and "history/geography standardized score."
Discussion of Results. As the data presented in the "Correlation Matrix Table" indicate, the correlations between both "locus of control" and "socioeconomic status" and "reading standardized score," "mathematics standardized score," "science standardized score," and "history/geography standardized score" were statistically significant at p .000, which satisfies the requirement in the research question for the rejection of the null (p<.01). Further, the Pearson correlation coefficient in each instance was positive. These findings indicate that:
1. As subject internal locus of control increases, subject standardized scores increase in reading, mathematics, science, and history/geography.
2. As subject socio-economic status increases, subject standardized scores increase in reading, mathematics, science, and history/geography.
Statistically significant correlations between data pairs do not indicate a causal relationship between the variables. Thus, these findings do not permit the drawing of conclusions that higher levels of internal locus of control and higher economic status cause higher scores on standardized tests in reading, mathematics, science, and history/geography. Such correlations do, however, indicate that subject academic performance, as measured by standardized tests in these areas, may be expected to vary according to both the level of internal locus of control and the socio-economic status of subjects.
Appropriate Research Question. The appropriate research question investigated was as follows: "Does academic performance among eighth graders in reading, as measured by a standardized test, vary according to subject gender, where the criterion for the rejection of the null is p<.01?"
Identification of Variables. Data for two variables were obtained from NELS 88 (National Educational Longitude Study of 1988). These two variables were as follows:
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