Heritability is defined as the proportion of a manifested trait's varience that is due to genetic variation. Sixty-five pairs of twins were employed to investigate the heritability of: (1) short term memory (Jensen's Level 1), operationalized using of modified "digit span" test; (2) the general intellective factor (Jensen's Level II),…

The issues involved in the admissions squeeze and the criteria (cognitive and noncognitive measures) that have been used by medical schools to select students are discussed. Future trends designed to improve the selection process are presented. (Author)

Suggests that the fairness and constitutionality of any admissions program is justified if it serves a plausible policy that respects the right of all members of the community to be treated as equals, but not otherwise. (Author/AM)

Article showed that the average first year academic achievement of the English students in Arts and Science was higher than that of the Scots both in 1969-70 and in 1972-73. Author then canvassed three possible explanations in terms of national differences in ability, in age and in previous familiarity with the work of the first university year.…

Research on sibling influence on intellectual ability has shown that academic ability and achievement decrease as family size increases and as spacing between siblings decreases. Research also suggests a relationship between sex of subject and of sibling, and age differences in the effects of birth order and sibling sex. (JAC)

Discusses the pros and cons of English proficiency testing in journalism education, noting that such equivalency tests do not always indicate journalism student writing potential. (RL)

At Northern Virginia Community College, a cognitive-style mapping program is used to enhance students' academic self-concept and grade-achievement levels. Solutions to educational problems are recommended by counselors based on evaluation of learning inventories and self-concept scales. Supports the direct correlation between academic self-concept…

Emphasizes that the failure to recognize the interplay between personality characteristics and situational determinants has masked important individual reaction patterns concerning general satisfaction and boredom at school. (Author/RK)

Almost all children can learn what the schools teach today, but, at present, only one-third of them do, says Benjamin S. Bloom, Charles H. Swift Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago. While the conventional system of group instruction is effective for some students and ineffective for others, he states that mastery learning…

Lists four harmful consequences that critics suggest educational testing may have, and in discussing the danger that I.Q. testing may place an indelible stamp of inferiority upon students, this research re-examines the purpose of testing. (Author/RK)

Individual differences in memory can be studied from two theoretical perspectives: Reappearance Theory or Constructive Theory. To test the Constructive Theory, two experiments examined the retention of high and low ability students. The results of both experiments supported the hypothesis that learners who acquire information rapidly also display…

The multitrait-multimethod matrix technique, as compared to analysis of variance decomposition, provided a more precise picture of the validity and methods bias characteristics of a longitudinal data set. Data were derived from a three year study of British elementary children to inspect the relationships among three academic traits, as assessed…

Three aptitude factor scores for each of 2,985 college bound urban high school seniors were used to compare patterns and levels of performance by sex and ethnic group membership. Significant differences in levels of performance between Blacks, Hispanics, Caucasian Jewish, and Caucasian Gentile were found on factors labeled Verbal, Reasoning, and…

Three measures of academic intelligence and three measures of social intelligence were investigated in a group of college students. In the social domain, intradomain correlations were no higher than interdomain, factor analyses produced no identifiable social factor, and academic measures were better at predicting a social competence criterion…

The relationship between the effects of structure in teaching and the abilities or personalities of ten- and twelve-year-olds was investigated. Results showed a weak interaction of teaching methods with ability and a strong interaction with personality. (MN)