ERIC Number: ED560242
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Jul
Pages: 53
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Validity Decay in STEM and Non-STEM Fields of Study. ACT Working Paper Series. WP-2014-05
Westrick, Paul A.
ACT, Inc.
The purpose of this study was to determine if validity coefficients for ACT scores and high school grade point average (HSGPA) decayed or held stable over eight semesters of undergraduate study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at civilian four-year institutions, and whether the decay patterns differed from those found in non-STEM fields at the same institutions. Data from 62,122 students at 26 four-year institutions were analyzed in a hierarchical meta-analysis in which student major category (SMC), gender, and admission selectivity levels were considered potential moderators. Analyses for twelve subgroups were run. The results indicated that ACT score validity coefficients for STEM-Quantitative and STEM-Biological majors decayed less over eight semesters than the validity coefficients for non-STEM majors did. This was true for the uncorrected and corrected validity coefficients. For the HSGPA validity coefficients, this was true for the corrected validity coefficients. Tables are appended.
Descriptors: STEM Education, Validity, College Entrance Examinations, Scores, High School Students, Grade Point Average, Undergraduate Study, Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Meta Analysis, Majors (Students), Gender Differences, College Admission, Admission Criteria, Selective Admission, Nonmajors
ACT, Inc. 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168. Tel: 319-337-1270; Web site: http://www.act.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: ACT, Inc.
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: ACT Assessment
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A