The Range of Information Test in Biology. II. Zoology

Determines the extent to which natural history forms a part of the courses on zoology and botany. Whipple's Range of Information Test was administered to first year high school students who were in the first and second terms. Results indicated that (a) an increase in academic status brought greater maturity and sharper discrimination power, as reflected in an increase in the number of terms defined, explained, and familiar with; and a corresponding decrease in the number of new terms (b) pupils' interest in natural history declined, as shown by a lack of increase in the terms defined and explained (c) no significant differences were observed between the sexes and (d) deep-seated errors in the meanings of terms were the basis for a conscious effort on the part of the teacher to put the subject matter of natural history into a form readily communicated.