On the Relationship between Cultural Literacy and Scholastic Achievement among University Students in Secondary Education

Abstract

The relationship between cultural literacy and scholastic achievement among 81 university students in secondary education was investigated. Cultural literacy was assessed by the American Cultural Literacy Test, an objective test of 100 multiple-choice items based on the terms in Hirsch's book on cultural literacy. Scholastic achievement was assessed by final examination score and the number of points received from the midterm and final examinations and the term paper used in an introductory course in educational psychology. The literacy test was reliable with a Kuder-Richardson 20 value of .94 and its scores correlated .55 with course point totals and .53 with final examination scores. In addition, the literacy test scores correlated .33 with the subjects' ages.