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Predicting Academic Achievement with a New Attitude-Interest Questionnaire-II

Author(s):
Green, Bert F., Jr.; Schultz, Douglas G.
Publication Year:
1951
Report Number:
RB-51-05
Source:
ETS Research Bulletin
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
25
Subject/Key Words:
College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB), Academic Achievement, Attitude Measures, Biographical Inventories, Females, Grade Prediction, Interest Inventories, Questionnaires, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Student Characteristics

Abstract

The second part of a research project to develop a questionnaire that would measure nonintellectual factors associated with academic achievement in college is reported here. The three-year study evaluated the characteristics of entering college freshmen. The goal was the possible use of such an instrument in the admission of applicants to college. The original questionnaire was given to the Class of 1951 three weeks after their arrival at an eastern women's liberal arts college. Applicants for the Class of 1952 were given a shorter questionnaire along with their regular application material. It consisted of 145 items covering motivation for attending college, intellectual interests, teacher relations, and study habits. A selection of items was made using the data from the Class of 1951. Items were included in the key if they were found to be related significantly to the "achievement index." This was an index of freshman grade performance relative to scholastic aptitude as measured by the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). The scoring key was validated by being applied to the questionnaires of students admitted to the Class of 1952. It was also administered to applicants of the Class of 1953 with the regular application forms. More statistically refined item selection techniques were used in developing a scoring key. The chosen method was developed by Gulliksen. The results obtained from two cross validations do not warrant administering the questionnaire for selection purposes. (SGK).

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