Quantitative Thinking Designation
Rationale, Requirement and Approval Criteria
Rationale
Quantitative thinking (QT) skills are an essential component of a liberal education. Critical
thinking incorporates both qualitative and quantitative evidence and evaluation. In some fields quantitative
approaches play a central role, while qualitative thinking dominates in others. Despite these differences in
emphasis, critical thinking skills learned in one area often carry over and reinforce those learned in other
areas. It is for this reason that the breadth of experience associated with a liberal arts education prepares
students effectively to be active participants and leaders in government, civil society, business, and
academia.
Many policy debates, scientific discussions, political issues, and personal and organizational
decisions involve judgments about claims based upon quantitative evidence. To evaluate these claims, the
individual must have basic familiarity with such concepts as counting, measurement, estimation, and data
analysis. Equally important is the capacity to ask and answer questions in a manner appropriate to these
quantitative tools and to understand when the use of quantitative tools is or is not appropriate. The purpose
of the QT requirement is to ensure that students have the opportunity to develop such skills. Students
should learn approaches to collecting, interpreting, and presenting information about the world based on
numerical, logical, and statistical skills. These topics arise in a wide range of areas, and we invite faculty
from a range of disciplines to teach courses that contribute to QT.
Requirement Students may take one or more courses with a Q1, Q2, or Q3 designation. (The number indicates
how broadly the course covers quantitative concepts.) A single Q3 course completely satisfies the
requirement, but some students may prefer to satisfy the requirement by taking a Q2 course together with
any other Q2 or Q1 course, or by taking three Q1 courses.
Q1 Some range of quantitative topics are covered in Q1 courses, and quantitative thinking
elements represent some of the overall material covered in the course.
Q2 At least half of the material covered in Q2 courses will focus on quantitative topics, and
these courses will cover the majority of learning goals listed below.
Q3 The great majority of material covered in Q3 course focuses on quantitative topics, and
these courses will cover all or nearly all of the learning goals listed below.
Approval Criteria
QT courses (content, pedagogy, activities, assessment) will provide opportunities for students to
enhance their abilities in the following areas:
- Describing the World Quantitatively: Much of quantitative thinking involves
quantitative or statistical descriptions of social and natural phenomena. This
includes descriptions of patterns and variations and rates of change, such as linear
or exponential growth. Understanding descriptive statistics and the various
modes of presentation of quantitative data is central. Students should be able to
distinguish when quantitative approaches are appropriate and when they are not.
- Evaluating Sources and Quality of Data: Students of quantitative thinking
should also understand the sources of data, including the processes of collecting
or producing data. This may involve understanding how to assess the reliability
and validity of measurements and elements of probability and sampling, including
sources of bias and error.
- Association and Causation: The quantitative thinker knows the ways that
associations between factors are established by observation, experiment or quasiexperiment.
It is important to be able to establish the meaning of an association
or correlation and learn the protocols for weighing the statistical significance and
theoretical importance of findings, including inferring causation.
- Trade-Offs: Most decisions, whether public or private, individual or societal,
may be thought of as involving conflicting goals. Much of the debate on public
issues involves disagreement about the value of the different goals. Where there
are conflicting goals, quantitative thinking offers techniques for weighing the
relative impact of policy options. While there rarely is a single correct outcome
in the face of such conflicts, the quantitative thinkers can bring measure and
balance to policy discussion.
- Uncertainty and Risk: Few things in life are certain; decisions and debate often
revolve around unknowns. The quantitative thinker possesses skills that can be
used to assess, compare and balance risks, and understands the limits and
strengths of these techniques. The quantitative thinker knows that, in the face of
the unknown, if not the unknowable, we often rely on conditional statements and
probabilities in making decisions and can evaluate conclusions drawn from
conditional statements.
- Estimation, Modeling, and Scale: The quantitative thinker understands that
quantities vary over huge ranges; ‘big’ and ‘small’ are not absolute notions but
depend on context or scale. Quantitative thinkers appreciate the value and
limitations of abstracting out detail—constructing models—and that the
sensitivity of model results to assumptions can and should be reported along with
the model results.
Request for a Quantitative Thinking Designation If you have questions, please contact:
Chair of
the Education Policy and Governance Committee.
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