The Lawson’s Test for Scientific Reasoning as a Predictor for University Formative Success: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Scientific Seasoning skills are crucial, both for successful learning in STEM areas and for the development of citizenship-oriented scientific literacy. The Lawson Test for Scientific Reasoning (LTSR) has been credited in the past for predicting the formative success of university students. In this context, we conducted a prospective study on a cohort (N = 1015) of university freshmen enrolled in science or engineering bachelor’s degrees, following them over three years. The freshmen were administered LTSR at the beginning of their university careers. At the end of the regular degree path duration, their formative achievement was measured. The descriptive statistical and correlational analysis of the collected data suggest a significant predictivity of the LTSR of formative success, in particular, for the people who scored highly in the test, while a low score performance does not seem correlated to a reduced formative success. Differentiated correlations are observed for the five conceptual dimensions that were explored by LTSR. The results presented could be useful in inspiring secondary school educational paths specifically aimed to promote students’ skills in the various conceptual dimensions of the Scientific Reasoning. Moreover, the possible predictivity for post-secondary educational success could make LTSR a useful operational tool for effective outgoing guidance actions in high schools.