Relative Spelling Ability as a Predictor of the Academic Performance of Superior Ability College Freshmen

Abstract

It was hypothesized and demonstrated that, for superior ability college freshmen, failure to develop spelling ability to the same level as general verbal ability is associated with poor academic performance. However, the same relationship did not hold for lower levels of academic ability.

Since the spelling score was not reflecting finer discriminations of academic aptitude within the superior group, it was suggested that it was indicative of the attitudes or motives that determine the performance of such high ability students.