Investigated was the relation between student ability to translate sentences into equations, equations into sentences, and student performance in formal operational reasoning, proportional reasoning, and introductory-level chemistry. Results indicate that students who lack formal operational skills may experience problems in the translation of…

Achievement in science depends among other factors on hypothetico-deductive reasoning ability; that is, on the developmental level of the students. Recent research indicates that developmental level of the students should be studied along with individual difference variables such as Pascual-Leone's M-capacity (information processing) and Witkin's…

Investigated were the relation between functional M-capacity and student performance in solving chemistry problems of increasing M-demand. Student performance decreased as the M-demand of the problems increased. (Author/YP)

A large proportion of college students majoring in science are unable to translate even simple sentences into algebraic equations. Given the following sentence, "There are six times as many students (S) as professors (P) at this university," 37% of 150 freshmen engineering students in a study conducted in 1981 by Clement, Lockhead, and Monk wrote…

Reports on a study intended to establish a relationship between the M-space (mental energy) and the M-demand (the variable difficulties of Piagetian tasks presumed to entail the same logical structure) of different items of general chemistry. Recommends that chemistry teachers consider the role of cognitive factors in determining student success.…

High risk students in college chemistry are often identified by low mathematics SAT scores, low American Chemical Society Toledo scores, and secondary school chemistry grades. This study was designed to identify additional variables that can be used at the community college level as predictors of success in chemistry. The study compared students'…