Degree Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
1991
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Statistics
First Advisor
Mack C. Shelley, II
Second Advisor
William G. Miller
Abstract
The difficulty level of college courses has been identified as a value which varies across courses. A sample of fifty (50) introductory-level college courses was selected and four different measures of course difficulty, (1) perceived difficulty, (2) perceived amount of work, (3) average grade awarded, and (4) average ACT composite of enrolled students, were calculated for each course. The difficulty estimates were examined for consistency for each measure individually, over time, and in comparison with the others. Correlation analysis, multiple regression, factor analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and analysis of variance procedures were used. The four measures were combined into one composite index of course difficulty and the resulting estimates were used to improve the prediction of academic achievement.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-11387
Publisher
Digital Repository @ Iowa State University, http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/
Copyright Owner
Daniel James Mundfrom
Copyright Date
1991
Language
en
Proquest ID
AAI9126228
File Format
application/pdf
File Size
249 pages
Recommended Citation
Mundfrom, Daniel James, "Estimating course difficulty " (1991). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 9560.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/9560
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Statistics and Probability Commons
