted by the m achine as w rong answ ers with the result that your score will be low er than it should be. Wait until the examiner gives the starting signal for the first set of practice problems. 1 948 Edition

Page 3

Arithmetic P R A C T IC E P R O B L E M S In this test yo u w ill be g iv e n som e problem s in arithm etic. A fter each problem there are five answ ers, but only one of them is the correct an sw er. Y ou are to solve each problem and blacken the space on the an sw er sheet w hich correspon ds to the a n sw er you think is correct. T h e fo llo w in g problem is an exam p le :

1.

H o w m a n y p en cils can yo u ( a ) 10 (b ) 20

b u y for 50 cen ts ( c ) 25 ( d ) 100

at th e rate of 2 for 5cen ts ? ( e ) 125

F in d on the a n sw er sheet the space labeled " A R I T H M E T I C , P ractice P rob lem s, P age 3 .” T h e correct answer to the problem is 20, w hich is a n sw er ( b ) . In the row num bered 1, space ( b ) has been blackened. In the se c o n d row . blacken the space w hich corresponds to the answ er to the second practice problem .

2.

If J a m es had 4 tim e s as m uch m on ey as G eorge, he w ou ld h a v e $16, m u ch m o n ey h a s G e o r g e ? , (a ) $4 (b ) $8 (c ) $12 ( d ) $16 ( e ) $64

H ow

Y o u should h ave blackened space ( a ) , w hich corresponds to $4, the correct answ er. Blacken tfie spaces corresp on d in g to the answ ers to the follow in g problem s :

3.

In 5 d a y s H a r r y h as sa v e d a dollar. W h a t has h is a v e ra g e d aily sa v in g been? ( a ) 200 ( b ) 22J40 ( c ) 250 (d ) 300 (e)'4 O 0

4.

J o h n sold 4 m a g a z in e s at 5 cen ts each. H e k ep t y 2 the m oney and w ith the o th er J-2 h e b o u g h t p a p ers at 2 cen ts each. H o w m any did he b u y ? (a ) 3 (b ) 4 (c ) 5 (d ) 6 (e ) 10

W h en the signal is g iv e n (n o t y e t ) , turn the page and w ork m ore problem s of the sam e kind. W ork rapidly and accurately. Y ou r rating w ill be the total num ber of correct answ ers. Y ou ma}- not be able to finish in the tim e allow ed. S to p h ere. W a it for th e sig n a l. 1948 E d i t i o n

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