The effect of left -handedness in females as a determinant of mathematics achievement in geometry
Abstract
This research explores the effect left-handedness plays as a determinant of mathematics achievement in geometry relative to females. The study was evaluated on the basis of one primary instrument, the PLAN test. The PLAN is formerly known as the P-ACT+. The PLAN is a norm-referenced test which measures knowledge and skills attained early in the student's secondary education in four curriculum areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. The PLAN test is administered to all tenth grade students in the metropolitan school district used in the study. The test is given at no charge to the student and is scored by American College Testing. The mathematics subtest of the PLAN is scored in 5 parts: algebra (pre-algebra and elementary algebra), geometry (coordinate geometry and plane geometry) and a total score. There are 18 geometry items on the geometry subtest of the PLAN. The student report gives 3 mathematics scores: mathematics total score, algebra subscore and geometry subscore. The subscore scales may range from 1 to 16. The standard error for each of the 4 content area tests is ±2. The hypothesis for the study was that left handed female students would not score significantly different on the geometry subtest of the PLAN test than did right-handed female students. The results of this study did not support the predictions made in the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis was rejected because left-handed females did score significantly different on the geometry subtest of the PLAN test when compared with right-handed female students. An ANOVA done on the data found that the right-handed females showed significantly superior academic achievement (p < .05) on the geometry subtest of the PLAN test in comparison with left-handed females.
Subject Area
Mathematics education|Educational psychology|Psychobiology
Recommended Citation
Deborah Hall Williams,
"The effect of left -handedness in females as a determinant of mathematics achievement in geometry"
(2000).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI3007591.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI3007591