Appropriate Research Question. The appropriate research question investigated was as follows: "Is subject academic performance among eighth graders in reading, mathematics, science, and history/geography, as measured by standardized tests, correlated to a statistically significant extent with subject locus of control and socio-economic status, where the criterion for the rejection of the null is p<.01?"
Identification of Variables. Data for six variables were obtained from NELS 88 (National Educational Longitude Study of 1988). These six variables were as follows:
Locus of Control (coded as "bylocus1"). Data were structured so that higher scores indicated higher internal locus of control.
Socio-economic Status (coded as "byses"). Data were structured so that higher scores indicated higher socio-economic status.
Reading Standardized Score (coded as "by2xrstd"). Data were structured so that higher scores indicated higher proficiency in reading.
Mathematics Standardized Score (coded as "by2xmstd"). Data were structured so that higher scores indicated higher proficiency in mathematics.
Science Standardized Score (coded as "by2xsstd"). Data were structured so that higher scores indicated higher proficiency in science.
History/Geography Standardized Score (coded as "by2xhstd"). Data were structured so that higher scores indicated higher proficiency in history/geography.
Statistical Results. The results of the correlation matrix analysis are presented in the "Correlation Matrix Table," which is attached. The table presents correlations, level of statistical significance, and the number of subjects for each data pair in the correlation matrix. The statistical results that are relevant to the appropriate research question identified above are those data sets that pair "locus of control" or "socioeconomic status" with "reading standardized score," "mathematics standardized score," "science standardized score,"...