CAAP
WRITING 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
WRITING SKILLS TEST
Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) Writing Skills Test
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The present report contains results from CAAP Writing Skills Test form 14-A. Scores were obtained
from a representative sample of 348 students (freshmen = 160; senior = 186). Results of the analysis
indicate that on average, freshmen and seniors scored at 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 Writing Test assesses students’ knowledge and skills in written English. The test
encompasses content in punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills. The CAAP
Writing Skills Test is administered during the spring semester to a representative sample of students.
The assessment measures student’s core curriculum competency in written English.
BENCHMARK
Benchmark measures for the CAAP Writing Skills Test have been established as being at or above the
national average for all freshman CAAP Writing Skills Test takers, and at or above the national average
for all Senior CAAP Writing 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 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 588 students participated in the CAAP Writing Skills Test from 15
undergraduate classes, of which 348 were valid for scoring by American College Testing (ACT).
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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%
10%
20%
30%
Percent
40%
50%
RESULTS
Table 2 provides a summary of CAAP scores by student classification. TTU freshmen (M=61.56,
SD=4.6) did not score significantly different from the national average, t (159) = .156, p = .876. Seniors
(M=62.18, SD=5.1) did not score significantly different from the national average, t (185) = -1.395, p =
.165.
Table 2: Summary of CAAP Scores by Student Classification
n
Freshman
Senior
1
2
160
186
National Mean
1
61.5
62.72
SD
Sample Mean
SD
t
p
5.3
5.1
61.56
62.18
4.6
5.1
.156
-1.395
.876
.165
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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 Writing Skills 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 34%
of freshman level students and 26% 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
34%
24%
Q2
26%
19%
Q3
26%
Q3
36%
Q4
15%
Q4
19%
Q1
CONCLUSION
The findings from the analysis herein reported indicate that Texas Tech University freshman and senior
level students are performing at or above the national average in the core curricular subject of writing.
In addition, nearly a third of the freshman level students and a quarter of the senior level 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 enhance the educational experience, and continue improving student learning
at Texas Tech University.
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