Majors Matter: Differential Performance on a Test of General College Outcomes

• In Event: Student Learning Environments

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between college students’ field of study and performance on a test of critical thinking and writing skills (the Collegiate Learning Assessment; CLA). Analysis of variance on a sample of 12,959 graduating seniors revealed significant differences between academic fields of study on the CLA, though the magnitude of these differences was reduced by controlling for entering academic ability. There was no significant interaction between students’ fields of study and the content of CLA tasks, suggesting that cross-disciplinary skills like critical thinking and writing can be assessed reasonably without confounding effects from academic content knowledge.

Authors

• Jeffrey T. Steedle, Pearson

• Michael Bradley, New York University