Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-10
Intelligence Test at State
University PrOUes Reliable
Basis For Grading Students

again." DR.. Humpstone said. THE
student has been given an ample time
limit and told to write with the great
est possible speed, the papers to be
handed in Immediately Upon compile
ton. 1t vas found as a general rule
that the first 20 per cent of students
to rand in their papers were the high
mes were almost invariably the poo
ones" G 4.
Compare Favorably.
Results Of the test conducted hero
compare favorably with results OBJ
tanned in other schools of the country.
he declared. Freshmen in ,43 other
colleges of engineering rate SS,8,
while our freshmen in the college of
engineering rate S7.6. This meant
that our students are averaging about
the same. Thirty-four Liberal Arts
which shows about the same differ
ence as in the ease Of the engineers.
Normal schools have been rated at
TAB while our school of education.
ranks at 1913. These are raw cores
on a basis Of 16S possible maximum.
The experience of Columbia Uni
versity is that the test results are,
twice as reliable as high school grades,
SO per cent more reliable than col
lC6C CIll1oIlCC rCAaAAlAIl<1AAOl OOdIN
ratings, and the administration Off
GERS are using these results with great
satisfaction in their work.
Thursten's Idea
DR.. Thursten, originator of the test
used Mt the state university, says of
the intelligence tests:
The main difference between an
ordinary school examination and an
intelligence test is that in the school
examination the candidate uses his re-
sourcefulness in solving problems re-
lating to a specific course of instruc-
ton, whereas in the intelligence test
he demonstrates the same mental
powers in solving problems which do
not relate to any specific school work.
Thus the intelligence examination re-
quires him to make an intelligent in
depreciation of a paragraph Of prose-,
to discover analogies among ordinary
words, to determine whether . simple
argument is true or false, and so on
with a sufficient range Of content to
be fair to the candidate. The intelli-
gence test measures the native mental
endowment of q stranger more nearly
than does the amoun of his formal
schooling because schooling is at least
partly determined by his opportunities
and the efficiency of his tutors. The
SSAo~ASS sSoS Saws III a NAdANC
to demonstrate that he can think
clearly on simple problems about
things that are accessible to everyone.
Intelligence tests should not be
made the sole criterion Of admission
because a student may have superior
mentality as demonstrated In an in
telligence test and still be a failure as
a student On account of insufficient
high school preparation. On the other
hand, a student may, with sufficient
tutoring. succeed in scrambling
through the high school requirements
without having the mental capacity
to succeed in college. Whenever a
limited number of freshmen are to be
admitted. the combination Of intelli-
gence tests with certification or with
regular entrance examinations gives
the best near of selecting those who
have the highest probability Of sue
cess.
Intelligence tests should not. be
limited to the determination of admis-
sion. When a student is doing in
ferior work, the intelligence test ena-
bles the instructor to determine
whether he is bright but lazy or in
dustrious but of moderate mental en-
dowment. 1t enables one to determ-
Inc how much to expect OF a stu
dent and it sometimes settles the ques-
ton as to whether a failing student
should be given another chance"