ACT CAAP 2009 Report
May 14, 2009
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/
Applied Research Center
Allison Bol
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
1
ACT CAAP 2009
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), in 2008 (math
and science tests only), and in 2009 (critical thinking test only). The following report highlights
the results from the 2009 tests, as well as a comparison with the 2006 results.
The authors believe the findings support the following general conclusions:
Institutional Level
1. A total of 100 ACT CAAP critical thinking tests were completed in 2009.
a. 70 seniors and 29 juniors
2. The 2009 critical thinking average scores were not statistically different than the national
average.
3. The 2009 critical thinking average scores were not statistically different than the 2006
UW-Stout average scores.
ACT CAAP Average Critical Thinking Scores
Institutional Summary
Stout
National
2006
62.3
62.7
2009
62.4
62.3
Class Level
4. UW-Stout seniors’ average critical thinking scores were not statistically different than the
national average.
5. UW-Stout juniors’ average critical thinking scores were not statistically different than the
national average.
6. UW-Stout juniors’ and seniors’ average critical thinking scores did not statistically
change from 2006.
2
ACT CAAP 2009
Full Report
Sample Information
A total of 100 ACT-CAAP Critical Thinking tests were completed in 2009. Demographic
characteristics are shown in Table 1.
The majority of test respondents were seniors (70%). The majority of test takers were Caucasian
(90%). The gender distribution of test takers was 64% male and 23% female, which was a higher
proportion of male test takers compared to the overall UW-Stout undergraduate student
population.
The majority of UW-Stout students (89%) reported high to moderate levels of effort when taking
the critical thinking test. Forty-six percent of the students indicated tried my best as their effort
level and 43% responded gave moderate effort. Nearly two-thirds reported a GPA of 3.01 or
higher, with 46% reporting a GPA of 3.01 to 3.50.
Table 1. UW-Stout Sample Information: Percentage of Total Sample
Demographic Group
Gender
Education Level (self-reported)
Enrolled at UW-Stout as freshman
Full/Part-time
Ethnicity
Self-reported effort level
Self-reported GPA
Female
Male
Junior
Senior
no response
Yes
No
no response
Full-time
Part-time
Caucasian
Asian/Pacific Islander
Black/African American
Other
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Mexican American/Chicano
no response
No effort
Little effort
Moderate effort
Tried my best
2.00-2.50
2.51-3.00
3.01-3.50
3.51 or above
Not reported
2009
(N=100)
36%
64%
29%
70%
0%
77%
23%
0%
99%
1%
90%
3%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
10%
43%
46%
8%
28%
46%
17%
1%
3
Institutional Summary
National comparison
•
UW-Stout students’ average critical thinking scores were not statistically different than the
national scores – See Table 2.
Table 2. ACT CAAP Average Critical Thinking Scores
Institutional Summary
2006
62.3
62.7
Stout
National
•
2009
62.4
62.3
There were no statistically significant differences in the critical thinking score 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 2006 UW-Stout results
• There was no statistical difference in UW-Stout students’ average critical thinking scores
from 2006 to 2009.
• The average critical thinking scores from both 2006 and 2009 were also statistically on par
with the national average scores for each year.
Comparison by reported GPA and effort level
• There was a positive trend between scoring higher on the critical thinking test and having a
higher reported GPA. However, the relationship was not statistically significant. See Figure
A.
Average Critical Thinking Score
Figure A. 2009 Critical Thinking Scores by Self-Reported GPA
80
75
70
65
64.3
62.4
61.5
2.00 to 3.00
3.01- to 3.50
60
55
50
45
40
3.51 & above
Self‐Reported GPA
4
•
There was a statistically positive relationship between scoring higher on the critical thinking
test and having a higher reported motivation level when taking the test. Those students who
reported the lowest levels of motivation (gave little or no effort) had statistically lower
average scores than those who reported best effort and those who reported giving moderate
effort. See Figure B.
Figure B. 2009 Average Critical Thinking Scores by Reported Effort Level
Average Critical Thinking Score
80
75
70
65
60
62.4
63.7
Gave moderate effort
Tried my best
56.7
55
50
45
40
Gave little or no effort
Reported Effort Level
Profiles by education level
Senior Profile (N = 70)
• UW-Stout 2009 seniors’ average critical
thinking scores were statistically the
same as national scores.
• UW-Stout 2009 seniors’ average critical
thinking scores were statistically the
same as the UW-Stout 2006 seniors’
average scores.
Junior Profile (N = 29)
• UW-Stout 2009 juniors’ average critical
thinking scores were statistically the
same as national scores.
• UW-Stout 2009 juniors’ average critical
thinking scores were statistically the
same as the UW-Stout 2006 juniors’
average scores.
Table 3. ACT CAAP Average Critical Thinking Scores:
Senior Summary
Stout
National
Critical Thinking Score
2006
2009
62.2
62.8
62.7
62.3
Table 4. ACT CAAP Average Critical Thinking Scores:
Junior Summary
Stout
National
Critical Thinking Score
2006
2009
62.5
61.5
62.7
62.3
5