on
THE VALIDATION OF A CONCENTRATION TEST FOR
COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL USE.
Submitted to the
OREGON STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
In partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the
Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
by
David Malin Washburn
May 15, 1933.
APIROVED I
Redacted for Privacy
hofessor of
Seaond.ary Ed,uoatlon 1n Charge
of llal or.
Redacted for Privacy
School
of
Ed.uoatlon.
Redacted for Privacy
Chalrnan
of Counlttee on Graduate
Sts6y.
. -.
i;.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The writer is indebted to his advisor, Dr. Frank
w.
Parr, professor of Secondary Education at Oregon State
College, for the suggestion of the problem, assistance
in its development, advice given in treatment, and cri­
tical reading of the manuscript; to Drs. H.R. Laslett,
O.R. Chambers, and R.J. Clinton of Oregon State College
for their points of view concerning desirable phases of
the work ; and to Drs. Robert. H. Seashore and R.W. Leigh­
ton of the University of Oregon for their helpful ad­
vice in suggesting valid measures, and in giving refer­
ences of other procedures.
D. M. W.
C 0 NT E NT S
CHAPTER
PAGE
I. Introduction ------------------------------- 1.
Statement of Problem --------------------- 1.
Importance of Problem -------------------- 1.
Procedure -------------------------------- 8.
Previous Studies -------------------------13.
II. A Test of Concentration --------------------19.
Construction of the Test -----------------19.
Administration ---------------------------22.
Scoring -------------~------------------~-23.
III. Interpretation and
~esults
-----------------25.
Validity ---------------------------------25.
Reliability ------------------------------29.
Norms
------------------------------------31.
Use of Results ---------------------------32.
--------------------34.
Summary ----------------------------------34.
Conclusions ------------------------------35.
IV. Summary and Conclusions
Bibliography
Appendix
Introduction .
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.
The purpose of this study is to present a test , the
construction, evaluation, and conclusions of which will
help students discover how they rank in ability
centrate, and to give educators and teachers a
to con­
device
which should prove useful in educational guidance.
IMPORTANCE OF THE PROBLEM.
Concentration as a factor in the study procedure is
a subject that is much discussed but little investigated,
yet its importance cannot be overlooked in dealing with
problems of study.
With it there can be complete atten­
tion; without it there is little learning .
In this re­
spect it is related to interes t; but it is not interest.
It is a part of the study habit , coming into action only
through effort to attend , or with interest.
When concentration is looked upon as a special abil­
ity within itself - when it becomes an obsession for
study ' s sake , then it loses its value, for it is neither
of these things , but a co-function of interest.
This
should be kept in mind when we study it .
The problem of measurement of concentration is an
important one in the light of present ideas of study hab­
its.
Will not the educator be better equipped to teach
efficiently if he knows more about the manner in which
the student works?
Will not a more intelligible under ­
2.
standing of the habits of the student tend to throw more
light on the methods by which they should be taught?
Will the student not be a better student if he knows
what his weak points are?
These are some of the ques­
tions that justify the efforts of one in setting up a
study such as the one outlined in this thesis.
In interpreting the scores of educational and psy­
chological tests we find that the scores are often inad­
equate for educational diagnosis .
Mental tests , for ex­
ample , are designed to classify students acc ording to
their capacity to learn, yet such classification does
not account for some of the cases of students entering
college , working hard and get t ing little out of it, even
though they do rate exceptionally high on the psycholo­
gical examination.
What about these students?
Should
we not make some provi s ions for further testing them so
that we will have more adequate means of helping them in
their problems ?
These questions are pertinent to prac­
tices in present day teaching .
An illustration of this point can be cited with the
case of a student at Oregon State Col lege who , on taking
the American Council on Education psychological examina­
tion, was classified in the lowest quartile .
Since en­
tering , this student has made better than average success
as indicated by the grades received .
In the class
of
"Methods of Study" a research problem on the amount of
study done by the class* showed this student not to be
3.
enough above the average to explain the difference.
The psychological score was evidently inadequate
for diagnosis in this instance.
'l'his might be explained
by consideration of any one or a combination of such
measures as those of natural ability, interest, objectives
in college, previous training, health, and application,
which would affect the study process.
Since concentra­
tion is a significant element in every one of these mea­
sures, with the possible exception of health, knowledge
of its quality and quantity should certainly be consider­
ed valuable.
The case cited is not an exceptional one, but is a
common example found among students.
The opposite case
of the student who has a brilliant record on the psycho­
logical test and ·poor scholastic record is also common, •
and is probably more prevalent than the first type.
Could we not do a better job of teaching if we knew how
and why these students progress as they do?
This inves­
tigation aims to throw some light on such unusual cases.
A distinct value of this study will be found in the
data which should help meet the need that has been ex­
Dressed by various authors and educators.
"The mea­
surement of attention ,u says E.B. Titchener,
11
is one of
the most pressing problems in experimental psychology.
*
The
11
Methods of Study 11 class is a course offered in the
4.
If we could measure man ' s capacity of attention, and dis­
cover at any moment what porportion of that capacity he
is using; if , that is , we could determine the greatest
possible height of the attention wave and could find out
its actual height in the case before us : then we should
have a result of the greatest scientific importance and
of the most practical value. "
The measurement of concentration is an important
problem if we realize what functions are developed in the
act of concentrating .
The four functions which appear
to be predominant in concentration are :
1. focusin g attention.
2. comprehending.
3. cultivating interests.
4. disciplining the mind to a specific study .
'l'he place of these functions in concentration has
been emphasized by various authorities .
g.s.
Jones (17)
says : "That which we are truly interested in is immedia­
tely attended to; that which we readily attend to ab­
sorbs our interest.
process .
attention.
'rhey are two aspects of the s ame
Interest has been called the feeling side of
Uoncentration we may think of merely as a
particularly high level of attention.
The simplest and
most direct way of stirring up one ' s interests , thereSchool of Education as an orientation course designed to
teach students how to study .
s.
fore , is to try hard to attend for some period of time.
If attention grows up to this high level of concentra­
tion , our interests are as sured. "
That the mind is fo­
cussed to attention is the belief of
who says:
II
.
J. A. O' Brien (19)
It is the experience of most
read~rs
that the
rapidity of reading bears a direct relationship to the
degree of concentration.
Other things being equal, the
greater the concentration the faster the reading. tt L.A.
Headley (14) expresses the belief that: " to concentrate
is to determine by a controlling purpose what shall come
to the mind. ", thus implying that the ability to concen­
trate is also the ability to discipline the mind.
A discussion of the four factors of attention will
enlighten the reader upon their value in practical sit­
uations.
~·ocUSSED
AT'l'EN'l'ION. Study demands attention focus­
sed upon a particular point and not spread or diffused
over a large range of materials.
ed?
How is this accomplish­
Purpose or objectives enter the situation at this
point.
li'ocussed a ttenti on is accomplished in a manner
similar to that of setting up the destination of an auto­
'
mobile trip.
There must be a goal, an end-to-be-striven­
for, a purpose, or an objective.
Without such an end
point the automobile driver would never attain a desired
destinati on.
fhe destination itself would not be desir­
ed , nor would it be known.
The student finds a similar
6.
situation in his study habits when there is no particu­
lar objective to be attained by the accomplishment of a
study.
He becomes inattentive to his lessons , wander­
ing to more accessible , more purposeful thoughts, even
though such thoughts be a fantasy of the mind. The
study with an objective may be the path of least resis­
tence .
Without its objective it may become the path of
most resistence and be avoided for more accessible rna­
terial in the mind.
Inatt ention is really attention to
the stronger stimulus , which is usually undesirable for
the accomplishment of a speci fied reaction .
Purpose
being strong enough will insure directed and focussed
a t tention , providing other factors are normal.
COMPREH~NSION .
Study implies more than rote memo­
rization and reading of words .
These things can be
done in a mechanical way with little thought.
Com­
prehension in study can be assured through a certain de­
gree of concentration .
Discriminative and associative adjustments to our
surroundings and to our knowledge are implied in the
meaning of comprehension.
Both discrjmination and as­
sociation are closely related to focus sed attention ,
which in turn , is definitely related to concentration.
If we are to attempt a measurement of concentration these
factors must be considered for valid results .
INTEREST.
In his book on "How to Study and Work Ef­
fectively in College 11 W.F. Brooks suggests a rule for
7.
the development of interests which concerns us in study­
ing concentration: "He must ap Jly h mself fully and vig­
orously to his task. 11
Thi s rule implies that interest
comes as the result of a gain in knowledge. Breese (4)
substantiated this viewpoint by saying:
11
--that it is
a thing wh ch we respond to in spite of ourselves , and
also a thing that can be developed with practice in
gaining knowledge about a thing . 11
DISCIPLINE.
This act of the mind to a particular
study can be accomplished by focusing the attention
through force.
The elemental facts in a field in which
there are no outside connections have to be obtained by
use of forced attention .
No interest can be had for a
thing which has no background or connection with other
things , unless through forced attention some knowledge
is obtained upon which to build a foundation for inter­
est ' s development.
The foregoing discussions suggest the importance of
this investigation .
The specific values of this study ,
as have been outlined in this section , are:
1. to add to research in the field by furnish­
ing more objective data .
2 . to fulfill a need that has been expressed
by various writers in the field of education
and psychology .
·,
8.
3. to aid students , educators , and teachers in
the diagnosis of study procedure .
4 . to aid educators and teachers in the improv­
ment of their teaching ability .
PROCEDURE .
Definiti ons .
A specific explanation of the terms
used in this study will help to give the reader as well
as the writer a unity of thought in interpreting this
study .
11
Concentr!'ltion 11 as used in this study will be thought
of as a peculiarly high level of attention , the degree of
which may be measured by the amount of work accomplished
on a specific problem in a given period of time .
This de­
finitlon incorporates the opinions of such authorities as
Headley (14), Ruckmick (22); Breese (4), Crawford ( 6),
Pillsbury (21), all of whom maintain that forced atten­
tion is an important phase of the study procedure .
11
Attention 11 as will be defined for this study is
the narrowing of the consciousness to a desired or spe­
cified reaction.
Into this process will fall three types
of attention :
1. non-voluntary .
2 . voluntary.
3. involuntary .
The writer has drawn for the above analysis , upon
following: Angell (1), Breese (4), Burnham (5), Dewey (10~
9.
James ( 16) , Pillsbury ( 21}, Ruckmick ( 22), and . Ti tchener
( 24) , all of whom divide the attentive pro_ces s into sim­
ilar divisions.
"Non-voluntary attention " is that attention which is
given without direction or control.
is attention without will.
We might s a y that it
It is the type of attenti on
we give before w.e have developed a conscious purpose in
life , or before we determine the trends that our thought s
will take upon a stimulus.
It is initiated by a strong
odor, a loud noi s e , extreme temperatures, moving objects ,
and other novel types of stimuli .
That these attentive
forces have to be controlled by educational adjustments
if there is to be a coordinate learning process in the
individual is the problem of education.
We could hard­
ly imagine what the mind of the human being would be if
every stimulus entering it were to be attended to . Know­
ledge , instead of being focussed into an intelligible
pattern , would be diffused into an unintelligible, un­
cipherable,conglomeration.
This process has to be avoid­
ed by the individual in his lean1ing if he is to cope
successfully with the frustrative factors of life .
The
psychological factors such as personal recognition , pug­
nacity , accumulative instinct , self preservation , and re­
productive capacity are part of the
11
dr1ves tt which tend
to force the individual to focus his attention for more
effective mental powers to cope with the difficulties
which confront him in his development.
10.
From these early
forms of non-voluntary attention the individual, through
a selective process, forms voluntary attention to cope
with his problems.
"Voluntary attention" is the attention which we
think of as accompanying interest.
B. B. Breese refer­
ring to this type of attention says: "Voluntary attention
is the attention we give as the result of some conscious
purpose or plan which we wish to carry out, and is al­
ways attended by feeling of effort or strain.
tention
~will.
It is at­
Plainly, voluntary attention is pos­
sible only where mental development has reached a cer­
tain degree of perfection , for it involves the presence
in the mind of purposes and desires which are the re­
sult of past experiences or activities.
tention is evidently an outcome of
tion.
Voluntary at­
non~voluntary
atten­
Conscious purpose and choice can arise in the
mind only as an outcome of conflict in non-voluntary
attention. 11
"Involuntary attention •', as Breese states it is:
"the attention we give to any object or topic of thought
in spite of, or in direct opposition to our desires to
attend to something else.
position to the will.
It is the attention in op­
The thing we attended to forces
itself upon us even though we strive to keep it out of
our minds.
The stimuli for such distractions (as these
11 .
types are called) are the same as for the non-voluntary
type of attention .
of attention .
We should not confuse these two types
Involuntary attention is strived against
while non-voluntary attention offers no resistence to
the incoming stimulus . 11
The student at his study desk is confronted with
distracting elements ; he tries to dismiss them, but they
persist in spite of his efforts .
1his attention that
comes into the student ' s mind in spite of the efforts he
makes to keep it out is an example of involuntary atten ­
tion .
Now , if a gun is shot clo s e by , the student has a
conscious change in attention from one of study to one of
alertnes s to a novel sound .
tion .
This is non-voluntary atten­
When he finally tri es to get back to his work he
experiences involuntary attention , and , on becoming ab­
sorbed in his work , he uses voluntary attention .
In this study the test is designed primarily to
measure a type of voluntary attention .
This measurement
of voluntary attenti on was chosen since it is a type of
attention that is commonly used in the study situation .
It is the one which can be trained and modified to a
point of significant importance in the study process , as
is pointed out by Headley who says :
11
to concentrate is
to determine by a controlling force what shall come to
the mind . 11
As a method of improving the attentive powers , J.A.
O' Brien suggests fast reading .
12 .
On the other hand , G.C.
Crawford stresses novelty, competition , learning, selfmeasurement , good physical condition , emotional con­
tribution , manipulation , variety , and concreteness as
means of promoting inter es t and attention .
11
Concentra­
tion , like other forms of skill , develops out of doing
actively the duty immediately at hand . 11 , Charles Bird
says , "An investment of ten minutes each day in reading
against time will earn good dividends . 11
E . S . Jones gives the following list of modifiable
elements as the cause of lack of concentration :
1 . Poor physical condition .
a . excessive use of stimulants .
b. fatigue .
c . worry .
d. overeating .
2 . Poor general orientation in the field .
3. Poorly learned elements .
4. Vocabulary deficiencies .
5. Impractical nature of the study .
6. Competing interests and irregularity of at •
tenti on .
These opinions , then , all impl y that concentration
is modifiable under specific conditions ; that the type
which appears to be the most modifiab l e is the vo l unt ary ,
or the type commonl y used in the educational process .
13.
Hence, a test designed to measure a phase of speci fic
voluntary attenti on should prove valuable in the under­
standing of study habits for personal use as well as f or
objective analysis by the teacher and educator.
PREVIOUS STUDIES.
That previous s tudies in the field of concentration
are fe w in number is evidenced by the f ac t that the psy­
chological ind x for the last seven years has carried
only three articles on this subject.
I n as much as this
is true, in this section we wi ll review studies in close­
ly related fields of at tenti on and distraction as well
as those p ertaining to concentration.
fhe most compr Ehensive study on concentration that
was made on an objective basis was barried on by H. Eas­
ley on 68 college students in a psychology class at the
George Peabody Co llege for Teachers in Nashvi lle, Tenne­
see .
In his studies he attempted to find the relation­
ship between some tests of attention and the functions
which they were designed to measure.
He used the follow­
ing nin e factors :
1. Cancellation test .
2. Munsterberg test of Concentration.
3. Woodrow test (di stractor test - consists of
taking one measure of a certain performance
under optimum conditions of attention , and
14 .
another measurement of the same performance
under unfavorable conditions of attention.)
4. Mean reaction-time (which was pointed out
not to be an adequate measuring tool because
conditions other than reaction-time affected
the reaction . )
5. Equation test .
6. Otis test .
7. Army Alpha .
8 . Whipp le ' s word building test .
9 . Grades .
The results showed that the correlation between
various factors ranged from
.50 to - .17.
In other words ,
the study indicated that if these tests actually measured
concentration , they measured a specific type of it. Other­
wise , the correlations would have been higher .
The conclusions of the study were as follows :
1. There is little' relationship between the
measure s of attention.
2. There is little relationship between the
measures of attenti on and the other mental
functions which we should suppose to require
a high degree of attention .
3 . There is no evidence of any group factors of
attention involved in any combination of the
attenti J n tests.
15.
4. If attention i s involved in all the measures
to any extent, then th e intelligence tests
are at least as go od a measure of it as are
the attention tests .
5. The direct and indirect method of measuring
att ention do not measure the same thing , even
in the s ame function, namely , reaction-time .
In the study of distraction the two problems of el­
ements of distraction, and their effect of
distr~ction
upon the higher mental processes have been worked upon by
H.B. Hovey and H. Weber .
In hi s study , Hovey attempted to find:
1. Effects of distration upon certain higher
mental traits.
2. The relati onship between susceptibility to
di s trac t ion and intelligence as measured by
the Army Alpha .
3. Individual di ff erences in ability to over­
come distraction .
4. How much distraction affects the rel i ability
of a mental test .
The subjects , consisting of all sophomores in gener­
al psychology , were of two groups: (1) 171 in the exper­
imental group , and (2) 123 in the controlled group . The
16 .
distractors used were noises , lights , phonographs ,
whistles , students performing stunts , etc ., each being
presented both simultaneously and successively .
The re­
sults showed that there was an increase in the mean test
scores fo r the controlled gr oup of 6. 4 points , and for
the experimental group of 10.1.
The variability of the
amount of improvement und er distraction was less than
normal .
It was concluded (1) that the higher mental pro­
cesses are comparatively unimpeded by distraction , (2)
that intelligence is not related to susceptibility to
distraction , ( 3) ~hat there are no individual differences
in susceptibility to distraction , and (4) that the true
measur e of m en~al ability is more nearly approximated
under di s traction than under normal c onditi ons .
H. Weber made a study in which he wished to find
the relative import a nc e of certain distracting elements .
Sixteen subjects were given the following tasks to per­
form : computins , cancelling , learning nonsense s yllables ,
solvi~ g
picture puzzles , thought problems , answering sim­
ple questions , defining , composing ess a ys .
Distraction
was of three types , namely , inter e sting anecdotes , lively
music , and pictures .
were
~lternated .
Controlled and test performances
The distracting stimuli became effective
by changing the situation , by inducing another mood , or
by evoking associated ideas .
Variations in distractibili­
17 .
ty displayed by different subjects with a decrease in ef­
ficiency ranging from 8-57% were noticed .
It was con-
eluded that any given act of attention was , therefore ,
lik e a system of forces in which both subjective and ob­
jective factors operate .
A general attentive factor ap­
peared to be present in the various tests as the average
intercorrelation is . 80 .
Music was found to be less of
a distractor than anecdotes , probably because
lower mental
activit~
of t he
required to apprehend it .
The
nature of the mental set or mood was all important , as
was shown by the
percentag~
of decrease in efficiency of
performance under different attitudes .
Th e least decline
in the achievement occurred when the subjects were posi­
tively directed in their work .
Glanville and Dallenbach working on the range of at­
tention through the use of the tachistoscope on a group
of 30 subjects in five series of experiments found :
1. That the number of stimulus objects exposed
is not a compulsory condition of the twolevel experience of the exposure field .
2 . That in the cognitive series of experiments ,
the range , de fined as the value of the sti ­
mulus which has a 50% probability of being
correctly reported , varies:
(a . ) inversely with the degree o"r cogni ­
tion required for the test .
18.
(b.) with the kind of ma~erial exposed .
(c.) inversely with the degree of assur­
ance or certainty of the subject ' s
report .
( d . ) with the duration of the memory
after-image .
(c.) with the facility of verbal associa­
tion and the freedom from associa­
tive inhibitions .
I n his summary Dallenbach says:
11
The attentive con­
sciousness is an integrated whole , and as such the range
is always ' one '."
This report is contrary to the accepted conclusions
on the range of attention .
An experiment carried on at
the University of Oregon by Dr . Crosland , which is as yet
unpublished , finds that the range of attention is more
than unity .
This experiment shows that attention can be
placed on as high as six things at once .
These conflicting reports in the field of atten­
tion indicate that is it a promising field for further
research .
As yet no absolute data are avai l able about it ,
other than the fact that we know that there is attention
as an element in the study process .
When we arrive at
some standard of conclusions based upon a large number
of tests we may feel assured that we have contributed
something to the meager know l edge of concentration .
A
C H A P T E R
II
Concentration
Test.
19.
CONSTRUC TI Ol OF THE TEST.
The test used in this study has been built upon a
modified plan of the Munsterberg test, which consists of
a page of letters arranged in such a way that some of the
adjacent letter combinations form words , but the majority
do not .
These words were of an isolated nature in the
original test , having little or no relationship to each
other.
The problem of the student taking the Munsterberg
test was to underline all the
which formed words .
~djacent
letter combinations
A three minute period was given for
the test , aside from giving the directions .
The score
which was called the index of accuracy , was found by di­
viding the number of words underlined by the total pos­
sible score .
The following ltne illustrates the origin­
a l Munsterberg test:
ttbrloeyeldmpyke~holpiurbedzaum:tinrtmQAkcrytsoobmtt
N.L. Hoopengarner of New York University suggested
in a recent artic le the use of the Munsterberg technique
in a new form.
He believed that concentration could be
more adequately measured by forming sentences of the
words fo und in consecutive order in the test.
The fol­
l owing is a sample of the technique as he suggested it
20.
in his article :
p
T AOCl..J:NI J R Q T S E J L I U V T E
F R LDOVULH QR
c
wy
0
u
w E LLV L T E F T HEVNY
M I U V N T X E Z B A J M I N 0 R H K E T AS K S
A Q E V F R T I Y T H L D WH I
DL E QGH
s VXAREZUI
0
c
c
HF GY 0
uc
N I
ALL E D E T J Q
XN I QJ E VKF F I HR DL J I Q
up
0 N
L ZVX
T 0 Q L R T S D E V H P E R F 0 R MV N T Y 0 U MT
B R WI L L A Q L H A V E J R B U T R J L I T T L E
E 0 D I F F I C U L T Y D R S H J I Y WI T H C J R
R S DNVJ B I QT HE I UB I GGER B U0 NE S
In this study both the Munsterberg and Hoopengarner
techniques were emp loyed, but extended to use only sen­
tences in the test which would call for a simple response.
The test is much more adequate in that it is more exten­
sive, and also
n that it gives a check on the student 's
comp rehension as we ll as concentrati on. The following
sample will illustrate the technique used in this study:
P T A 0 C I I J R Q L I U WH E N I G V E I G H
~
I
WQOLNES QFLJVUWVSGANDVARUZH
C I U V Y Z E V I J MU Q I Z V Q S J E Y U Z J 0 M
E S E V E N I MR K S A R E I J A D D E D Q U S F I
H T E Y P Y T 0 G E T H E R XE I Y T HE U MI J N
I D G A K A N S WE R E U D C R U W I L L R N S U H
I U B E J U H J R Q A WH A T F I H L J I Q H N B A
P T A C I M J Q L UN Z N U M B E R 0 E I X
{15)
The test was lengthened from the original three
21 .
minute test of Munsterberg ' s to a standard twenty min­
ute test , containing 79 lines of letters and 143 words .
This was done to give more reliable results .
The test*
used in this study includes four pages of material.
The
titla page has space for general information thought to
be usefUl in the tabulation of the scores , and for later
research; given also are directions and a sample of the
type of respons e desired of the student .
The other three
pages , which are devoted to the test proper , contain 79
line s of letters in which 14 3 words are placed.
'l'he test
is divided into seven units or exercises , each of which
calls for a specific response .
In the process of stand ­
ardization the test has been found to require about 20
minutes for the best students , hence , that time-limit
has been set as the standard for the test.
For all re­
lationships discussed in this study , thi s time-limit has
been the one used .
On e of the fir s t problems of the test construction
was the difficulty encountered in eliminating all super­
fluous words .
'rhis was accomplished with the help of
members of the staff of the School of Education , as well
as a group of graduate students .
Another important problem encountered was that of
*This test , as well as others used in this study , will
be found in the appendix .
22 .
the proper spacing of the words in the various exercises
in the test .
Eye-fixations were liable to occur excessiv­
ely if too many of the words were grouped closely to­
gether , so in order to reduce the possibility of such a
situation , the words were spaced at irregular intervals
throughout the tes t.
This procedure was followed so as
to prevent having the words equally spaced , as such a
process would tend to decrease the validity of the test.
'l'he next problem was to evaluate the probable dif­
ficulty of the seven exercises and to arrange them in or­
der .
Accordingly , a set of the tests was prepared and
submitted to a group of graduate students who took the
test and criticised it from this standpoint .
The scores
of each of these students were then tabulated by exer­
cises * and the order changed to the correct evaluations
of the performances and criticisms of this group of j udges
of the test .
ADMINISTRATION.
I n this study the test was administered to 501 stu­
dents f or their criticisms and help toward standardiza­
tion .
The tests were passed out , face up , with the dir­
ections for the student to fill in the following informa­
tion on the title page : name , sex , age , date
o~
birth ,
name of college attended , location , and year in school .
* The tabulations for this procedure will be found in the
appendix ~
23.
The following instructions were given by the examiner :
"Do not turn the page until you are told to do so.
This is a test that will enable you to find out how
well you can concentrate .
In order that you will be able
to work effectively, it is desirable that you remove all
distracting elements fro m your desks.
Now , will you
please read the directions to yourselves as I read them
to you.
' In each of the numb ered lines of letters found
on the following pages, underline each combination of
two or more consecutive letters which snell a word .
each word contain as many l e tters as possible.
gake
There
will be a complete sentence for med in each exercise. 'l'hese
sentences will be in the form of questions or statements
that are to be answered in the space at the end of each
exercise. •
Study the sample below, and, if there are no
questions, turn the page when the signal is given .
Are you ready? •... Go! •..••... Stop!* Hand in your
papers without making any more marks upon them, 11
SCORING.
In the preparation of the scoring key two purposes
were kept in mind: (1) economy , and (2) objectivity. In
order to have economy in scoring, yet retain the objec­
tivity, provisions were made to have a sc oring sheet
*
Note: Between the words ·•Go" and "Stol(,
exactly 20 min­
1
utes must elapse . After the
word
"Go
nothing
more must
be said until the signal 11 Stop 11 is given .
24 .
which would have the correct words t o be underlined on
the edge of the paper .
student 1 S responses .
These are to be matched with the
This simp l ifies the scoring to the
extent that the entire test can b e scored in less than
two
minutes~
By having this objective score , t here will
be a fairly st andardized practice and
compa~able
resu l ts
in the hands of different examiners .
The scoring of this study was done entirely by the
writer .
Responses of the test exercises were more varied
than was first expected.
An exampl e of this may be cited
in the fifth exercise , the answer of which is : "Mark two
crosses in the space at the end of this exercise i f
Tuesday is the day following Monday . 11
If the student
left out the word utwo 11 but marked two crosses or more in
the space , then his response was correct , and he was given
credit for answering it in such a manner .
~ut
if he left
out the word "two " and only underlined "cross" instead of
11
crosses
sponse .
11
,
then he was not given credit for a correct re­
ln like manner were other responses interpreted
as either correct or incorrect .
The expression of the
score was then found by dividing the number of correct
responses by the total score.
This result was placed up­
on the tit l e page for recording and tabulation .
* A form of this scoring key will be found in the
Appendi~
C H A P T E R
III
25.
Interpretation and Results .
VALIDITY.
There are various methods of determining the val­
idity of a measuring device.
huch and Stoddard* mention
a wide variety of methods:
1. Text-book analysis .
2. Analysis of courses of study .
3. Analysis of final examination questions .
4.
Pool~d
judgement of competent persons .
5. Use of rating scales in setting up criteria.
6 . Corre l ations with school marks or other mea­
sures of school success .
7. Increase in percentage of success with sue­
cessive ages or grades .
8 . correlation with previously validated mater­
ials.
9. Differential scores shown by two groups known
to be widely separated upon a scale of abili­
ty.
l O. Determination of social utility.
ll.Logical or psychological anal ysis .
12.Correlations with tests of other intellectual
non-intellectual , or educational abilities .
* Ruch ,
G. M. and Stoddard, G.D., Tests and Measurements •
in High School Instruction . World Book Co. N.Y., 1927.
26.
The validity of this test has been determined by
methods 6, 8, 9, and 10 of the mentioned list of mea­
sures.
Correlation with school marks.
As a predictive
measure of scholastic success as indicated on the correl­
ation of 112 student's grade average for two terms picked
at random
fro ~
the f les of the School of Education , the
test showed a relationship of .20.
Rhen the factor of
intelligence was partialled out of . the correlation of the
test this value increased to .32, thus indicating that
probably the less intelligence the student possesses, the
more he will have to be able to 'c oncentrate if he is to
succeed in his school work .
When the factors of intelli­
gence , with a coefficient of .56 for the 112 students, and
concentration are combined, the predictive cor r elati on for
scholastic success is raised to .62.
Thus, by using these
two criteria alone , we have been able to approach the high­
est predictive correlati ons that have been developed which
1 nvolve many more criteria.
'.Vi th the expenditure of only
20 minutes in giving the concentration test to an indivi­
dual, or to a grou: , and less than two minutes per test
on clerical work in s cori,.,g and interpreting, we are able
to predict the academic success of the student a l most as
well as by us ng far more intricate and
ti ~e
consuming
devices that are better known.
The correlation of the concentration test to schol­
27 .
astic success of .32 gives us an instrument with which
we are able to get a partial measure of application . It
has been pointed out that intelligence has a negative
correlation with concentration, probably due to the fact
already menti : ned that the
mo.:.~e
intelligent individuals
do not have to learn to concentrate , while the less in­
telligent students have to in order to keep up with their
work .
If this conclusion is true , we then have a test
which not only measures concentration, but also measures
the amount of application made by the student .
Hence , we
have a valuable instrument to u s e in educational diagno­
sis .
Differential sco res of two groups of students known
to be widely senarated on the scale of ability .
One of
the strongest points of validity for thi s test is its
correlation with the American Council on Education psy­
chology examination .
This correlation shows that the
students in the lower range of mental ability (that is ,
by students we mean students of college age . ) actually
have more developed ability to concent rat e than the more
intelligent students .
This is shown by the
- ~ 11
cor­
relation that we get betw·een the concentration test and
the mental test.
This conclusion ,
which at first ap­
pears to be contrary to popular opin on, is the loglcal
result of study procedure .
The highly intelligent stu­
dent has no need for developed ability to concentrate
28.
when he is placed in the average atmosphere, while the
student with low na tive mental ability compensates to a
certain extent for his lac{ by the use of concentration.
Thi 3 is the relationship of this test of concentration
to mental ability.
Corr elation with previously validated material. It
has been shown that by the use of this test of concentra­
tion, reading comprehensian is closely related to the
ability to concentrate .
The correlation between these
factors is . 42 when the factor of
intel ~
igence is .p ar­
tialled out, thus indicating the close relationship of
these two factor s in the educational proc ess.
With such
relationships k nown, we hav e a more valid reason for
usin ~
this test in diagno s i ng educational problems .
Determina tion of social utility. The validity of
this test might be further establi shed through its gen­
oral oocial utility , in that it presents data, the use
of which should prove useful for further rese a rch .
For
example , it could be used to advantage in determining
the relationship of various types of distraction to
study , or it could be used to give a measure of the span
of attention .
With its development , there are probably
many new studies that it might be used in as an aid­
ing ' factor .
29 .
RELIABILITY .
By reliability of a test is meant the degree of
consistency of performance .
The extent of this agreeme.nt
is usually found by finding the Pearson coefficient of
correlation between the scores of the first application
of the test and those of the second .
However, the exact
c ::mdi tions of this study do not permit the use of such
procedure .
Ti me did not permit two applications of the
test at sufficiently wide
i~tervals
to bring desirable
results , no.c were the c l assroom conditions under which
the test was given held constant .
was given in the period of
~
The
testi~g
program
few weeks , which did not al­
low for a re-test , as the students would retain much of
the material for this length of time.
I f it had been
given over a period of months , classroom conditions might
have been changed to · such an extent as to affect the relia­
bility of the results . Consequently , the reliability of
the test was determined by a method of self-correlation ,
that is , by numbering the words of the test and then cor ­
reiating the even items with the odd ones .
This is done
on the theory that by splitting the test into ha l ves , we
have two tests of equal difficulty , each of which is half
the length of the original one .
By app lying the Spearman­
Brown for mula to the reliability of the two halves we ar­
rivP 1.t the theoretical reliability of the whole test . *
*
cf, p . 30 .
30 .
The reliability of this test is based upon 418 cases
representing eight different classes on the campus , seven
of these were in the School of Education , while one was
in the School of Science .
The resulting coefficient of
correlation for the test based upon these cases was found
to be .94 with a probable error of • o29 , which is con­
nidered extremely high by authorities in the field of
testing .
As a matter of fact , it is probably sufficient­
ly high to warrant its use as a measure of individual
diagnosis .
This reliability was obtained fro m the two halves of the
test by the application of the Spearman-Brown formula
thus: In the formula
r x-­
r
X
r
n
n{r)
1 + ( n-l)r
the reliability coefficient to be obtained for the
whole test , that is, for the first half plus the
second half .·
= the correlation actually obtained between the two
halves of the test - in this particular case , . 89 .
= the number of times the test is given ; here con­
sidered as two as the test was broken up into two
parts .
Substituting in the formula we get:
= . 94
x- 1 2C ( 89L
2-iT:-89
That is , the coefficient of reliability of the entire
test was found to e . 94 . The probable error was later
found to be , b2~ .
r -
31.
rOR:.lS.
th ~
Due to
fact that concentration is an independent
element in t he s tudy process , there can be no norms of
value se t
U'"'
that
:~ il l
centration to age.
tell the relationship of c::m­
But , if a studen t wi shes to know how
well he co·-rJpo.res w t h the av erage student in ability to
cor.centrate , he may be able t o f nd out by comparing his
sc')re w th those of
the t es t.
,q,
number of s tud en ts who h ave t aken
326 students hav e been used to fin d the approx­
i ate norm dec les 1-10.
ORMS OF
DECILE
TP.~
'l'hi s table i s as fo lo rs :
CONCE"~~1 TRATIO.
TEST.
SC ORE
10 ----------------------------------------------- 143
9 ----------------------------------------------- 139
8 --- -------------------------------------------- 132
7 ----------------------------------------------- 122
6 ----------------------- -- ------- -~----------~ -- 111
5 ----- ­ -------------- --­ -­ -­ ---------- ---------­ 100
4 --------- -----~--------------------------~-----
92
3 --~- ----------·--------------------------~- ----
83
2
--~-----------~----·-------------~------------~
73
1
--~----------- J _______________________ __ _____ _ _
60
32 .
USE OF RESULTS .
The results of this test could be used in :
1 . predicting scholastic success and failure .
2 , diagnosing students ' study habits .
a . from the students ' standpoint .
b . from the teachers ' standpoint .
3. measurement of progress in thls important
skill .
4 . giving valuable data for further research .
Pred cting sgholastic success . Kncwing that this.
concentration test has a negative correlation with in­
telligence and a
~ositive
co rrel ation of .32 with schol ­
astic success , we are able to set up a simple predic­
tive table for use in educational guidance and diagnosis J
.
.
Psychol ogy Score
high
plus
.•
Concentrat~on
high
.•
SgholastiQ success
equals
..• •
high
high
II
low
II
average
"
high
II
"
II
low
II
low
l ow
"
high
II
average
II
II
l, ow
II
low
Di agnosing students ' study habits .
average
high average .:
Such a device as
the above tab l e wou l d a l so be val uab l e in the "Methods of
Study " class where students go who wish to find their
faults and work toward correcting them.
Such a table
33.
would show the student how and why some of his grades
are as low as they are.
And, the ability to concentrate,
being modifiable under the right guidance, cound be im­
proved to the extent of rendering a definite aid to the
study process of the individual .
Measurement of progress in this important skill. The
instructor in the " Methods of Study" class , on giving
this test of concentration , would have some tangible evi­
dence for giving instructions i n the development of con­
centration in study . At the end of the instruction , a
second testing over this ability wou ld reveal to the in­
structor if his directions were being carried out , or
if they were valid for the development of concentration.
~tying
valuable data for further research. Research
in the field of attention , distraction, and interest
would be expanded by the use of this concentration test .
The span of attent i on . in relation to the ability to con­
centrate, the relationship of distraction and concentra­
tion , and also the r e lati on ship of interest to concentra­
tion could be investigated by the help of the materials
found in this study .
With these prob lems known , there
probably would be more intellectual and efficient teach­
ing methods employed .
34 .
CHAPTER
Summary
and
IV
Conclusions .
SUMMARY.
This investigation had for its purpose the construc­
tion and evaluation of a concentration test that could be
used in educational diagnosis in h gh school and college .
After constructing the test on a modified plan of the
Uunsterberg technique , it was given to 501 students in
eight different classes at Oregon State College for pur ­
poses of criticism in construction and for use in valida­
ting the test .
Correlations were run between this test
of concentration and other measures of scholastic success
for the purpose of obtaining the relationship of this
test to the study procedure .
In this process , correla­
tions between grades , the Whipple reading test ( both
comprehension and rate ), and the scores of the American
Counci l on Education psychology examination were made .
'fhe re l ationship of these elements of study were f ound
and explained .
The most significant result of this st udy was f ound
to be that this test of concentration had a negative cor­
re l ation to the psychological test of - .11, and that it
also had a posi t ive correlation of .32 with sch8l astic
success as measured by the average of two terms grades .
The Whipp l e reading test comprehension correlated . 45
with this concentration test when the factor of intell i ­
35 .
gence was partialled out , while the rate of reading had
a coefficient of correlati on of . 11 to concentration .
These correlations were run on 112 s t ude nts picked at
r andom from the files of the School . of. Education .
From this study a simu le prediction table has been
made to aid in the educational guidanc e of stud ents , val­
idity and reliability established for t he t est , and norms
made f or interpr etation Of scores f or use in educational
gui dance .
CONCLUS I ONS .
1 . Concentration , as used in the study process , can
be measured and constitutes an
essentia~
type of
skill in diagnosing scholastic success and fail­
ure .
2 . That this specific type of concentration is pos ­
sessed to a greater degree by those co l lege stu­
dents in the lower ranges of menta l
~bility.than
the brighter ones .
3 . That concentration mea sured in this study is neg­
atively correlated with intelligence , as measured
by the American Counci l on Education psychology
examination .
4 . That freshmen possess on the average a higher de­
gree of concentration , as discussed in this
stud ~
than do students in the more advanced years of
college.
36.
5 . That the type of concentration measured in this
study is an important element in comprehension
in silent reading.
6. College students in a single class vary markedly
in their ability to concentrate .
Bibliography
1.
Angell, J.R., Psychology, Henry Holt and Company, New
York, 1908.
2.
Bird, Charles, Effective Study Habits, The Century
Company, New York, 1931.
3.
Book, W.F., "How to Develop an Interest in One's
Tasks and Work.", Joyrnal of Educational PsyclJ,ology,
43:1-10, (1927)
4.
Breese, B.B. , Psychology, Charle s Scribner's Sons,
New York, 1921.
5.
Burnham, W.E., The Normal Mind , D. Appieton and Com­
pany, New York, 1924.
6.
Crawford, c.C. , The Technique of Study, Houghton,
Mifflin Company, Boston , 1928.
7.
Dallenbach, K. M., "Attenti on. 11 , Psychological
11n, 23:1-18, (1923).
:6ull~-
8.
Dallenbach, K.M. , "Attention. 11 , Psycholosical
iin, 25:493-512, (1928).
Bull~-
9.
Dallenbach, K. M., "Attention. 11 , :Psychological Bulle­
iin, 27:497-513, (1930).
--J
10. Dewey, J.E.t Psychology, American Book Company, New
York . ( 1891J
11. Easley, H. "An Attempt to Isolate the Factors of
Attention.", American Journal of Psychology, 43:202­
215' ( 1931).
12. Glanville and Dallenbach , "The Range of Attention(",
American Journal of Psychology, 41:207-236. (1929J
13. Greene, E.B., "Effectiveness of Various Rates of
Si lent Reading of College Students.", Journal of Ap­
plied Psychology, 15: (April 1931).
14. Headley, L.A., How to Studg in College , Henry Holt
and Company, New York, 192 •
Distraction on the
15. Hovey, H.B., "Effects of General
Higher ThouAAt Processes 1 11 .J.. A'erican Joyrnal of
Psychology,~40:585-591, \1~28 •
+
16. James, Wm ., Psychology, Henry Holt and Company, New
York, 1892.
17. Jones, E.s., Improvement of Study Habits, Kenworthy
Printing Company, Buffalo, New York, 1927.
18. Morrison, H.C., The Practice of Teaching in the Sec­
ondary Schools, University of vhicago Press, 1926.
19. O'Brien, J.A., Reading. Its Psychology and Pedagogy,
The Century Company, New York, 1926.
20. Parr , F.W., A Remedi
Pro ram for the
Silent Reader in College, Doctor's Thesis , Depart­
ment of Education, University of Iowa, 1929.
21. Pillsbury, W.B., The Essentials of Psychology, The
MacMillan Company, New York, 1911.
22. Ruckmick, C.A., The Mental Life, Longmans, ureen and
Company, New York, 1928,
23. Symonds, P., "Methods of Investigating Study Habits .",
School and aociety, 24:145-152, (~uly 31, 1926.)
24. Titchener, E.B. , A Text-book of Psychology, The Mac­
Millan Company, New York, 1916.
25. Toops, H.A., "Prediction of Scholastic Success.",
School and Society, 25:265-268, (February 1927).
26, Urdal, M.L.,"Developing Concentration." Educational
Methods, 8:330-332, (March 1929).
27. Weber, H., "Untersuchungen uber die Ablenkung der Auf­
merksamkeiten.11 (Investigations on Distraction.)
Archiy rur die Gesamte Psychologie, 71:185-260, ~1921)
28, Werner, O.H., Eyery College Student's Problems, Silver
Burdett and Company, New York, 1929.
Gradation of Exercises.
E;a;~rc1s~
T~st.
W Q~Cl
WQ;rd
WQ;rd
WQ;rQ.
WQ;rQ.
~
VIQ;rQ.
VIQ;rQ.
No. J.
l= 2= 3:
X:
NQ.
l.
?
~3 .
L_
~~
s:
Q:
:z: 8:
X:
X:
6
:z.
:!.2 worQ.s
g:lQ:ll=l2=l3=l~!l5:
X:
X:
5.
X:
X:
6.
2.
lQ.
WQ;r,:Q. ll.
XiQl:d 12.
j:iQ;t:Q. 13.
WQrd
Possi:Q~e
7'/Q~Q.
X:
Total number of mistakes
-
8.
This exercise was originally place in the test aa the
second exercise, but was changed to first place. It was
the least missed of the test.
Ex~rcis~
Possible 20 words
l : 2: :3: 4: 5 : 6 : '1
T~s:t
WorQ.
WQ;r,:Q,
Worg
Worg
Word
WQrd
WQ;rQ.
Word
Word
VlorQ,
WQrd
Word
Wor
WQrd
\VorQ,
WQrd
WQ;t:d
'.'vQl:d
WQrd
WQI:d
No. 2
X:
8: 2::!,0:11:12:1:3:14;15:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
••
X: X:
X: X:
X:
X:
X:
14
15.
16.
11.
18.
19.
2Q.
.•. X:
X:
••
X:
.•
X:
X:
ExerQiSe No .
l:f2St
Wor:Q.
Wcrd
Wcrd
WQ;t:d
WQ;t:d
Wc;r;:d
WQ;cd
'NQ;cd
WQ;t:d
WQ;t:d
WQ;t:d
Wcrd
:...al:d
NQ....
l....
2.
3_._
Possible 18 words
~
] : 2: ;p ~:
•
!
..!.-.
••
x·
6.
Q: 'Z
8:
g:lQ:ll=l2=l3=l~=l5=
~=
~
5.
5
. X:..
. X:
.
x:
lO.....__:
lJ
l2.
l3.
:!£QJ:.d_l4 .
Wc:r::c l5.
Wcl:d l6.
Wc:r::d l:Z.
!m:c l8.
I
X:
x:.
L..
....8..a.
.22....
..
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:.
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
••
X:
Total number of mistakes - 21
Exercise No . 4
Possible 22 words
Test No
l : 2 : 3 4: 5 6 7. 8 : 2:10:11:12:12:14:15
X:
'Nord h
x:
Word 2.
Nord 2.
WorQ. 4.
NorQ. 5.,_
,"lord 6 .
!!_ord_'L_
~ ~ QrQ.
8.
X:
X:
£[ord_5L_
X: X:
X: X: X: X: X: X: X: X:
Word, lO .
X:
X:
X: X: X: X• X: X:
'•'~ord ll.
NQ;r,;::d l2.
•
X:
Nord l3...___:
-!..­ •
'ti o;r:Q. 14....
•
X:
','lQ;cd l5.
-·
'NQ;t:d ] 6 .
X: X:
.lox:d--l'L..
•
WQ;cd 18.....
-!..
X:
X:
~d 12....
X:
X:
WQ:t:d 20
.!. . . _ ._.•_ _
X:
x:
"!IQ;r,;::Q. 2l.....
WQ;cd 22.
Total number of mistakes -- 32
1
.
.
I
.
.
.-----
Exercise No . 5
Possible 18 words.
Test No,_
"Nord 1.
VI or g___g ._ _.__;___:_ _;____:
Nord :L.__ _
X:
Word~
6.._
._
__::___...:._
Y[Q;t:d_5_,_
Word
.:
X:
.
~_I.._
X:
.
X:
.
X:
X·.
•
-'--"--'- - '
Yfo.r.d_B_.._
Yord 9.
Word J.Q.._
__
t
•
________
,
,_....,:.....
X:
Word~ ll.
Yi91:d..J.2=...•_ __.:.._
\'1 ord l3......_ ___;,___..:.......;;_X~:'-.
Word 14.
X:
X:
X:
X:
1{.Ql2.d_l5...
'N ord 1L._..--.:;...___.:..._
VoreLla,_------'---·
X:
X:
X:
X:
----~--~
Word ~
X:
__;_~
X:
X:
--~--~--
X:
Total number of mistakes
Exercise No , 6 .
=21
Poss ible 31 words ,
8.:. 9:10:11:12: l3 :_14: l5:
~T~e..,.s"""'t"--'No.:..o ..__.........:~1":-!--:_.2 : _21_ .4 : 5 : 6:
'~
n~o~r~~-~
d
X:
X.~:~X~=~-~--__;_--~-.........:--__.:...--~--~~--~--
Word ~
: X: X:
Word ~
.~--~~-~=~X~=--~~~--~~--~~
... X: X:
Word 4.
X: X:
X: X:
Word 5.
X:
X:
Word ~---~--~---~~---...:.... X:
Wor~d=-_7~
.
Word 8.
Word 2L
Word J.O,
X: X:
X:
X:
X: X: X: X:
~W~J~r~d-=1•1~·--~--~~X~:
1~-~--~~--~~~x~. :
Word
Word
Word
Word
Word
Word
Word
Word
Word
Jord
Word
Word
13.
14.
X:
15..,__'----"-­
16.
17
18.L
12.
20,
21.
22.
23
..•
X:
X:
X:
X: X: X:
X: X:
X: X: X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X : X:
X: X:
X: X:
X:
X: X: X:
X: X:
X: X:
X:
X: X: X:
X:
X: X: X:~--~--~--~~X:
X: X: X:
X:
X:
X: X: X: X: X:
X:
X:
X:
~
X: X:
X: X:
X:
X:
~~--~--~-X:
X:
X:
~~~~~~~~--~--~--~~~--
X: X:~---~~~-~~~---
Exercise No. 6
NQ..,_
WQ;t::Q. 2Q.,..
WorQ. 27A..-V/ord 28.
'.Vord...E.2.a.,
WQ;t::Q. 20.
WorQ, 21.._
T~st
Possibl~
s: 6: :z: 8: 2:10:11:12:13:14:15:
X:
X: X:
X:
X: X:
X:
X: X:
X:
X: X:
X: X:
X: X:
X: -x· X: X:
X: X:
Total number of mistakes - 112
J.: 2: 2= 4:
.
-
Exercise No. 1
Test No.
Worg l....
Worg 2.
WorQ. :L..
WorQ. 4.
WorQ. ~
Wo:r.Q. L
WQ;t:Q '1 ..
WQJ:::Q 8.
WQ:t:::Q 2....
IV QJ:::Q 1Q.
WQ:t:::d 11.
WQrd 12.
WQ:t:::!l 13.
WQJ:::d_l4
WQ;rd 15.
WQ;r:d ~6.
WQrQ. 1:Z
·.v r
Word
Word
I
21 words .
Po §Si:QJ.~ 20 worgs 1
••
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X: X:
X: X:
.•
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
.•
Jr.• X·•
••
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X:
X: X:
X:
X:
X:
X: X:
'total
.• X: X:
:-x:-x:
X•• X·.
X: X·•
X: X·. X·.
X• X·.
X·•• X•• X·.
:-x-:-x: X·.
:x:-x: X·•
:-x: X•. X••
:-x: X"•• X••
X·. X•• X••
.:X:
. X·• X•X•.• X•X·.•
:--x: X·. X·.
X:
X·•
••
X·
X·•
X·
X·•
X·•
X·•
X:
X: X·•
.
.
x.•
.
.
x.•
.• . x.X:.
X·
X·
of mistake'K_l25
G 0 NCE NT R AT I 0 N T E S T F 0 R
HIGH SCHOOLS & COLLEGES
SERIES A
Name~----------~--~--------~~--------; Sex_________
Last name
r'irst name
Middle initial
Age last birthday__________ ; Date of birth____________
--------------------~----------~----~-------------------
If you are in high school. fill out this section:
Name of high school_________________________________
City
; State_____________________
Grade in school: (Draw a circle around one)
Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior
----------------~---------------------------------------
If you are in college. fill~ this section:
Name of college or university_______________________
City
; State_____________________
Year in college or un i versity:(Draw circle ' around one)
Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Graduate
-------------------------------------------------------DIRECTIONS:
In the numbered lines of letters found on the follow­
ing pages, underline each combination of two or more con­
secutive letters which spell a word. Make each word con­
tain as many letters as possible. There will be a com­
plete sentences formed in each exercise. These sentences
will be in the form of questions or statements that are to
be answered in the space at the end of each exercise.
Study the sample given below; then, when given the
command, turn the page and work as rapidly as possible.
SAMPLE: '
1. rl G N A R E 0 D S Q Y P Y 0 U A R V M P S U R E L
2. Y I G Y 0 U H M T S E K L I 0 M K N 0 W R W H A T
3. P K Y 0 U F L E Q V A R E G N U H T 0 C A Q U D 0
(Yes)
DO NOT TURN THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE GIVEN THE COMMAND!
Score: _____________________
1.
P T A 0 C I I J R Q L I U WH E N I G V T E I G H T I
2.
WQ 0 L N E S QF L J V U WU L V S G A N D V A R U Z
3.
C I U V T XE Z V I J MU Q I Z V Q S J E Y U Z J 0 M
4.
E S E V E N I MR K S A R E I J A D D E D Q U S F I H
5.
H T E Y P Y T 0 G E T H E R XE
6.
I D G A K A N S WE R E U D CR
7.
I U BE J U H J R Q A WHAT F I H L J I Q H N B A K
8.
P T A C I M J Q L U N Z U N U M B E R 0 E I X --­
YT HE U M I J N Y
~U
W I L L R N S U R H
-
~--------------------------------------------------------
9.
U 0 T Q J I B U J I M 0 Q E P L A C E I U A N Y U MR
10.
~
T Z E L U ZB 0 P I L E T T E R 0 AQI NUE DGX
11. 0 T H E I D A I B L A N K U T L S P A C E E D A T K U
l2. J 0 M Z T E T H E I E N D 0 I H F 0 F P E 0 T H I S A
13.
I
X WI H Q E Q X E X S E N T E N C E X 0 J A N D U F
14. M 0 Q U S U Z E Y 0 U Q X E Z W I L L 0 H A V E M 0 S
15. A CST A _R T E·D A Z U THIS V T E . S T I X AU
---------------------------------------------------------
16. X 0 P U H I F E Y 0 U M I M G U R A Z 0 M Q U A B G I
17. 0 S C E G E S X 0 L S G BELIEVE 0 THAT A H T
18. 0 Z M U I B I R D S T E 0 U S U A L L Y 0 E F L Y A I
19. D A H B A C K W A R D U X B X E C G P L A C E I X U A
20. T H E K U E Q C B Y 0 P M W 0 R D A G Y E S U 0 M G E
.
21. H U 0 N U Z X T H E T S E Z Q B Q A I P L I N E U C A
22. J 0 Z U V T H U-I M R E Z U F 0 L L 0 WING REB I
23. U Y T U L U F Z T H I S E U H C 0 M I Z G R E Z I 0 S
24. X U I R J I K S T A T E M E N T W U E N Y A Q T _ _
-------------------------------------------------------~~
25. N U M Y I F 0 U N R 0 Q P V U M U I Y 0 U X R U K Z
26. U Q 0 V R A K I X A R E X T E Q S U R E H T A C X I
27. I 0 S T E B SUR Q U THAT U M I PI H U WI Q V
28. 0 T P U X G Y T H R E E N X E R Z F R E I P L U S A
29. A Q R I Z A B U F 0 U R I " X R E S I M T U Z E
Q
S
30. R 0 M F R 0 M A K U I A R E S I E V U E Q U A L 0 M
31. A E T 0 A B I J K 0 Q Z U D X M 0 C E R 0 U X S K H
32. N I L A 0 M I Q S R X L U J R F N M F S G B I Q 0 D
33.
~
E H 0 S N I Z E I GH T Q HUAB MI P U T AHD
34. 0 T A Q R D E S T A V Q X T H K
~
E N WA H F Z E B
35. T Z I Q Y I Q U E S T I 0 N A Z Q N Q Y I M A R K S
36. D E C Q A T A U L Y U 0 T H E 0 M U 0 E N D X A G I
37 . T A 0 F L K R I J P S Q, X E R W T H I S R E Z B M I
38.
tl
Q S N MP T S E N T E N C E L I K L T ?
-------------------------------------------------------
~.UEFMARKUXREQDFTYIIMOOZXALD
40. K L E U D E S C 0 Z E N P I J U R W B L T W 0 I E 0
41 . H M I Q R U H Z T I H C R 0 S S E S S E S S P M R 0
42. M U R U X E D C K D W K G I Q I N E S K F B T H E 0
43. M I 0 B I C S P A C E J K A T U M 0 C I T H E 0 U F
44 . U X D R A 0 M U R Z X E N D I 0 F A C Y Z U T U F R
45. X E P U E U T H I S U R M I E X E R C I S E
46.
1 J
Q T X K
K L T CH Q F I F R QKUT U E S DAY U 0 YU
47 . 0 0 A Y 0 D K 0 J I 0 U Z Q VA I S Z H Q 0 K 0 L F
48. I Y 0 T H E U D A Q R U H T E Z A D A Y I H G N A R
49. K A K E T U I U M F 0 L L 0 W I N G E M 0 N D A Y U
50. H L Z A Y G U F G I 0 M R U H Y I L 0 Q U E A _ _
-------------------------------------------------------
51. K E X R Q A K I A I F 0 M 0 D U A C U G A C 0 I Z M U
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
0 Q U T HA N K S G I V I NGE
K C G A C 0 ME S I MN S A Z 0 N
~ B U Z B R E A B XT H E I Q F I
G MA C Z P U E B L I C N D A Y E
GE C I P T P A J YA J A NUAR
~ Q A R Q MAKE I G L E C Y U T
E S E C R 0 S S E S S E S QUY E
~
0 Z E N A R 0 MI U
A QXE T Q A CR X
R S T I MG E A C Y
Z E S M0 F R Q H U
Y ·E X 0 T Q Y H Q X
W0 A Z Q Y P 0 MJ
H E R E 0 P U __
U B A Q S A Z U B U T QMR R A D U I F 0 I T T Q C E
K WE R U E D A C
P E R MN A N 0 T
K 0 I MA C I N D
X 0 MR Z 0 I D R
I R L CE S E R C
~5. M T H E A E S D E
66. u U Y R F 0 L L 0
0 ME S U
HER QT
I CAT E
A WI N G
E L E MH
S P ACE
WI N G B
MU I N
H0 Z P
QAB 0
U 0 MQ
0 QC I
UI R Y
0 CAU
Q CR E Z T I 0 M
M0 N T H
P I BYU
0 N E MH
R CLE E
U0 QVY
YUT H I
UCTY
0 MA Z
R H I Q
Y I NU
T P KI
S S MH
67. I M X E D H M G I L I N E Q Y 0 Z E N A R I y · U N G A
68.
------------------------------------------------~~---1---
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
U Z U MZ 0 MF R 0 MQ H U D E Y 0 UR S
S F 0 S T U D I E S U H U E H I N X E R M0
A DGR A V I T AT I 0 N A L I B X 0 DR 0
E T L E HAF 0 R CE S E S S E I R X0 DT
N ~ C 0 J R S I W0 U L D E S G Z S T E F A
G J R Q E WA Q T E M I B MR E Q Z E WA I
A E X P E C T U R 0 MT U T 0 Q I M Q S E E
0 A Z R E I WA T E R I 0 M U C I Z I R U N
F R A C U 0 JUT HI UPHILL 0 S Z P R
F 0 S L S H A N Y E B 0 P AR T U MG A 0 F
E Y P 0 T H E H 'l' R E T Y U 0 W 0 R L D I Z
~
T Q DE I
CE NAJ
MR F Z Q
A VR ZK
0 Y 0 UM
X4 UI Y
HP I BU
E Z 0 E A
IN U X A
UDR E Z
E 0 --+-­
~----------------------------------------------------
LINE:
1. WHEN EIGHT
THE
SCORING
2. AND
3.
4. SEVEN ARE ADDED
5· TOGETHER THE
6. ANS 1VER WILL
7· BE WHAT
8. NUMBER (15 )
9. PLACE ANY
----------------------
10.LETTER IN
1l.THE BLANK SPACE AT
12.THE END OF THIS
13.SENTENCE AND
14.YOU WILL HAVE
15.~TARTED
THIS TEST ___I:__
------------------------~16.
IF YOU
17.BELIEVE THAT
18.BIRDS USUALLY FLY
19.BACKWARD PLACE
20. THE WORD YES
2l.ON THE LINE
22.FOLLOWING
23.THIS
24.STATEMENT
---------~-----~-----------
~~.
THE
LINE:
25·. IF YOU
26.· ARE SURE
27. THAT
· 28. THREE PLUS
29. FOUR
30. ARE EQUAL
31. TO
32.
33. EIGHT PUT
34.
THREE
35. QUESTION ,fA..qKS
36. AT THE END
37. OF THIS
38. SENTENCE - - ­
-------------------~
39.
MARK
40. TWO
41. CROSSES
42. IN THE
43.
SPACE AT THE
44. END OF
45.
THIS EXERCISE
46.
IF TUESDAY
47. IS
48. THE DAY
49.
50.
FOLLOWING MONDAY
XX
SCORI G
KEY
THE
LINE:
51. IF
52. THANKSGIVING
53. cmms ON
54. THE FIRST
55. DAY OF
56. JANUMtY
57. MAKE TWO
58. CROSSES HERE
59. BUT IF IT
60. COMES IN
61. ANOTHER MONTH
62. INDICATE BY
63. DRAWING ONE
64. CIRCLE IN
65. THE SPACE
66. FOLLOWING THIS
67. LINE
68.
~ Ol
---~------------~
§9.
tt'ROM YOUR
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
STUDIES IN
GRAVITATIONAL
FORCES
WOULD YOU
EXPECT TO SEE
WATER RUN
UPHILL IN
ANY PART OF
(No)
THE WORLD
---~--------------
SCORING
KEY
WHIPPLE
READING
TEST
Name______________________________
Pate__________________________________
Underline class;
Fr
So
Jr
Sr
DON ' T OPEN OR EXAMINE UNTIL TOLD TO DO SO.
1 . This is a test of rate and comprehension in reading. Its
object is to determine how rapidly you read and compre­
hend materials such as you encounter in your college
work.
2. When the signal ' begin ' is given , you are to open this
paper and read to yourself the passage printed on the
following pages.
3. Read as fast as you can and unders t and , but don ' t skip
or skim . On the other hand , don ' t stop to study or
memorize; this is not a memory test.
4. Inserted in . the material to be read are numerous ques­
tions or directions. Answer these questions or carry
out these directions as you come to them. Do as much
as you can in the ten minutes allowed .
5. Pay no attention to the figures in the left margin.
EXCLUSION OR QUOTA FOR JAPANESE?
(Read this straight through to the end, and do what it
says to do at various places.)
,
I
Two objections are urged by Secretary Hughes against
the clause in the proposed immigration law that would bar
out •• aliens who are ineligible to citizenship ." In plain
English , contends Mr. Hughes, this is aimed at the Japanese,
and would violate our Treaty with Japan in the first place ,
and , furthermore, would exasperate ' the Japanese Govern­
ment , and end thei~ present friendly efforts to keep thei r
people from coming here , resulting in a seepage of Japan­
ese across our borders that can be more easily imagined
than described. Underline the name 11 of the people Secretary
Hughes contends are referred
to as aliens who are inel­
ligible to ci tizenship 11 in the proposed immigration law. ·
Instead , Mr . Hughes suggests what he believes wi ll be a
better method of regulating the number of little brown men
coming into this country by placing Japanese on the same
quota basis as other nations , namely, 2 percent of the num­
ber of their national already here according to the census
of 1890 , plus 200, which is the minimum quota for any nat­
ion. This , llr Hughes points out , would allow the Ja~an­
ese a quota of 246 a year--"an insignificant number, in
the opinion of the Mobile Register . And Mr . Hughes be­
lieves that arrangement would be much more effective than
the exclusion clause. Indicate in the margin by ·a numer­
al the percentage basis Secretary Hughes proposes for re­
gulating the number of Japanese coming into this . country.
II
When you come to the name of the Chairman of the
House Immigration Committee underline it. 11 Regarding the
subject of immigration," remarks the Philadelnhia Public
Ledger, 11 there is room for argument . Regarding the man­
ner in which the Johnson immigration
bill seeks to ex­
clude Japanese, there is none. 11 Representative Johnson,
Chairman of the House Immigration Committee , we are re­
minded by a Syracuse Post-Standard," comes fro m Washing­
ton. He has the antipathy of th~ Pacific Coast states to
Japanese. But he is writin§ a 11 bill for all the states ,
not the Pacific Coast alone.
0ur hearts go out to Jap­
an--and so do our salesmen, 11 sagely observes the Ledger's
evening namesalre. Does the Syracure paper mean that John­
son comes from (1) the State of Washington or from (2)
Washington , D.C.? Write the ans~er here ( ) The notes to
Representative Johnson , in which Secretary Hughes set
forth the administrati on's atti ~u de toward the Japanese
immigrant, clos ely followed an Associated Press int erview
with the Japanese Foreign Minister sald , in part: "Natur­
ally, Japanese are disturbed over the increasing restric­
tions upon Japanese residents by the United States, and
the proposals now before Congress for exclusion of Japan­
ese. Sentiment apart, we fully realize that an accord and
under standing with the United
Stat es would be of incal­
culable value to Japan. 11 If the Japanese are anguine re­
garding the att tude of Congress toward them, at the end ·
of this paragraph write the . 'sanguine', if they are dis­
turbed concerning it , write the word ' disturbed'.
III Earlier in this article you were - told how many Japan­
ese would enter the United States in a year if the quota
basis were made the same for them as for other nations,
namely, two percent of the number of their nationals al­
ready here according to the c e nsus of 1890 plus the 200
which is the minimum quota for any nation . Write the to­
tal annual quota in the margin here.
IV
Less than a week later Secr 0~ ary Hughes replied to
Mr Johnson's request for any representations the State
Department -might care to submit regarding the proposed
bill. When you have read this reply, if you think Secre­
tary Hughe~ approves of the clause in the bill which re­
fers to the Japanese, write 'yes' just at the end of his
communication; if you think he does not, write 'no'.
While you are reading the reply, underline the adjectives
b,y wht.ch Secretary Hughes describes the Japanese !)&Ople.
V
In my opinion the restrictions of the proposed mea­
sure, .in view
of their apulication
under the definition of
­
immigrants I are in conflict
with treaty provisions. 'I'he
practical effect of Section 12 (b) is to single out Japan­
I
ese immigrants for exclusion . The Japanese are a sensitive
people and unquestionably would regard such a leg islative
enactment as fixing a stigma upon them.
VI
"Permit me to suggest that the legislation would seem
to be quite unnecessary, even for the purpose for which it
is devised.
VII "I regret to be compelled to say that I believe such
legislative action w::> uld largely undo the work of the Wash­
ington Conference on Li~itation of Armament , which so
greatly improved our relations with Japan. The Japanese
Government has already brought the matter to the attention
of the Department of State, and there is the deepest in­
terest in the attitude of Congree with respect to this sub­
ject. It is to be noted that if the provision of sub-div­
ision (b) of Section 12 were eliminated and the quota pro­
vided in Section 10 of the proposed measure were to be ap­
plied to Japan , there would be a total of only 246 Japan­
ese immigrants entitled to enter under the quota as thus
determined." This is the end of Mr. Hughes' reply: re­
member you have a question to answer here.
VIII What work did Mr . Hughes think would be set at naught
by the proposed action? Underline the phrase in his reply
that answers this question . It is surprising in light of
the .strict laws of California regarding the Japanese who
are now living in that state to find such sentiments con­
cerning this question as are set forth by the Los Angeles
Express: " Secretary Hughes is wholly right in his protest
against exclusion. ·• This ie a human question , rather than
a legal one,'' declares ~he Japanese-American News; of San
Francisco . "certainly ," notes the Sacramento Union, "Mr.
Hughes has given the country something to think about ."
.s ome of the widely read news-papers of the midwest · and the
east agree that the Hughes suggestion that Japan be placed
on the same quota basis with other nations should receive
"serious and unprejudiced consideration," to quote a Chi­
cago paper . 11 For, points out the New York Journal of
Commerce , "Mr . Hughes proposed solution of the Japanese
immigration problem promises to make qisarmament and
peaceful co-operation in the Paclfic .a reality. 11 If Sec­
retary Hughes' proposed solution of Japanese immigration
problem should be adopted , would disarmament and peaceful
co-op eration become--hopeless , assured , dubious, unaffect­
ed, or unnecessary? Underline the one of these fiv e adjec­
tives that is the correct answer.
IX
From that part of the Pacific near the Golden Gate
and as far North as the Columbia, however, there comes
protest after protest . "America should be for Americans, 11
r~the burden of the San Francisco Bulletin 's object ions
to the Hughes ' proposal , while the Sacramento Bee maintains
¥.hat 11 1f this treaty is such a document as Hughes makes
it out to be, then the sooner it is abrogated , th e better
it will be for the self-respect and integrity of the Uni­
ted States . '1 The California American Legion, the State Fed­
11
eration of Labor , the Native Sons of the Golden West , and
the State Grange agree in a public protest that uthe Jap­
anese Foreign Minister ' s app eal is an extraordinary at­
tempt on the part of a fore i gn nation to influence the el­
ectora te of this country on a purely d 8mestic question - ­
immigration. " I ndicate by a numeral in the margin how
many California organi zati ons protest a gainst the influ­
enc e of any foreign nati on upon the electorate of this
country . Place a check mark before the one or ones of
the follo wing five stat ements that prop erly describe the
fe eli ng of the Pacific Coast relative to Secretary Hughes '
opini on : ( ) The fe e l ings of the Japanese should be con­
sidered . ( ) The opi nion of a f oreign country should
influence our electorate . ( ) The self-respect and in­
tegrity of the United States must be ma intained regard ­
less of all else . ( ) America should be a country for
Americans , or those capable of becoming Americans . ( )
The Japanese should be given admis s ion on the two p er­
cent basis . "May Congress have as much ba ckbone as
Chairman Johnson when it ·take s up the i mmigration bill . 11
is the prayer of the Sacramento Bee . Said Mr Johnson
recently , in commenting upon J apanese immigration : 11 This
is an int ernal , dome stic problem. It is a vital problem.
It conce rns the future of our country. It must not be
controlled by foreign-language newspapers and other alien
influences .~~
Does Mr Johnson cons i der this a national
or an international problem? Write your answer here .
Congressman Raker , of California , apparently fears
X
a ·Japanese invasion for he d e clared on the same day that­
- Mr . Hughes ·first step to put the Japanese under the
quota arrangement would mean the abandonment of our pol ­
icy that they sould not be admitted to the United States .
under such circumstances. ••The next step would be the ·
negotiations of a treaty abr ") gating the land laws of our
Western States relative to land ownership by aliens . the
third and final step in the propo s ed complete surrender
of the West to the Japanese woul d be to naturalize them
into full citizenship . If they were put under the quota
law , there would be no argument agai nst the othe r steps. "
If congressman Raker agrees with Secretary Hughes write
' yes ' on the margin here; if he does not , write ' no '.
XI
Apparently , ther e is a l so some anti-J apanese sent­
iment in the East and the Central West , for we find the
New York Tribune pointing out that •• in barring all Jap­
anese the framers of the new immigration bill have un ­
questionably responded to the powerful national senti­
ment a gai nst racial mixture ." Moreover , asserts the
Louisville Times , ut o say that a bill must be changed
l est it ruffle the feelings of Japan is to timidly sug­
gest that Americ ans let J a pan dictate American legis­
l ation .
XII
Underline for whom the Cincinatti Enquirer would
have us remember the immigration laws should be made when
it says: 11 What ever reasons there may be for foreign in­
terests to charge discrimination, it must be kept clear­
ly in mind that immigration laws are made ·to protect the
interests of the United States, and that entrance of for­
eigners into this country is a privilege to be granted ,
not a right to be demanded." Not many lines before this
one there
was a •split infinitive'. Underline it.
11
XIII
It is no -more disrespectful to the
Japanese than
to the Chinese to exclude them by name, 11 says the San
Francisco Chronicle. This opinion is upheld substan­
tially by the position taken by the Sup~eme Court for the
United States in the instance of the Japanese of Hawaii
who applied for citizenship to the United States District
Court for the Territory. This case was appealed to the
Supreme Court and denied under the law; the naturaliza­
tion of aliens is limited to fre e white persons and Af­
ricans. The c ourt held that the words "white persons"
are synonymous with the words , a person of the vaucasian
race. Neither the opinion of the Court nor the law which
it interprets implies any idea of racial infer i ority or
superiority. Was the District Court of Hawaii upheld
in its opinion by the Supreme Court of the United States?
Write the answer on the margin. lt is obvious, that the
application of this law to the Japanese are proud of
being Japanese, why shoul d their pride be hurt by our
asser tion that they cannot become Americans ?" asks the
. Portland Oregonian, which goes on to say that the entire
basis of the J apanese protest is the assumption that
Japanese are singled out exclusively. 1'hat assumption
is false. 'l'he rule is general, applying to a number of
nations, comprising one-half the human race, of which the
Japaneseare but a fraction. One other race excluded on
a similar basis has a lready been named in the article.
Write the name on the margin here. Immigration is
strictly a domestic question, and Japan so regards it,
for it has imposed restrictions on immigration and own­
ership of land by foreigners without considering the
wishes of other nations. Does Japan expect the United
States to follow a different policy for J apan than she
follows for her own immigration restrictions? Write
your answer at the end of the reading.