Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees?
The mathematical preparedness of science undergraduates has been a subject of debate for some time. This paper investigates the relationship between school mathematics attainment and degree outcomes in biology and chemistry across England, a much larger scale of analysis than has hitherto been repor...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Springer
2017
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39782/ |
| _version_ | 1848795913100722176 |
|---|---|
| author | Adkins, Michael Noyes, Andrew |
| author_facet | Adkins, Michael Noyes, Andrew |
| author_sort | Adkins, Michael |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The mathematical preparedness of science undergraduates has been a subject of debate for some time. This paper investigates the relationship between school mathematics attainment and degree outcomes in biology and chemistry across England, a much larger scale of analysis than has hitherto been reported in the literature. A unique dataset which links the National Pupil Database for England (NPD) and Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data is used to track the educational trajectories of a national cohort of 16-year-olds through their school and degree programmes. Multilevel regression models indicate that students who completed advanced mathematics qualifications prior to their university study of biology and chemistry were no more likely to attain the best degree outcomes than those without advanced mathematics. The models do, however, suggest that success in advanced chemistry at school predicts outcomes in undergraduate biology and vice versa. There are important social background differences and the impact of the university attended is considerable. We discuss a range of possible explanations of these findings. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:39:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-39782 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:39:38Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Springer |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-397822020-05-04T18:30:44Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39782/ Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? Adkins, Michael Noyes, Andrew The mathematical preparedness of science undergraduates has been a subject of debate for some time. This paper investigates the relationship between school mathematics attainment and degree outcomes in biology and chemistry across England, a much larger scale of analysis than has hitherto been reported in the literature. A unique dataset which links the National Pupil Database for England (NPD) and Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data is used to track the educational trajectories of a national cohort of 16-year-olds through their school and degree programmes. Multilevel regression models indicate that students who completed advanced mathematics qualifications prior to their university study of biology and chemistry were no more likely to attain the best degree outcomes than those without advanced mathematics. The models do, however, suggest that success in advanced chemistry at school predicts outcomes in undergraduate biology and vice versa. There are important social background differences and the impact of the university attended is considerable. We discuss a range of possible explanations of these findings. Springer 2017-01-13 Article PeerReviewed Adkins, Michael and Noyes, Andrew (2017) Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 16 (3). pp. 487-502. ISSN 1573-1774 Mathematics Biology Chemistry Degree outcomes Multilevel modelling http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10763-016-9794-y doi:10.1007/s10763-016-9794-y doi:10.1007/s10763-016-9794-y |
| spellingShingle | Mathematics Biology Chemistry Degree outcomes Multilevel modelling Adkins, Michael Noyes, Andrew Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? |
| title | Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? |
| title_full | Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? |
| title_fullStr | Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? |
| title_short | Do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? |
| title_sort | do advanced mathematics skills predict success in biology and chemistry degrees? |
| topic | Mathematics Biology Chemistry Degree outcomes Multilevel modelling |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39782/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39782/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39782/ |