By Adam Molnar and Kesa McDonald, Oklahoma State University
Information
Statistics instructors frequently state that students’ mathematical deficiencies lead to lower grades. We decided to investigate the claim in a general non-calculus introductory statistics course. Because our large public research university accepts many transfer students, college entrance exam scores and mathematics course history are not always available. Therefore, we looked at prior publications to create a 19 question diagnostic quiz about mathematical topics used in introductory statistics. The questions are available through a Creative Commons license to facilitate replication elsewhere. Over 250 students across seven course sections took this IRB-approved diagnostic in Spring 2019, although non-response rates were substantial. Non-response is often a limitation; our information may help others planning investigations. We will present our diagnostic questions, response rates, qui, and initial analysis of the relationship between diagnostic score and course grade.