LMU Students' reasoning scores

Currently we have two sets of data. The first set, consisting of 98 students (mostly freshmen engineering & science majors), was collected over the previous two years.

The average Lawson score was 67%, with an average score of 60% on the proportional reasoning section.

This semester we began more extensive testing (350+ students). With the help of the chemistry department we have been able to test freshmen science and engineering majors in introductory chemistry. We also have results for sophomore engineering majors in physics 201 and junior biology majors in physics 253.¹ The following table shows some of the averages.

This is a chart showing the distribution of total Lawson scores among all of the students in the second, larger sample.

1. Physics 101-201 is the calculus-based sequence that is typically taken by engineering and physical science majors in their first and second years. Physics 253-254 is the algebra-based sequence typically taken by biology and natural science majors in their junior year.