An Analysis of Related Student Grades Over Time

by Michael Soto

Submitted : Spring 2010

This project is aimed at combining computer programming and mathematics (calculus and statistics) to better understand a psychology course. Dr. Renner is a psychology professor at USF, and one of his voiced objectives during his honors course was to analyze the raw class grade data in order to both evaluate his teaching method and make necessary adjustments. While the bulk of the process is statistical in nature, there is daily raw data that could be analyzed to see if the student grades could be modeled as a function of time. The data consistently shows better student grades towards the middle of the time period (a semester) than on the edges, whether by a second or third degree polynomial. The functions could be used to describe averages over a period of time as well as pinpoint where averages should expect to peak or dip.

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