Making Science Make Sense

Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey

TABLE OF CONTENTS Survey Overview Detailed Findings: Behavior Changes Made as a Result of Terror Attacks on America Estimated Percentage of Fellow Students Who Have Changed or Seriously Considered Changing Career Plans Because of Recent Terrorist Attacks Opinion Regarding Changes In Career Interest As a Result of The Terrorist Attacks Job Opportunities Created As A Result of America's Emphasis On Homeland Security Students' Opinions on Whether or Not the United States Will Face Increasing Threats Importance of Science and Technology In Helping The United States Meet Future Terrorist Threats Awareness of the Role of Science and Technology in U.S. Military, Intelligence and Homeland Security Fields Science Literacy Extent of Agreement That Current Generation of College Students Will Be More Community-Conscious Most Important Scientific and Technological Innovations (U.S. vs. Another Country) Preparation in Math and Science Likelihood of Someone in Their Generation Developing New Technology With Major Impact on Society Importance of Science Literacy to Average Americans In Understanding and Dealing With Terrorist Threats Sampling Tolerances

The following report is based on the findings to a national survey of college students. The study examines college students' attitudes and opinions regarding the importance of science and technology, particularly as this relates to the post September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Bayer Facts of Science Education VIII was conducted by The Gallup Organization, Inc. and commissioned by Bayer.

The survey results are based on telephone interviews with a national sample of 1,000 full-time college students attending four-year colleges. All interviewing was conducted by the Gallup Organization's full-time interviewing staff during March and April of 2002. A three-call design was used, that is one initial call and up to two additional calls were made to reach an eligible respondent. Graduate students were not included in the study. The sample was randomly drawn from the American Student Listing (ASL) and statistically adjusted to represent all students from four-year colleges throughout the country. For results based on samples of this size, one can say with 95% confidence that the error attributable to sampling and other random effects could be plus or minus three percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of opinion polls.

The results are based on college students who are permanent residents of the U.S. Students were not screened for U.S. citizenship but were asked citizen and residence questions at the end of the survey. If a student was not a citizen but was a permanent resident of the U.S., he/she was included in the sample. If, however, non-citizens were not permanent U.S. citizens, they were not included in the study. Among 1016 students surveyed, 16 students were identified as non-citizens and non-permanent residents.


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