Field Test In Business Research Articles

Examining the gender and minority test score gap on the MFT-B: A Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition approach

This paper examines performance differences among demographic groups on the ETS Major Field Test in Business. The study employs the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition technique to analyze the test score differentials by gender and racial minority status. This technique decomposes the difference into two parts: an endowment effect (or explained portion) and a returns effect (or unexplained portion). The results demonstrate that the endowment effect fully explains the gap between white and racial minority students but virtually none of the gender gap. This large unexplained gap between male and female test performance suggests the need for further study of potential gender bias of the exam.

Analysing Student Performance on the Major Field Test in Business at a Canadian University

Analysing Student Performance on the Major Field Test in Business at a Canadian University

Analyzing knowledge decay and gender differences on end of program assessment measures: Case of a Mid-South University in the USA

Assessment of student learning outcomes is a nearly universal process for all academic programs, especially those seeking discipline specific accreditation. Business programs typically devote considerable resources toward measuring and assessing student learning outcomes with the goal of ‘closing the loop’ by making curricula changes to improve student learning outcomes. Most of these assessment efforts utilize relatively small samples of course-level observations and employ little to no statistical framework to derive conclusions. This study seeks to provide programs with a framework that allows institutions to examine student performance on an end of program assessment test for business, the ETS Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B). We examine the relationship between student demographics, course timing, and knowledge decay in the 9 subject areas on the MFT-B by employing a system of simultaneous equations estimated within a seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) framework with data partitioning by gender. The data was collected at a university in the mid-south in the United States of America. Our results indicate that gender and course timing can affect student performance on the MFT-B. These findings indicate that the SUR framework and data partitioning are valuable tools in the assessment and analysis of student learning outcomes.

Student Perceptions and Learning Outcomes: Evidence from the Education Testing Service (ETS) Major Field Test in Business

We examine course evaluation data from the core finance course and analyze how these data relate to performance on the finance portion of the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Business (ETS). We find that gender, SAT scores, GPA and concentration all have significant impacts on student performance. We also find that student perceptions of teaching and of how much knowledge they gained do not relate to the finance ETS score. Finally, we find that students who feel challenged in their finance core course do significantly better on the finance portion of the exam. This result is robust to different data partitions.

Accounting and finance majors outperform other majors on the major field test in business and the Comprehensive Business Exam: An analysis of exam performance drivers

While studies have found that both accounting and finance majors outperform other majors on the Major Field Test in Business (MFTB) and the Comprehensive Business Exam (CBE), research has not identified the drivers of this performance advantage. The authors examined multiyear MFTB and CBE scores and identified both business core course composition and student capability as key drivers of scores on each of these exams. Our results provide empirical evidence that accounting majors enjoy a 10.2-point score advantage on the MFTB and a 7.5-point score advantage on the CBE related to additional exposure to accounting, finance, and economics concepts in upper-level accounting and finance courses.

Do persistence and passion matter: Evidence from the educational testing service major field test in business

ABSTRACTThe authors examined the determinants of success on the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Business. The authors find that gender, SAT performance, and concentration are significant predictors of performance. Additionally, they derive proxies for student passion and persistence, and find that the greater the student's passion for business is, the higher the score is. The authors discover that students who demonstrate persistence, as measured by the extent to which they outperform their grade point average expectations, also score higher on the exam.

Preparing undergraduate students for the Major Field Test in Business

ABSTRACTMany business programs address the learning of undergraduate students with an exit exam. A reference librarian and the business school faculty created an online test preparation study guide (or LibGuide) which included no-cost resources that were readily available yet academically authoritative to aid students in studying for the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Business at an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business–accredited college in northwest Georgia. The findings indicated that while some graduating business seniors did use the LibGuide materials, many were overwhelmed with the amount of material available and believed studying would not be beneficial to their performance on the exit exam. Discussion and areas for future research are presented.

Analyzing Student Performance in Specific Subject Area Indicators on the ETS Major Field Test in Business

The Major Field Test is a commonly used assessment instrument, but little emphasis has been put on analyzing student-level subject area indicator scores. The Educational Testing Service recently made these data available to institutions, and it is analyzed here. This analysis builds on previous work by incorporating demographic and programmatic information regarding individual students' course of study. The statistical framework employed allows the determination of drivers of student scores, and suggests likely avenues for improving future performance. The results suggest the number of courses a student takes in particular subject areas plays a role in the student's subscores and overall scores.

The Major Field Test in Business: A Direct Measure of Learning in Common Business Disciplines

Assurance of learning and its assessment are critical focal points in collegiate schools of business as programs strive to achieve or maintain Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accreditation. Prior research suggests that student learning in business core disciplines can be measured by the Educational Testing Service Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B). What factors predict student performance on the MFT-B? The authors examined predictors of student learning not addressed in prior research. The analysis of this unique variable set consisting of high school grade point average, grade on an accounting competency exam, cumulative hours earned, and membership in the School of Business Mentor Association furnishes noteworthy, new insight to the understanding of factors that affect learning in business core disciplines.

Assurance of Learning in an MBA Program: Exploration of the Value Added by the Graduate Major Field Test in Business

The use of standardized tests as a piece of outcomes assessment has risen in recent years in order to satisfy external accrediting bodies such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The authors explore the value added by the Graduate Major Field Test in Business (GMFT-B) for assurance of learning in a master of business administration (MBA) program. The results indicate that the GMFT-B can be considered a valuable tool for outcome assessment because it provides enough unique information above that of MBA grade point average and GMAT scores. However, the GMFT-B should be used in conjunction with other assessment methods because it had little relationship to the competencies associated with effective management.

As Compared to What? Characteristics of the AACSB Institutions That Utilize the Major Field Test in Business

The publishers of the Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B), an assessment of learning instrument, provide a list of institutions utilizing the instrument and a table that allows for comparison of local MFT-B mean scores to those of other institutions. The absence of information regarding the comparison group's characteristics limits the validity of that comparison. This study provides a comparison of the institutions accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, those that use the MFT-B and those accredited institutions that do not, and an estimation of the probability that a school will use the MFT-B for assessment purposes.

The Impact of Prerequisite General Education Courses on the ETS Major Field Test for Business (MFT-B)

The authors explore the relationship between general education prerequisite courses, used for schools of business admission, and predicted grade point averages (PGPAs) with the Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B). The MFT-B is designed to assess the general business knowledge of students at the end of their programs. There is no known literature that explores the relationship of prerequisite courses or PGPA with the MFT-B. This study finds that second semester Freshman English 102 and Economics 222, and PGPA influence MFT-B scores.

Are MFT-B Results Biased Because of Students Who Do Not Take the Test?

The authors study the characteristics of students who take the Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B) versus those who do not. The authors find that students with higher cumulative grade point averages (GPAs) are more likely to take the test. Additionally, students are more likely to take the test if it is offered late in the semester. Further results indicate that students with higher GPAs tend to score better on the MFT-B, and thus the outcomes profile of a school based on MFT-B results may appear stronger than it actually is if taking the test is not a requirement of the business program.

Cognitive Learning Strategy as a Partial Effect on Major Field Test in Business Results

An experiment was developed to determine if cognitive learning strategies improved standardized university business exam results. Previous studies revealed that factors such as prior ability, age, gender, and culture predicted a student's Major Field Test in Business (MFTB) score better than course content. The experiment control consisted of identical syllabi and faculty (except for the treatment). The analysis of covariance results were statistically significant (n = 134) with a 40% effect size (and a 74% effect size using multiple regression). The study demonstrated that cognitive learning strategies (accounting for gender and course level grade point average) can influence a student's MFTB exam score. An analysis of covariance can be used to accurately measure student learning gain regardless of prior ability.

Assurance of Learning and the MFT: Closing the Loops With an Online Review

The authors describe the four stages of the closing the loop process undertaken by a college of business (COB) over a 6-year period. The COB developed and offered an online, noncredit review course to help students prepare for the Major Field Test in Business (MFT). Early results demonstrated the efficacy of the course as student scores rose from the 40th percentile to the 65th percentile. The authors analyze stage 4 data to determine the relationship between the online review and MFT performance. Results suggest the impact of the online review course diminishes as overall performance increases. Assessment outcomes may be influenced by the number of Hispanic and international students taking the MFT.

The Major Field Test in Business: A Solution to the Problem of Assurance of Learning Assessment?

Colleges and universities are being asked by numerous sources to provide assurance of learning assessments of their students and programs. Colleges of business have responded by using a plethora of assessment tools, including the Major Field Test in Business. In this article, the authors show that the use of the Major Field Test in Business for assurance of learning purposes is ill advised. First, it provides no direct evidence of student learning. Second, it offers no useful comparative analyses to other business students or institutions. Consequently, it provides no guidance for curriculum or program changes to achieve better learning outcomes. Thus, use of the Major Field Test in Business offers only a pretend solution to the problem of assurance of learning assessment.

Differential Gender Performance on the Major Field Test–Business

The Major Field Test in Business (MFT-B), a standardized assessment test of business knowledge among undergraduate business seniors, is widely used to measure student achievement. Many previous studies analyzing scores on the MFT-B report gender differences on the exam even after controlling for student's aptitude, general intellectual ability, and motivation. The authors’ results point to two reasons behind this phenomenon. First, it is important to control for critical thinking abilities while explaining variation in MFT-B scores. Second, motivation to perform well on the test varies between genders and high- and low-performing students.

Analyzing Educational Testing Service Graduate Major Field Test Results

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) created the Graduate Major Field Test in Business (GMFT-B) for MBA students. This test is administered to all MBA classes at Jacksonville University for the purpose of measuring student academic achievement and growth, as well as to assess educational outcomes. The test is given in the capstone course, Business Strategy and Policy, typically taken by students at the end of their MBA program. It provides valuable feedback to each student as to their standing with regard to students across the nation. A total of six years of data (2006 to 2011) was collected for analysis of these test scores. For the first half of this time period, Jacksonville University was in candidacy for accreditation by the Association for the Advancement of Colleges and Schools of Business (AACSB), and for the time period 2009-2011 it was an AACSB accredited institution. Executive MBA, evening MBA (also known as flex MBA) and day-time (accelerated) MBA classes took the exam over that time period. It was determined that the executive MBA student grades were significantly better than their counterparts in the evening (flex) and day-time (accelerated) MBA students at Jacksonville University. It was also found that there was no significant difference in student performance during the first half (AACSB candidacy) and second half (AACSB accreditation) of the time period under investigation.

WHY THE MAJOR FIELD TEST IN BUSINESS DOES NOT REPORT SUBSCORES: RELIABILITY AND CONSTRUCT VALIDITY EVIDENCE

ABSTRACTTo assess the value of individual students' subscores on the Major Field Test in Business (MFT Business), I examined the test's internal structure with factor analysis and structural equation model methods, and analyzed the subscore reliabilities using the augmented scores method. Analyses of the internal structure suggested that the MFT Business measures a unidimensional construct, which does not support reporting individual students' subscores. Augmented score analyses revealed that the observed total score could approximate the true subscore more accurately than the observed subscores, which do not support reporting individuals' subscores either. The results from these two approaches provided consistent evidence in support of the current practice of not reporting individuals' subscores on the MFT Business. The relationship between the two approaches is discussed, followed by a recommendation of an alternate method for future research.

Outcomes assessment: an examination of the ETS major field test and the comprehensive business exam

This study is the first to examine student performance differences between the major field test in business (MFTB) and the comprehensive business exam (CBE). Results reveal students performed at a statistically significant 50.8 percentile ranking on the CBE compared to a 38.0 percentile ranking on the MFTB. Additionally, this study finds that students transferring business core courses with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or lower perform at a statistically significant lower level on both the MFTB and the CBE than those transferring business core courses with GPAs higher than 2.5. These findings have important implications for assessment of learning purposes.