A study was conducted at a four-year private university in the Midwest to investigate the effects of a math lab program on math anxiety and overall performance. Students enrolled in the day sections of Basic Algebra participated in the study. The study investigated the correlation of time spent in the math lab with changes in levels of math anxiety and overall performance during the semester in which the study was conducted. The math lab consisted of two or three hour sessions held on weekday afternoons. The individualized, free assistance concerning homework and mathematical concepts was provided by an instructor from the Math Department and five or six math majors. Attendance of the math lab sessions by the participants was voluntary. Time spent in the math lab was recorded for those utilizing the lab.;It was hypothesized that the time spent in the math lab and the individualized attention given to the students would decrease math anxiety and increase overall performance within the Basic Algebra course. Pre-test and post-test levels of math anxiety was measured using the Math Anxiety Rating Scale (see Appendix D). Pre-test and post-test levels of overall performance will be measured by a diagnostic math test and a post-test exam, respectively (see Appendix C and Appendix E). All data was statistically analyzed.;The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and a t-test were used to examine the significance of any correlation present. Utilizing a level of significance of.05, the hypotheses regarding correlation between the amount of time spent in the math lab and the amount of change in overall performance for the total sample and for females considered as a separate group were rejected.
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