Further evidence of critical thinking skills and final examination performance in intermediate financial accounting
RIS ID
29945
Abstract
This study examines whether in-course test components requiring more critical thinking skills can help explain final examination performance in an advanced undergraduate financial accounting course, conducted in 2003 and 2004 over three continuous semesters at a metropolitan Australian university. It proposes and validates two levels of dimensions affecting final examination performance: in-course test components and previous university academic performance of students. Analysis of a database of 1,816 students using standardised multiple regression over three continuous semesters suggests that while Grade Point Advantage (GPA) is the single best predictor of final examination performance, in-course test components with more critical thinking are better predictors than others, except for the in-course ethics essay test. Length of stay also had some predictive ability. This study suggests that academics should pay attention to monitoring and providing feedback to students on their in-course performance in tests that examine critical skills covering a wide range of topics. Such monitoring and feedback may assist in improving the final examination performance of students in this course.
Publication Details
Abeysekera, I. (2009). Further evidence of critical thinking skills and final examination performance in intermediate financial accounting. AARE International Education Research Conference (pp. 1-15). Canberra, Australia: Australian Association For Research In Education.