CAAP
MATHEMATICS SKILLS TEST SPRING 2014
Texas Tech University
Institution Code: 4220
Institution Type: 4-Year Public
Subgroup: Freshman & Senior
Normative group: All CAAP tested Freshman & Senior
Prepared by the Office of Planning & Assessment
CAAP
MATHEMATICS SKILLS TEST
Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) Mathematics Skills Test
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The present report contains results from CAAP Writing Skills Test form 14-H. Scores were obtained
from a representative sample of 413 students (freshmen = 141; senior = 157). Results of the analysis
indicate that on average, freshmen and seniors scored above the level of their respective normative
group. As such, the established benchmark of performing at or above the normative group was
attained for freshman and seniors.
DESCRIPTION
The CAAP Mathematics Test assesses students’ knowledge and skills in mathematics. The test
encompasses content in pre-algebra, elementary, intermediate and advanced algebra; coordinate
geometry; and trigonometry. The CAAP Mathematics Skills Test is administered during the spring
semester to a representative sample of students. The assessment measures student’s core curriculum
competency in mathematics.
BENCHMARK
Benchmark measures for the CAAP Mathematics Skills Test have been established as being at or
above the national average for all Freshman CAAP Mathematics Skills Test takers, and at or above the
national average for all Senior CAAP Mathematics Skills Test takers. See Table 1.
Table 1: Benchmark
Freshman
Senior
At or above CAAP national average for Freshman
At or above CAAP national average for Senior
Yes
Yes
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
The test was administered to a random stratified sample of freshmen and seniors from each College at
Texas Tech University (TTU) and TTU Waco (see Figure 1). Courses were chosen based on
enrollment by student classification and size. Freshman courses were chosen from the those that are
part of the core curriculum. The sample included courses from the following colleges: College of
Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, College of Architecture, College of Architecture, College
of Arts and Sciences, Rawls College of Business Administration, College of Education, College of
Engineering, Honors College, College of Human Sciences, College of Media & Communications,
College of Visual and Performing Arts. The test was administered during regularly scheduled class
time for the courses that were selected. A total of 505 students participated in the CAAP Mathematics
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Skills Test from 17 undergraduate classes, of which 413 were valid for scoring by American College
Testing (ACT).
It should be noted that while a stratified sampling was sought, several events including student attrition,
led to undersampling in some colleges and oversampling in others. Furthermore, a stratified sampling
by Colleges at TTU does not ensure that a student’s reported major will correspond to the College from
which that student was selected.
Figure 1: Population and Sample by College
College of Visual & Performing Arts
College of Media & Communications
College of Human Sciences
College
College of Engineering
College of Education
Rawls College of Business
Administration
Sample %
Population %
College of Arts & Sciences
College of Architecture
College of Agricultural Sciences &
Natural Resources
Undecided
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Percent
RESULTS
Table 2 provides a summary of CAAP scores by student classification. TTU freshmen (M=61.02,
SD=2.7) scored above the national average, t (140) = 19.689, p = .000. Seniors (M=60.64, SD=4.0)
scored above the national average, t (156) = 1.292, p = .000.
Table 2: Summary of CAAP Scores by Student Classification
n
Freshman
Senior
1
2
141
157
National Mean
1
56.5
56.32
SD
Sample Mean
SD
t
p
3.7
4.0
61.02
60.64
2.7
4.4
19.689
12.292
.000
.000
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http://act.org/caap/norms/pdf/2013/CAAP-TestedCollegeFreshmen.pdf accessed 12/19/2013
http://act.org/caap/norms/pdf/2013/CAAP-TestedCollegeSeniors.pdf accessed 12/19/2013
PERFORMANCE BY QUARTILES
Student performance on the CAAP Math test was also classified by quartiles for freshman level
students and for senior level students. Of particular relevance are the students whose scores fall in the
lowest quartile (Q1) relative to the national percentile. The classification by quartiles indicated that 1%
of freshman level students and 8% of senior level students performed in the lowest quartile. The
following tables depict the percentage of students in each quartile by classification level:
Table 3: Freshmen
Table 4: Seniors
Q1
Q2
1%
27%
Q2
8%
26%
Q3
18%
Q3
18%
Q4
54%
Q4
48%
Q1
CONCLUSION
The findings from the analysis herein reported indicate that Texas Tech University freshman and senior
level students are performing above the national average in the core curricular subject of math. In
addition, only a small percentage of students in each classification performed in the lower quartile
relative to the national percentile. It is recommended that the core curriculum committee, in conjunction
with faculty, and pertinent administrators consider these results in order to continue to enhance the
educational experience and continue improving student learning at Texas Tech University.
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