ACT CAAP 2008 Report
June 12, 2008
Report prepared by:
Test(s) developed by:
Budget, Planning and Analysis
ACT
Institutional Research
American College Testing Program
Contact:
Susan Greene
http://www.act.org/
Report Prepared for:
Distribution of report:
Provost Office
Julie Furst-Bowe
Provost Office
Julie Furst-Bowe
Title III Grant
Jane Henderson
Title III Grant
Jane Henderson
ACT CAAP 2008
Executive Summary
“The Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) is an academic test designed to
measure general educational foundational skills typically attained in the first two years of
college.” CAAP includes five multiple-choice tests (writing skills, mathematics, reading, critical
thinking, and science reasoning) and a writing essay test. Multiple choice test results are reported
on a scale from 40 (low) to 80 (high) for the total test scores, and 5 (low) to 25 (high) for the
subtest scores. UW-Stout participated in these tests in 1998 (writing and math tests only), in
2004 (writing, math, reading, critical thinking, and science), in 2005 (writing essay test only), in
2006 (critical thinking test only), in 2007 (writing skills and reading tests only), and in 2008
(math and science tests only). The following report highlights the results from the 2008 tests.
The authors believe the findings support the following general conclusions:
Results Summary
Institutional
• A total of 168 ACT CAAP tests were completed in 2008, 83 math tests and 85 science tests.
• The math test was predominantly taken by UW-Stout juniors, and the science test was
predominantly taken by UW-Stout seniors.
• UW-Stout students’ math test scores were statistically below the national average and below
the UW-Stout 2004 scores.
• UW-Stout students’ science test scores were statistically on par with the national average,
and did not change from 2004.
o Scores on the science test were positively related to effort.
ACT CAAP Average Scores, Institutional Summary
Math
Science
1998
2004
2008
2004
2008
59.5
58.1
56.9
61.1
61.1
Stout
57.9
58.1
58.3
61.1
61.5
National
•
UW-Stout males had statistically higher average scores than females.
o Male average math scores were statistically on par with national scores.
• There were no statistical differences in math scores across the other demographic groups.
• There were no statistical differences in the science scores across demographic groups.
• UW-Stout students’ scores on the math subtests were statistically below the national scores.
o Male subtest scores were statistically on par with national scores.
Class Level
• UW-Stout seniors’ average math scores were statistically on par with the national average.
• UW-Stout juniors’ average math score were statistically below the national average.
• UW-Stout juniors’ and seniors’ average science scores were statistically on par with the
national average.
• UW-Stout juniors’ and seniors’ average math and science scores did not statistically change
from 2004.
1
Detailed Results and Analysis
Sample information
A total of168 ACT CAAP tests were completed in 2008 – 83 math tests and 85 science tests. The
math test was completed by twice as many juniors as seniors. The science test was completed by
twice as many seniors as juniors. Four students completed both tests. The gender distribution of
test takers was typical of the overall UW-Stout undergraduate student population.
The majority of UW-Stout students reported high to moderate levels of effort when taking the
math and science tests. Of the students that indicated effort level on the math test, 39%
responded tried my best and 25% responded gave moderate effort. Of the students that indicated
effort level on the science test, 23% responded tried my best and 44% responded gave moderate
effort.
On the math test, 37% of student reported a GPA of 3.01 to 3.50 and 17% with GPA of 3.51 and
higher. On the science test, 32% of student reported a GPA of 3.01 to 3.50 and 25% with GPA of
3.51 and higher.
UW-Stout Sample Information
Percentage of Total Sample
Math Test
Science Test
(N=83)
(N=85)
56%
57%
Female
Gender
54%
41%
Male
68%
37%
Junior
Education Level*
32%
63%
Senior
71%
59%
Yes
Enrolled at UW-Stout as
25%
21%
No
freshman
4%
20%
No response
98%
79%
Full-time
0%
3%
Full/Part-time
Part-time
2%
18%
No response
87%
85%
Caucasian
Ethnicity
8%
8%
Prefer not to respond/no response
0%
2%
No effort
2%
12%
Little effort
25%
44%
Self-reported effort level
Moderate effort
39%
23%
Tried my best
34%
19%
Not reported
12%
9%
2.00-2.50
31%
14%
2.51-3.00
37%
32%
Self-reported GPA
3.01-3.50
17%
25%
3.51 or above
3%
20%
Not reported
* Self-reported education level. Responses that do not sum to 100% are due to non-respondents.
Demographic Group
2
Institutional Summary
National comparison
• UW-Stout students’ math scores were statistically below the national scores.
• UW-Stout students’ science score was statistically the same as the national scores.
• UW-Stout male students’ had statistically higher math scores than female students in 2008,
with an average difference of 2.6 points.
• There were no statistically significant differences in the math scores across demographic
subgroups of class standing, and initial enrollment at UW-Stout as a freshman vs. transfer.
There was not enough differentiation in the sample to perform the analysis for ethnicity or
full/part-time status.
• There were no statistically significant differences in the science scores across demographic
subgroups of gender, class standing, and initial enrollment at UW-Stout as a freshman vs.
transfer. There was not enough differentiation in the sample to perform the analysis for
ethnicity or full/part-time status.
Comparison to 2004 UW-Stout results
• There was a statistical decrease of 1.2 points in UW-Stout students’ math scores from 2004
to 2008.
o UW-Stout students’ scores in 2004 were statistically on par with national scores.
• There was no statistical difference in UW-Stout students’ science scores from 2004 to 2008.
ACT CAAP Average Scores, Institutional Summary
Stout
National
1998
59.5
57.9
Math
2004
58.1
58.1
Science
2008
56.9
58.3
2004
61.1
61.1
2008
61.1
61.5
Math Test
• There was no statistical relationship between level of effort and test.
• There was no statistical relationship between reported GPA and test scores.
Science Test
• Higher effort levels were statistically related to higher test scores. Students who tried my best
performed statistically better than both gave little effort and gave no effort. Additionally,
students who reported moderate effort had statistically higher average scores than the little
effort and no effort students. See Figure 1.
• Higher self-reported GPA was statistically related to higher test scores. See Figure 2.
3
Figure 1 Self-Reported Motivation Level and Average Science Score
80
Mean science score
75
70
65
60
55
50
45
53.5
61.3
56.9
62.0
40
Gave no effort
Gave little effort Gave moderate
effort
Tried my best
Motivational Effort
Figure 2 Self-Reported GPA and Average Science Score
80
Mean science score
75
70
65
60
55
50
58.5
58.9
2.00-2.50
2.51-3.00
62.7
62.1
3.01-3.50
3.51 or above
45
40
GPA
4
Subtest Scores
• UW-Stout students’ average scores on the math subtest were statistically below the national
levels. Basic Algebra was 0.92 points lower and College Algebra was 0.8 points lower.
• UW-Stout male students had statistically higher scores on the Basic Algebra subtest (3.3
points) and College Algebra subtest (2.8 points) compared to female UW-Stout students.
• There were no statistical differences across the demographic subgroups of student
classification or enrolled as a freshman.
• UW-Stout students’ average scores on the Basic Algebra were statistically lower than in
2004 by 0.8 points.
• UW-Stout students’ average scores on the College Algebra subtests did not statistically
change compared to 2004.
ACT CAAP Average Math Subtest Scores
Stout
National
Basic Algebra
1998
2004
2008
15.7
15.4
14.6
14.9
15.3
15.5
1998
---
College Algebra
2004
15.0
15.2
2008
14.4
15.2
Profiles by education level
Senior Profile
• UW-Stout seniors’ math scores were statistically the same as national scores.
• UW-Stout seniors’ science scores were statistically the same as national scores.
• UW-Stout seniors’ math scores were statistically the same as UW-Stout 2004 scores.
• UW-Stout seniors’ science scores were statistically the same as UW-Stout 2004 scores.
ACT CAAP Average Scores: Senior Summary
Stout
National
1998
55.6
57.9
Math
2004
58.4
58.1
Science
2008
57.3
58.3
2004
60.9
61.1
2008
61.2
61.5
5
Junior Profile
• UW-Stout juniors’ math scores were statistically lower by 1.6 points compared to the
national scores.
• UW-Stout juniors’ science scores were statistically the same as national scores.
• UW-Stout juniors’ math scores were statistically the same as the UW-Stout 2004 scores.
• UW-Stout juniors’ science scores were statistically the same as the UW-Stout 2004 scores.
ACT CAAP Average Scores: Junior Summary
Stout
National
1998
58.9
57.9
Math
2004
56.7
58.1
Science
2008
56.7
58.3
2004
61.5
61.1
2008
61.0
61.5
Subtest Scores
Seniors
• UW-Stout seniors’ math subtest scores were statistically the same as national scores.
• UW-Stout seniors’ Basic Algebra subtest scores were statistically lower than the 2004
scores.
• UW-Stout seniors’ College Algebra subtest scores were statistically the same as 2004
scores.
Juniors
• UW-Stout juniors’ math subtest scores were statistically below the national scores.
• UW-Stout juniors’ math subtest scores were statistically the same as 2004 scores.
ACT CAAP Average Math Subtest Scores: Junior and Senior Summary
UW-Stout Seniors
Basic Algebra
2004
2008
15.7
14.8
College Algebra
2004
2008
15.2
14.6
UW-Stout Juniors
National
14.9
15.3
14.9
15.2
14.5
15.5
14.3
15.2
6