Science Course Taking, Out-of-Class Science Accomplishments, and Achievement in the High School Graduating Class of 1998

.esearcli R e p o rt S eries 2 0 0 0 - 5Science Course Taking, Out-of-Class Science Accomplishments, and Achievement in the High School Graduating Class of 1998Gail T. McLure John W. McLureJViay 2000 For additional copies write:ACT Research Report Series PO Box 168Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168© 2000 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. Science Course Taking,Out-of-Class Science Accomplishments, and Achievement in the High School Graduating Class of 1998Gail T. McLure John W. McLure Table of ContentsList of T ables................................................................................................................................................iiiList of Figures...............................................................................................................................................iiiAbstract............................................................................................................................................................ ivAcknowledgments...........................................................................................................................................vIntroduction........................................................................................................................................................1Purpose.................................................................................................................................................3M ethod...............................................................................................................................................................4Sample..................................................................................................................................................4Instrum ent...........................................................................................................................................6Procedures........................................................................................................................................... 7Definitions........................................................................................................................................... 7Defining the number of science courses taken............................................................. 7Defining the number of years of science courses taken...............................................8Defining racial/ethnic groups............................................................................................8Defining family income groups....................................................................................... 9Results................................................................................................................:..............................................9Years of Science Taken by G raduation....................................................................................... 9Number of Science Courses Taken by Graduation....................................................................9Percentages of Individual Courses Taken..................................................................................12Science Achievement in Relation to the Number of Science Courses T aken..................14ACT Science Reasoning Test Scores by the Number of Out-of-Class ScienceAccomplishments......................................................................................................................... 14Seven Out-of-Class Accomplishments in Order of the Level of StudentParticipation in Each....................................................................................................................18ACT Science Reasoning Test Scores of Students Who Responded YES Versus NO toAccomplishments.........................................................................................................................20Total group responses to Items 150 to 156................................................................. 20Male students....................................................................................................................30Female students..................................................................................................................30Male students compared to female students...............................................................30Black students.................................................................................................................... 32Native American students...............................................................................................32White students....................................................................................................................37Hispanic students.............................................................................................................. 37Asian students.................................................