This study examines grade expectations of two groups of business students for their final course mark. We separate students that are on average "better" forecasters on the basis of them not making significant forecast errors during the semester from those students that are poor forecasters of their final grade. We find that the better…

This study describes the use of a collaborative learning approach in a psychological statistics course and examines the factors that predict which students benefit most from such an approach in terms of learning outcomes. In a course format with a substantial group work component, 166 students were surveyed on their preference for individual…

Introduction: University students need to cope with a complex new life role and to achieve academic success. This article explores the academic performance and psychological well-being among university students in a western Canadian city. Method: Using a convenience sample, a total of 501 undergraduate students in Regina, Saskatchewan took part in…

A predictive equation for estimating performance in a basic course in methods of psychological research from scores on the Differential Aptitude Test reasoning scales and on the Davis Reading Test, from measures of attitudes toward issues in psychology, and from self-ratings of abilities and of expected course grades is developed. (Author/DEP)

This study examined the factors that best predict which elementary school children will transfer out of a French immersion program. Learner characteristics, teacher and parent evaluations, and family background were examined. Analyses suggest that attitudinal and motivational factors are of primary importance to the continuation of second-language…

This study examines at the elementary school level four different types of instruments in order to assess their capability to measure the attitudes toward arithmetic of third and fifth grade children. The four arithmetic attitude instruments were administered using a Latin Square model and included: the Dutton-Thurstone Scale, the Dutton-Likert…

Examines attitudinal variables (e.g., math anxiety, attitude toward success), locus of control, high school grade point average (HSGPA), and Scholastic Aptitude Test Quantitative (SATQ) scores as predictors of first-quarter grades in a developmental mathematics course. Reports that HSGPA, SATQ, and self-confidence were significant predictors of…

Investigates the efficacy of student motivation, prior achievement, and previous instructional experience for predicting performance in college mathematics. Findings indicate that student attitudes were significant predictors of grade performance; previous instructional experience was more significant for predicting pass/fail outcomes than…

The purpose of this study was to determine which personality traits as measured by the California Psychological Inventory (CPI) are predictive of academic achievement in urban college freshmen of the Federal City College. The measures of achievement were grade point average (GPA) and the Comparative Guidance and Placement Program (CGPP) test…

Describes a class experiment illustrating students' illusions about their own mortality (often referred to as "unique invulnerability"). The students received information, culled from actuarial tables, concerning age and mortality rates. The students consistently overestimated their own age of death even when told they would do so. (MJP)

Examines variables used to predict the academic success or failure of college football players. Valid predictors include the following: (1) high school grades; (2) repeating a year in school; (3) feelings towards school; (4) discipline history; (5) mother's education; and (6) high school background. (FMW)

Departing from a realistic classroom context, this study focuses on the relationship between students' perception of task demands and their learning performance. History teachers (N=20) and their 11th-grade students (N=375) rated the relative importance of sections of an instructional text on which teachers would be giving a test. In addition,…

The research on graduate students that has appeared in 20 academic journals since 1976 is reviewed. Ninety-four articles are classified into topic areas, and representative articles of each area are discussed. The research designs of the 94 research studies are considered with attention to: the level of students (master's or doctoral); whether…

Proceedings of the 1980 meeting of the North Carolina Association for Institutional Research, which focused on the role of institutional research in institutional governance, are presented. Contents are as follows: "The Role of Institutional Research in Academic Program Evaluation: An Overview" (Dennis R. Hengstler); "The Role of Institutional…