Thompson 1

Lauren Thompson
Pace Gardner
Jaded Coffee
14 January 2016
My Experience with Research
Mr. Gardner:
I originally thought of IQ tests as a backup topic. For the initial search, I wanted three
issues that I could narrow down later. I wanted to write a paper on either archeology or being an
introvert, but as a third possibility I researched IQ tests. I was thinking about taking an IQ test
before the essay was assigned, so I picked it as a throwaway research topic. As I did research,
however, I found more reliable sources about the usefulness IQ tests than my other topics. To
make life a little easier for myself, I chose IQ to write about tests. At first, I wasn't really excited
about the subject. Once I started reading Beyond IQ by Garth Sundem and my psychology
textbook, however, I realized that I could go in a different direction than I had anticipated.
Instead of saying that IQ tests were not good tools because not everyone can solve that type of
problem, I could say that IQ tests measure what they are supposed to measure, but they don't
fully predict a person's intelligence. With this new direction in mind, I began my research in
earnest.
I began with my psychology textbook and a few books from the library. However, as
specific as my topic was, the internet was my best option. I started with a simple search on the
subject, and I got a lot of online IQ tests or sites that only said IQ tests weren't for everyone. I
found that I had to be really specific in my search. I had the most difficulty finding the required
image. I found a political cartoon that was perfect for my topic, but it had been reproduced so

Thompson 2

many times that the title of the cartoon and the author were almost impossible to find. I thought
that I understood what makes a good source until I realized how many websites don't cite their
sources, which makes them less credible. Since Pinterest and blogs are not always good sources,
I struggled to locate a reputable source that made an attempt to correctly cite the cartoon. I
eventually found a good website that listed a title, but still no author. During the process of
researching this paper, I learned to check that a website cites its sources properly to make sure
that it is reputable before depending on it as a source.
Overall, I've found that the subject of IQ tests and intelligence was a lot more interesting
than I originally thought. To me, IQ tests were a series of puzzles that proved how smart a person
was. I've found that using one's brain and being intelligent are two very different things. One can
solve problems, understand human emotion, and be creative without have a vast store of
knowledge in the back of the brain. I also learned that psychologists don't really have a true
standard of measuring intelligence because intelligence covers a vast amount of brain functions.
IQ tests account for only one function of the brain, but other aspects are so subjective that IQ
tests are the most practiced way to objectively account for a person's intelligence. However, they
can't measure a person's likelihood of success. Intelligence is broad, and we as people rely on
every function to do the work that we do. In the end I found the topic interesting and I am glad
that I chose it.

Sincerely,

Lauren Thompson

Thompson 3

Lauren Thompson
Pace Gardner
Jaded Coffee
14 January 2016
Annotated Bibliography
Angela Duckworth: What Is Grit? Prod. Allen Kelman. PBSVideo. PBS, 7 May 2013. Web. 6
Dec. 2015.
Angela Duckworth is a psychologist who has studied intelligence and IQ as it relates to a
person's success in life. She reports that after studying people with similar IQs, education,
family history, etc., it was grit or motivation that allowed certain people to succeed. This
video illustrates how motivation plays a key role in IQ test performance. A person with an
average IQ may work hard and appear intelligent while a person with a high IQ may fail
because he has no motivation to use his intelligence. Grit is also an important factor of
measuring intelligence that cannot be accounted for in an IQ test. "What we need in
education is a much better understanding of students and learning from a motivational
perspective," Duckworth concludes in her speech (Angela Duckworth). Motivation cannot
necessarily be measured, but it is absolutely necessary for success.
Balter, Michael. "What Does IQ Really Measure?" AAAS. AAAS, 25 Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Dec.
2015.
The website goes into detail about Angela Duckworth's experiments although she is not the
author of the article. The article reasserts that studies have shown that although natural
intelligence plays a role in a person's IQ test score, it is not the only factor. Balter states in
his article," While subjects taking such tests are usually instructed to try as hard as they

Thompson 4

can, previous research has shown that not everyone makes the maximum effort" (Balter).
People have to be motivated to do well in order to get the most accurate picture of their
intelligence. The source uses credible information from studies that one can include in an
assessment of IQ tests. The study proves that IQ tests aren't all encompassing when it
measures a person's intelligence.
Carter, Philip, and Ken Russel. Ultimate IQ Tests. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page, 2012. Print.
This book contains twenty-five practice IQ tests. While it does not give the information to
calculate an actual IQ, it provides a range of scores that could be considered "Exceptional,
"Good," or "Average." The book gives insight to what types of questions may appear on an
IQ test. For example, "Which of the following is not an anagram of a type of building?
spoil hat [,] my bases [,] pen hens [,] eel clog [and] admit us" (Carter 122).Information like
this would be very useful in an essay because it would provide evidence on the difficulty of
an IQ test and allow the reader to judge for himself how he feels about certain problems.
Firmin, Michael W., et al. "Evaluating the Concurrent Validity of Three Web-based IQ Tests and
the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS)." Eastern Education Journal 37.1
(2008): 20-28. Cedarville University Digital Commons. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.
This article is a published study of the validity of online IQ tests. The researchers took a
pool of college students and grouped them by ACT score so that they could have a good
range of intelligence. The results showed that the IQ tests had low to moderate validity due
to the unusually high IQ scores compared to ACT. This study is related to how accurately
IQ tests measure intelligence because it discusses what makes an IQ test a valid test. IQ
tests have had to prove themselves to be "an instrument . . . of construct, concurrent,
content, criterion, and/or convergent validity in order to find acceptance in the

Thompson 5

psychological world and to be given serious credence" (qtd. in Firmin, 21). It also discusses
the importance of having a specific definition of intelligence when creating tests.
Myers, David G. Psychology. 10th ed. Holland: Worth, 2013. Print.
Psychology is an AP Psychology textbook describing a large range of topics under the
subject of psychology. David Myers is a professor of psychology at Hope College and has
written many books on the subject. Chapter 10 "Intelligence" goes into some depth on IQ
tests and intelligence tests in general; however, it also provides a plethora of information on
the overarching concept of intelligence. This book explains what intelligence actually is
and how it can manifest itself in many ways, not just in an IQ test. The problem that
psychologists run into when measuring intelligence is that "intelligence is not a quality like
height or weight, which has the same meaning to everyone around the globe" (Myers
368).This source could provide useful background information for a research paper and
explanations of how IQ tests came to be and what they are intended to measure.
"Our Educational System in a Nutshell." Cartoon. Psychology Today. Ed. Jonathan Wai, Ph.D.
Psychology Today, 27 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
"Our Educational System in a Nutshell" is a political cartoon that describes the perhaps
unfair nature of standardized tests. It depicts a proctor giving a test that is supposed to
impartially test the intelligence of different animals, such as a fish, a monkey, and a seal.
However the test is to climb a tree, which out of all the animals drawn, the monkey is the
only one who can. The cartoon is paired with a famous quote from Albert Einstein:
"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its
whole life believing that it is stupid" ("Our Educational System in a Nutshell"). An IQ test
is a type of standardized test that is filled with anagrams, puzzles, etc., a test in which not

Thompson 6

everyone can excel. The cartoon provides evidence that IQ tests can't be the only measure
in judging someone's intelligence.
Sundem, Garth. Beyond IQ. New York: Three Rivers, 2014. Print.
Beyond IQ is a book that explains other forms of intelligence besides IQ and provides
brainteasers and methods to develop such areas. The areas that would be the most useful in
a research paper would include innovation, maintenance of intelligence, and performance
under pressure. The book defines these branches of intelligence in straightforward ways
such as "Creativity is thinking thoughts that have never been thought before. Innovation
includes the practical intelligence that can help others see the benefit of this thinking"
(Sundem 69). Its perspective on intelligence proves that IQ tests are not all-encompassing.

Thompson 7

Lauren Thompson
Pace Gardner
Jaded Coffee
14 January 2016
IQ Tests: All-encompassing or Narrow-minded?
A college graduate is looking for a job in engineering. He has a 3.7 GPA and is extremely
talented in advanced calculus. Not only does he work hard, but he is also good with people. This
college student has found an excellent job, but before his prospective employers will hire him, he
must take an IQ test. The test comes back, and his results are simply average. Some may wonder
if he is such a smart individual, why is he "just average"? IQ (Intelligence Quotient) tests are
meant to measure a person's mental age over a person's chronological age, but in adults, it is
quantified by a person's performance compared to other test-takers (Myers 378-9). Some people
believe that a person with a high IQ will be successful in life. However, despite his average IQ
score, the college graduate described above still has a good chance of success because of his
dedication and social skills. While IQ is a good indicator of general intelligence, the tests aren't
meant to measure a person's potential, and IQ is certainly not the only factor in a person's
intelligence.
The original IQ test was designed to determine which students needed extra help in their
schooling. Teacher recommendations had the potential to be biased, so "France's minister of
public education in 1904 commissioned Alfred Binet (1857-1911) and others to study the
problem" (Myers 378). Binet discovered that there was a difference between mental age and
chronological age; for example, a ten-year-old may think on a twelve-year-old level (Myers 378).
Binet's tests were designed to find children who think on a lower level than they should be and

Thompson 8

get them the help that they need. The measure for intelligence is different for adults, so the
original calculation for IQ is not widely used. Adults take the Stanford-Binet test instead,
measuring a person's performance "relative to the average performance of others the same age"
(Myers 379). Today IQ has a very different connotation than what was intended when the test
was created.
A modern IQ test contains a variety of puzzles that the test taker must figure out quickly
and accurately in order to achieve a high score. Some questions are anagrams, some require a
person to find which block fits an unknown pattern, and others are analogies that have a large
range in difficulty. Ultimate IQ Tests is a book of twenty-five practice IQ tests, meant to prepare
its readers to take the real one. Question number twenty-six on "Test 20" gives a table of words:
Every
Against
Way
You
Wind

And
No
Always
Bad
Up

Is
Which
Luck
Just
Matter

Hill
The
Time
Ride
It

The question instructs the test taker to "try to rearrange the above into a trite saying" (Carter
214). The first obstacle a person would face would be to determine the meaning of the word
"trite" in the context of the question. Next, one would have to rearrange the twenty words into a
sentence that is coherent. Supposedly, a person with a high IQ would arrive at the conclusion
"No matter which way you ride, it is always up hill and against the wind every time, just bad
luck" (Carter 307). This sentence is not a commonly used one, so a person may encounter
difficulty in rearranging the jumbled words. Most people get less than half of the IQ test right so
a relatively low score may lead to an average IQ (Carter 3). However, the questions are supposed
to be hard. The previous example illustrates how one might solve a problem involving words and
language. Other questions test mathematical and spatial reasoning through word problems and

Thompson 9

questions that ask to complete the pattern (Carter 2). IQ tests are a type of aptitude test that are
"designed to predict a person's future performance" (Myers 378). A person who can perform well
on an IQ test shows that he or she can solve problems in a variety of settings. Employers
sometimes require that perspective employees take an IQ test during the application process.
Often companies can't afford to have their employees make mistakes, especially ones that can be
easily avoided (Carter 2). An IQ test can objectively confirm that a person can think his way
through a problem and be able to find a solution.
If IQ tests are so difficult, one might ask, why then do psychologists continue to use them
to measure intelligence? Standardization and validity would be the answers. Though intelligence
can have a variable meaning in some circles, "most psychologists are relatively rank-and-file on
how testing should operate, even if variability exists among the theoretical constructs of
intelligence" (Firmin 21). Psychologists have a universally agreed upon definition of intelligence
that IQ tests are meant to measure. IQ tests generally reflect a person's general intelligence (g)
meaning "a general intelligence factor that, according to Spearman and others, underlies specific
mental abilities and is therefore measured by every task on an intelligence test" (Myers 369).
Charles Spearman was a well-regarded psychologist who developed the idea that humans have
an underlying intelligence that encompasses all aspects of the brain (Myers 368). A person might
excel in one area and perform poorly in another, yet that person still uses the same general
intelligence in each area. IQ tests have been used and restudied over and over again yet they still
remain "an instrument. . . of construct, concurrent, content, criterion, and/or convergent validity
in order to find acceptance in the psychological world and to be given serious credence" (qtd. in
Firmin, 21). To be an official method of assessing intelligence, IQ tests have to be standardized;
otherwise, they aren't worth anything to the scientific community. The American Psychological

Thompson 10

Association has strict rules about proctoring an IQ test. A psychologist "Using tests, including
intellectual assessments, that do not meet acceptable thresholds of reliability and validity under
standardized conditions for professional purposes such as diagnosing psychiatric or learning
disorders is considered unethical" (Firmin 21-22). Psychologists have standardized and validated
IQ tests so they can be considered a good tool for measuring intelligence.
However, in the case of the college student, the IQ tests results showed an average IQ
where an employer seriously considering the student for a job sees a highly talented individual.
IQ tests measure how well a person can solve problems using different aspects of one's
intelligence. However, a high IQ does not necessarily lead to success. Angela Duckworth noticed
during her teaching career that the students who got the best grades didn't necessarily have the
highest IQ, but they had the most grit (Angela Duckworth: What Is Grit?). Students may have the
intelligence to succeed, but if they do not feel inclined to use it, they will get bad grades. On the
other hand, a student with an average IQ may still get good or even exceptional grades if he or
she works hard enough. The same principle also applies to IQ tests themselves. Most people
taking an intelligence test try to do the best they can; however, "previous research has shown that
not everyone makes the maximum effort" (Balter). IQ tests are often long, difficult, and for
young students incredibly boring. They may find ways to distract themselves or immediately
give up on a problem that is confusing. Some students (and adults) don't think the test results
mean anything and are not motivated to try. Duckworth found that when motivated with a
monetary reward, students averaged ten points higher on an IQ test (Balter). Motivation plays a
key role in intelligence testing and therefore may skew results. Angela Duckworth has studied
people in different environments and with different socio-economic backgrounds and has found
that people who are motivated, who are "gritty," are generally the most successful (Angela

Thompson 11

Duckworth: What Is Grit?). While general intelligence is a factor of success, people must have
the dedication to persevere. Although she admits that psychologists have yet to figure out exactly
how to instill grit in people, Duckworth concludes her speech by saying, "What we need in
education is a much better understanding of students and learning from a motivational
perspective" (Angela Duckworth: What Is Grit?). An IQ, no matter how high or how low, doesn't
mean much by itself, but how a person chooses to use his or her intelligence determines that
person's level of success.
Also, crystallized intelligence and fluid intelligence are very different types of intelligence
but equally important when measuring overall intelligence. Crystallized intelligence is the
"accumulated knowledge as reflected in vocabulary and analogies tests" (Myers 384). IQ tests
measure fluid intelligence, a person's "ability to reason with these pieces of crystallized
intelligence" (Sundem 118). IQ tests don't require significant background knowledge but tests a
person's problem-solving ability. Crystallized and fluid intelligence tend to change with age. As
people age, their brains lose processing speed, decreasing fluid intelligence; however, as fluid
intelligence decreases, crystallized intelligence increases (Myers 384). Each is used for a
different purpose, but one needs to know how to use both well in order to be successful.
Measurable intelligence provides the most objective method of determining intelligence,
but several types of immeasurable intelligence factor into a person's success. Some careers
require a great amount of interpersonal interactions. A person may have great general intelligence
but still fail to get their point across because of social anxiety. This situation requires a different
type of intelligence. Emotional intelligence, defined as "the ability to perceive, understand,
manage, and use emotions," aids people in understanding and working with other people. People
with high emotional intelligence are able to easily read a situation, devise the best way to handle

Thompson 12

it, and control their own emotions well enough to get the job done (Myers 375). One gains
emotional intelligence through experience and maturity. However, one does not consciously use
emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence stems more from automatic processing of
emotions, and although it is difficult to measure quantitatively, psychologists can see how people
interact with others to see who has a high emotional intelligence (Myers 375). Creativity is a
specific form of intelligence that can manifest itself differently. Creativity can be defined as
"thinking thoughts that have never been thought before," but psychologists have a difficult time
measuring it. The reason is that creativity is often subjective, and people cannot see creativity in
its true form until a person puts it to use. People generally don't like creativity on its own, as
Garth Sundem notes, but they do approve of innovation, "the practical intelligence that can help
others see the benefit of this thinking" (69). Those who have enormous creativity and are able to
innovate using their ideas are generally considered successful, whether or not they have a high
IQ. A person's IQ score is only a piece of his intelligence; a person can also use his emotional
intelligence and creativity to achieve success.
Since intelligence can manifest itself in many different forms, people cannot use IQ tests as
the sole measure of intelligence. A person may have high emotional or crystallized intelligence
but lack the fluid intelligence to perform well on an IQ test. A cartoon called "Our Educational
System in a Nutshell" illustrates this phenomenon excellently. A proctor wants to test the
intelligence of a variety of different animals (monkey, elephant, fish, etc.) by having each of
them climb a tree. Of all the animals, the monkey is the only one who is physically capable of
climbing the tree. Some people simply don't understand how to solve the questions on the IQ
test, but it certainly doesn't mean that they are underachievers. The cartoon is paired with a
caption: "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live

Thompson 13

its whole life believing that it is stupid" ("Our Educational System in a Nutshell"). An IQ test is a
good indicator of intelligence, but it doesn't measure everything. A fish may not be able to climb
a tree, but it can swim a lot better than monkeys. Emotional intelligence and creativity play a
huge part in an individual's success, and if a person has these skills, he can make up for an
average IQ.
IQ tests are a useful tool for determining a person's intelligence, but they are certainly not
all-encompassing. IQ tests are meant to measure general intelligence and fluid intelligence.
Employers use these tests to determine if a person is competent and able to perform one's job
independently. While the intelligence quotient has proven to be a valid measurement, one can't
depend on it to determine if a person is going to have a good job performance. People who can
work well with others and innovate although they may not have an exceptional IQ will be more
likely to succeed in their endeavors than people with high IQs who lack these skills. People who
have the necessary skills and are motivated to use them are the people who will appear more
intelligent. These qualifications are often beyond what a simple IQ test can measure.

Thompson 14

Works Cited
Angela Duckworth: What Is Grit? Prod. Allen Kelman. PBSVideo. PBS, 7 May 2013. Web. 6
Dec. 2015.
Balter, Michael. "What Does IQ Really Measure?" AAAS. AAAS, 25 Apr. 2011. Web. 8 Dec.
2015.
Carter, Philip, and Ken Russel. Ultimate IQ Tests. 2nd ed. London: Kogan Page, 2012. Print.
Firmin, Michael W., et al. "Evaluating the Concurrent Validity of Three Web-based IQ Tests and
the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS)." Eastern Education Journal 37.1
(2008): 20-28. Cedarville University Digital Commons. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.
Myers, David G. Psychology. 10th ed. Holland: Worth, 2013. Print.
"Our Educational System in a Nutshell." Cartoon. Psychology Today. Ed. Jonathan Wai, Ph.D.
Psychology Today, 27 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Dec. 2015.
Sundem, Garth. Beyond IQ. New York: Three Rivers, 2014. Print.