Prediction of Performance in an Academic Course by Scores on Measures of Learning Style and Critical Thinking

Abstract

Three scores were used to predict how 38 students who received A grades and 25 students who received C grades in introductory psychology courses differed in learning style and critical thinking skills. The subjects were 63 students enrolled in undergraduate psychology classes with one instructor. Students were given course outlines, test schedules, and scores on their tests and reports and computed their own course standing throughout the semester. At the beginning of the semester, students responded to the Inventory of Learning Processes and Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Ten scores on the two inventories were analyzed by discriminant function analysis which showed that the combination of the three test scores: Deep Processing and Methodical Study (from the Inventory of Learning Processes) and the Total Critical Thinking (from the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal) correctly classified 84.2% of the students with A grades and 68.0% of the students with C grades.