A Comparison of Performance On the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale and Success in the Engineering College

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is, first, to determine the average scores of freshman engineering students on the Full Scale, Verbal Scale, and Performance Scale of the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale, Form II. Secondly, these scores will be correlated with the students' mean school grades for the first semester in the College of Engineering. The investigator hopes that the results can be of value in guiding prospective engineering students. In addition, a secondary objective of this research is to compare the relative efficacy of the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale and the Pre-Engineering Inventory in predicting scholastic success in the field of engineering. It seems self-evident that certain information about students can be obtained most advantageously by a systematic testing program and that testing data and the use of other diagnostic instruments should increase the understanding of college students. According to one writer, “…a systematic testing program can yield the core background of knowledge about the student which, in turn, may provide the foundation for more efficient counseling, for improved teaching and educational practices , land for institutional self-appraisal.” The State of the Problem To summarize the main points of this short literary review of the present problem, it is indicated (1) that there is a need for testing the efficacy of the Wechsler Bellevue Intelligence Scale as a predictor of scholastic success; (2) that there is a lack of research on the problem whether the various occupational and college groups manifest different measurable characteristics and capacities and, if this be the case, whether these can be utilized in counseling; and (3) that the solution of these two problems would be of particular interest to those who attempt to predict scholastic success in the field of engineering. The main objective of this study is to determine the mean scores of freshman engineering students on the Full Scale, Verbal Scale, and Performance Scale of the Wechsler – Bellevue Intelligence Scale, Form II. These scores will be correlated with the students' mean school grades in the first semester. It is the intention of this writer, therefore, to make a systematic investigation with the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale on a rather specialized group of college students. The principal parts of this thesis will consist of (1) a tabular presentation of the mean IQ scores of 50 freshman engineering students on the Full Scale, Verbal Scale, and Performance Scale of this test and (2) expectancy tables showing the number and per cent of these subjects of various Wechsler~ Bellevue Full Scale, Verbal Scale, and Performance Scale IQs in relation to specified mean grades in the first semester in the engineering college. A similar table, based on the results obtained on the same subjects with the Pre-Engineering Inventory will be presented…. The Procedure The Wechsler -Bellevue Intelligence Scale, Form II was administered to the subjects during the fall semester beginning October 10, 1951. The testing conditions were kept as constant as possible in regard to the physical conditions, rapport, praise, and encouragement . It should be noted, however, that the time of the day the test was administered, which might have had some influence on the physical condition of the subjects, was not easy to control. Nevertheless, the examiner attempted to follow as closely as possible Wechsler's instructions. The subjects' final grades for the first (Fall) semester and their composite scores on the Pre-Engineering Inventory, which was administered by the College of Engineering at the beginning of the semester, were obtained from the files in the Dean's office. Finally, all the pertinent data for each subject, i.e., name, age, date of examination, birthdate, test scores, and the final grades were transcribed to individual records.