The National Student Research Center

E-Journal of Student Research: Social Studies

Volume 5, Number 4, August, 1997

John I. Swang, Ph.D.

Founder/Director

National Student Research Center

2024 Livingston Street

Mandeville, Louisiana 70448

U.S.A.

E-Mail: nsrcmms@communique.net

http://youth.net/nsrc/nsrc.html

1. How Long Do Kids Participate In Physical Activities Each Week?
2. The Destruction Of The Rainforests
3. What Do Students Know And Feel About Racism?
4. Cheapest Gas in the World
5. What Students Know And Feel About Poverty
6. What Do Students Know And Feel About Nuclear Weapons?
7. What Do Students Know and Feel About Death and Dying?

Title:  How Long Do Kids Participate In Physical Activities
        Each Week?

Student Researcher:  John Hegeman
School:  Weber Elementary School 
         Iowa City, Iowa
Grade:  5
Teacher:  Chris Rohret


I .  Statement of Purpose and Hypothesis:

I wanted to know how long kids at Weber Elementary school 
participate in physical activities (physical education does not 
count).  I wanted to know whether boys or girls spend more time 
participating in physical activities during an average week.  
Also, I wanted to know whether younger kids or older kids spend 
more time participating in physical activities.  My first 
hypothesis stated that boys would participate in physical 
activities longer than girls.  My second hypothesis stated that 
there would be a positive correlation between age and time of 
physical activity for boys (the older, the more hours of 
physical activity in an average week).  My third hypothesis 
stated that there would be a negative correlation between age 
and time of physical activity for girls (the older, the fewer 
hours of physical activity in an average week).  

II.  Methodology:

The first thing I did was write my statement of purpose and 
hypothesis.  Next, I reviewed my literature.  After that I 
wrote my questionnaire.  Then I drew a stratified  sample with 
an equal number of boys and girls from the 3rd/4th grades and 
5th/6th grades for a total of 44 students.  After that I gave 
out my questionnaires.  When they were returned, I scored them 
and conducted my analysis of data.  Next, I wrote my summary 
and conclusion and finally published my research findings.

III. Analysis of Data:

My data show that the hours of physical activity during an 
average week varies from student to student.  The overall  
range was from 1-20 hours a week.  Data show that the boys 
average 8.35 hours while girls average 6.56 hours of physical 
activities each week. There was no correlation between age and 
number of hours participating in physical activities for boys 
or girls.

IV.  Summary and Conclusion:

Only about half of the 44 surveys I sent out were returned and 
answered correctly.  One age group for both boys and girls did 
not have any surveys returned correctly.  

I accepted my first hypothesis which stated that boys would 
participate in physical activities longer than girls.  I 
rejected my second and third hypotheses because my data show 
that there is no correlation between age and time of physical 
activity for boys or girls.  My hypotheses stated that there 
would be a positive correlation for boys (the older, the more 
hours in an average week) and a negative correlation for girls 
(the older, the fewer hours in an average week).  The youngest 
boys participated in physical activities longer than the older 
boys.  

V.  Application

I will give my findings to the physical education teachers for 
the school district.  I will do this so they will make sure all 
kids are being sufficiently active in P.E.



TITLE:  The Destruction Of The Rainforests   

STUDENT RESEARCHERS:  Keri Beth Schroeder, Colby Omner, Curtis
                      Akey, and Jeff  Arabie  
SCHOOL:  Mandeville Middle School
         Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE:  6
TEACHER:  John I. Swang, Ph.D.


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

We would like to do a survey research project on what students 
know, what they feel, and what they want to do about the 
destruction of the rainforests.  Our first hypothesis states 
that the majority of the students that are surveyed will not 
know that we are losing the rainforests at a rate of 75 acres a 
minute.  Our second hypothesis states that a majority of 
students that we survey will not know that over 39 million 
acres of rainforests are cut down each year.
 
II.  METHODOLOGY:

First, we chose our subject to research and composed our 
statement of purpose.  Second, we wrote our review of the 
literature.  After that we developed our hypothesis and a 
methodology to test our hypothesis.  Then we constructed our 
rainforest questionnaire and distributed it to a random 
selection of 6th grade students at Mandeville Middle School.  
We also sent it out on the NSRC's Electronic School District on 
the Internet to students around the world.  Fifth, we scored 
our questionnaires when they were returned and analyzed the 
data that we had collected.  Next, we wrote a summary and 
conclusion where we accepted or rejected our hypothesis.  Then 
we applied our finding to the world outside of the classroom.  
Finally, we submitted an abstract of our research project for 
publication in the journal of student research.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

We received 148 questionnaires back including 96 e-mail 
responses and 52 responses from students at Mandeville Middle 
School in Mandeville, Louisiana.  The e-mail responses came 
from Canada, California, Utah, Michigan, and North Carolina. 

A majority of 58% that were surveyed knew that 39 million acres 
of rainforests are destroyed each year.  A small majority of 
65% knew that most rainforests are located in South America, 
Africa, and Australia.  A majority of 84% did not know that the 
rainforests supplied fifty percent of the world's oxygen.  A 
majority of 75% didn't know that fifty percent of 
pharmaceutical drugs originate from plants growing in the 
rainforests.  A large majority of 85% did not know that eighty 
percent of the world's vegetation is growing in the 
rainforests.  A large majority of 94% agreed that the 
destruction of the rainforests and the animals in it is a major 
global issue.  A large majority of 96% agreed that we should 
immediately save the rainforests from being destroyed.  A 
majority of 78% agreed that we should boycott all products that 
are made from trees cut down in the rainforests.  A large of 
96% agreed that we should put more time, money and effort into 
saving the rainforests.  A small majority of 59% said that 
there were no forests being cut down in their area.  A majority 
of 54% did not know that the rainforests were being destroyed 
at a rate of 75 acres a minute.  A majority of 92% agreed that 
the destruction of the rainforests is eliminating the discovery 
of future medicines.  A small majority of 57% knew a fair 
amount or a little about the destruction of the rainforests.  A 
majority of 68% knew that deforestation is the act of cutting 
down trees.  A majority of 93% did not think that the 
rainforests should be cut down to supply the world with wood.       

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

A majority of 59% of the responses to the factual questions on 
our survey were incorrect.  The students surveyed were not as 
knowledgeable about the destruction of the rainforest as we 
hoped.  They thought that we should put more time, money, and 
effort into immediately saving the rainforests.  

From our data we found out that a small majority of 53% of the 
students did not know that we are losing the rainforests at a 
rate of 75 acres per minute.  Therefore, we accept our first 
hypothesis which stated that the majority of the students would 
not know that we are losing the rainforests at a rate of 75 
acres per minute.  A small majority of 56% knew that we are 
losing 39 million acres of rainforests each year.  Therefore, 
we reject our second hypothesis which stated that the majority 
of the students we survey will not know that over 39 million 
acres of rainforests are being destroyed each year. 

V.  APPLICATION:

We could apply this information to the world outside the 
classroom by helping teachers and student to become more 
knowledgeable about the destruction of the rainforests.  We can 
also help by writing letters to world leaders to tell them that 
students want an immediate stop to the destruction of the 
rainforests.  We can start a national protest group.  We can 
talk to the timer industry and ask them to stop cutting down 
trees in the rainforests.  We can buy acres of rainforests and 
set them aside as a preserve.



TITLE:   What Do Students Know And Feel About Racism?

STUDENT RESEARCHER:  Michael Placito
SCHOOL:  Mandeville Middle School
         Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE:  6
TEACHER:  John I. Swang, Ph.D.


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS: 

I would like to do a survey research project on what students 
know and feel about racism.  My hypothesis states that the 
majority of the students that respond to my questionnaire can 
correctly define prejudice.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

First, I wrote my statement of purpose and reviewed the 
literature on racism, prejudice, and discrimination.  Second, I 
developed my hypothesis.  After that, I wrote my methodology to 
test my hypothesis.  Next, I developed a questionnaire.  I then 
drew a random sample of 6th grade students at Mandeville Middle 
School in Mandeville, Louisiana and administered my 
questionnaire to them.  I also sent the questionnaire out onto 
the National Student Research Center's Electronic School 
District on the Internet to schools all over the world.  Once I 
received the completed questionnaires, I scored them.  Next, I 
analyzed my data, wrote my summary and conclusions where I 
accepted or rejected my hypothesis, and applied my findings to 
life outside the classroom.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

In total, I received 16 responses to my questionnaire.  One 
response came from Montana, another from Wisconsin, three from 
Canada, and eleven from Mandeville Middle School in Mandeville, 
Louisiana.  Fourteen of the sixteen respondents were Anglo-
Americans, one respondent was an Asian American, and one 
respondent had a Native American background.  The respondents 
were in fifth, sixth, eleventh, and thirteenth grade.  Nine 
respondents were male and six were female.  Twenty percent of 
the students surveyed were members of a racial or ethnic 
minority where they lived, and none of the students had a 
disability.

A large majority of 86% knew that prejudice is a is a negative 
prejudgment of the members of a group.  A majority of 53% did 
not know that Agism can be discrimination against all ages, 
including children, teenagers, or the elderly.  A small 
majority of 53% knew that a person who is bigoted does not 
listen to other people's opinions.  A large majority of 87% 
knew that discrimination is the unequal treatment of people 
based upon their race, creed, color, religion, gender, and age.  
Seventy-eight percent correctly defined genocide as the 
extermination of a cultural or racial group.  Eighty-seven 
percent knew than genocide can be the result of war.  Only 47% 
of the students knew that segregation can be both voluntary and 
involuntary.  

Fifty-seven percent of the students surveyed incorrectly 
thought that there are more males in the United States than 
there are females.    

An overwhelming majority of 93% believed that not hiring 
someone for a job because of their race is a form of 
discrimination.  A small majority of only 51% thought that 
prejudice was always unacceptable.  Forty-five percent thought 
that it was sometimes acceptable.  A small majority of only 54% 
thought that sexism was unacceptable.  Forty-six percent 
thought that it was sometimes acceptable.  A large majority of 
only 72% percent thought that racism was unacceptable, and 
fifty-seven percent thought that intolerance was also 
unacceptable.

A large majority of 93% of the students surveyed thought that 
the Equal Rights Amendment, an amendment that would end 
discrimination against women, was a good idea.  However, 87% of 
the students did not know that the amendment wasn't ratified by 
the states, and therefore is not an amendment in the U.S. 
Constitution.  A majority of 71% believed that the Americans 
with Disabilities Act, an act passed by Congress in 1991 that 
wanted to ensure equal rights of people with physical or mental 
disabilities, was a good idea.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

A majority of 75% of the responses to my factual questions on 
my questionnaire were correct.  According to my data, the 
students surveyed could correctly define prejudice, 
segregation, agism, and bigotry.  

The majority of the students felt that prejudice, racism, 
intolerance, and racism were unacceptable.  It should be 
mentioned that a significant number believed that prejudice and 
sexism is sometimes acceptable.  

The majority of the students surveyed thought that the Civil 
Rights Act, the Equal Rights Act, and the Americans With 
Disabilities Act were good ideas.  

Since 86% of the students surveyed knew that prejudice is a 
negative prejudgment of the members of a group, I accept my 
hypothesis which stated that the majority of the students that 
respond to my questionnaire can correctly define prejudice.

V.  APPLICATION:

Due to this survey research project, I have learned that the 
majority of the students surveyed believe that racism, 
prejudice, discrimination, sexism, and intolerance are 
unacceptable. The majority supported the governmental 
legislation acts that tried to abolish these social practices.  
This information shows that the students surveyed dislike 
prejudice and discrimination, and want those practices to be 
stopped.  With this information in mind, as an individual, I 
could do my part by creating an anti-hatred group to educate 
others of these facts and write letters to public officials to 
encourage them to support current anti-racist groups and 
legislation.



Title:  Cheapest Gas in the World

Student Researchers:  Mr. Carbone's Math Class
School:  North Stratfield School
         Fairfield, Connecticut
Grade:  4
Teacher:  Mr. V. Carbone, M.Ed


I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

We want to find out which country sells the cheapest gas.  Our 
hypothesis states that Saudi Arabia sells the cheapest gas.

II. METHODOLOGY:

We will ask other countries to join us in this project.  They 
will provide information from their country on gas prices.  We 
will get information on regular unleaded gas.  We will ask 
countries to provide gas prices per liter.  We will then try to 
figure out what the price per gallon is.  A liter is 
approximately 1.056 quarts.  Therefore, since there are 4 
quarts per gallon, we will multiply the liter by four to get 
the approximate gallon price.

III. ANALYSIS OF DATA:

COUNTRY          REGULAR UNLEADED PER LITER    APPROX. GALLON
                                                    PRICE

Denmark                  $ .83                      $3.32
England                  $ .75                      $3.00
Saudi Arabia             $ .08                      $ .32
Canada                   $ .38                      $1.52
Mali, Africa             $ .81                      $3.24
Nigeria, Africa          $ .13                      $ .52
India                    $ .60                      $2.40
United States            $ .25                      $1.01
    Georgetown, Kentucky
United States            $ .34                      $1.39
    Fairfield, Ct. (Home)

IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

We accept our hypothesis that Saudi Arabia had the cheapest gas 
prices.

V. APPLICATION TO LIFE:

1. It is important for a country to have natural resources.
2. If you were traveling, you might want to know how much you 
will spend towards gas.



TITLE:  What Students Know And Feel About Poverty

STUDENT RESEARCHERS:  Adam French and Jeff Arabie
SCHOOL:  Mandeville Middle School
         Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE:  6
TEACHER:  John I. Swang, Ph.D.


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS:

We would like to do a scientific research project on what 
students know and feel about poverty.  Our hypothesis states 
the majority of the responses to the factual questions on our 
questionnaire about poverty would be answered incorrectly.       

II.  METHODOLOGY:

First, we developed our statement of purpose.  Then we wrote 
our review of literature on poverty.  After that we developed 
our hypothesis and wrote our methodology.  Fifth, we developed 
our questionnaire.  Then we administered them to a random 
sample of 26 students at Mandeville Middle School in 
Mandeville, LA .  We also sent them out through the NSRC's 
Electronic School District via the Internet.  When we received 
the completed questionnaires we scored them and placed our data 
on our data collection form.  Last, we conducted our analysis 
of data, wrote our summary and conclusion, and applied our 
findings to the world outside the classroom.            

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

We received a total of 125 completed questionnaires from Ohio, 
Wisconsin, Montana, Michigan, Texas, Oregon, Virginia, New 
York, and Canada via the NSRC's Electronic School District on 
the Internet.  We also received 22 completed questionnaires 
from sixth grade students at Mandeville Middle School in 
Mandeville, LA.  We received responses from students in the 
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 11th grade.

A majority of 73% of the students we surveyed did not know that 
37 million people were living in poverty in the USA in 1992.  A 
majority of 65% knew that the greatest number of people living 
in poverty in the USA are woman and children.  A majority of 
83% agreed that poverty is a major issue in the USA.  A 
majority of 72% knew that lack of education is a primary cause 
of poverty.  A small majority of 51% did not know that 27% of 
the children lived in poverty in the USA in 1992.  A majority 
of 66% knew that the number of children living in poverty today 
is the highest its been in thirty years.  A majority of 79% 
knew that poverty is the lack of income and necessities to live 
adequately.  Half of the students did not know that African 
Americans had the highest poverty rate in 1992 in the USA.  
Seventy-five percent did not know that 11% of adults live in 
poverty and fifty percent did.  A majority of 72% knew that 
males are least likely to live in poverty in USA.  A majority 
of 77% agreed that the amount of poverty which exists in the 
USA is a national disgrace.  A majority of 55% did not think 
that the US government is doing all it can to eliminate poverty 
among its citizens.  A majority of 58% did not know that 15.7 
million children lived in poverty in the USA in 1993.  A 
majority of 83% did not know Anglo-Americans, in 1992, had the 
largest number of people living in poverty, in the USA.  They 
incorrectly believed that Hispanic and African Americans had 
the largest number of people living in poverty.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

The majority of students were able to define poverty.  They 
know that a primary cause of poverty is lack of education.  
They know that more women and children live in poverty than 
men.  

They did not know that there are at least 37 million people 
living in poverty in the USA.  They did not know 27% of 
American children are living in poverty.  They did not know 
that African Americans have the highest poverty rate.  They did 
not know that 11% of adults are living in poverty in the USA.  
They did not know that 16 million children are living in 
poverty.  They did not know that Anglo-Americans had the 
highest number of people living in poverty.  In general, they 
don't know how large the problem of poverty in the USA really 
is.  

The majority of the responses to six of the eleven factual 
questions on our questionnaire about poverty were incorrect.  
Therefore, we accept our hypothesis which stated that the 
majority of the responses to the factual questions on our 
questionnaire about poverty would be answered incorrectly.       

V.  APPLICATION:

A majority of the students believe that the amount of poverty 
which exists in the USA is a national disgrace.  Students also 
feel that the government of the USA is not doing all it can to 
eliminate poverty among its citizens.  Knowing this we could 
bring this information to the legislators and tell them what 
students think about the government's efforts in regards to the 
extensive poverty which exists in the USA, one of the 
wealthiest nations in the world.  We could also start a group 
to help raise money for the poor. 



TITLE:   What Do Students Know And Feel About Nuclear Weapons?

STUDENT RESEARCHER:  Michael Placito, Gordon Spring, and Kristi
                     LeBlanc
SCHOOL:  Mandeville Middle School
         Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE:  6
TEACHER:  John I. Swang, Ph.D.


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS: 

We would like to do a survey research project on what students 
know and feel about nuclear weapons.  Our hypothesis states 
that the majority of the responses to the factual questions on 
our questionnaire will be answered incorrectly.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

After we chose our research topic, we wrote a statement of 
purpose.  Then we reviewed the literature related on nuclear 
weapons.  From our review, we developed a hypothesis.  Next, we 
developed a methodology to test our hypothesis.  Then we 
created a questionnaire from the information that we had 
gathered in our library research, and sent the questionnaire to 
a random sample of 36 students at Mandeville Middle School in 
Mandeville, Louisiana.  In addition to that, we also posted the 
questionnaire on the National Student Research Center's 
Electronic School District on the Internet and sent it to 
schools all around the world.  Once we received the 
questionnaires back, we scored them, analyzed our data, and 
wrote our summary and conclusions where we accepted or rejected 
our hypothesis.  Then we applied our findings to life outside 
the classroom.  After we completed our project, we sent an 
abstract of it to the National Student Research Center's 
national journal of student research for publication.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

We received a total of 39 responses from Louisiana, Maryland, 
Alabama, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Singapore, Norway, Austria, 
and Canada.  These students were in the grades 5 through 9.

A large majority of 70% knew that in the United States there 
are 75 Presidential Emergency Facilities built for the use of 
the President during and after a nuclear war.  A majority of 
76% did not know that there have been about 1,050 nuclear tests 
in the U.S.A. from the years 1945 - 1992.  A majority of 77% 
didn't know that the first nuclear test was in 1945.  A 
majority of 60% didn't know that the largest nuclear weapon 
ever exploded was over 100 megatons.  A small majority of 59% 
knew that during an H-Bomb test in 1952, an entire island in 
the Enewetak Atoll was vaporized.  A majority of 65% didn't 
know that the state of Nevada in the U.S.A. had the greatest 
number of nuclear tests in the world.  A small majority of 51% 
were aware that in 1995, the U.S.A. targeted 2,500 targets 
around the world for nuclear attack by intercontinental 
ballistic missiles.  Fifty-percent knew that eleven U.S. 
nuclear bombs have been lost in accidents and were never 
recovered.  A majority of 67% did not know that the estimated 
annual spending on all nuclear activities in the U.S.A. is 
greater than 33 billion dollars.  A large majority of 86% did 
not know that the smallest nuclear bomb weighs 58 pounds.  A 
majority of 61% did not think that nuclear weapons keep the 
world safe.  A large majority of 73% did not know that the 
estimated number of nuclear weapons in the world in 1995 was 
50,000 weapons.  A small majority of 58% knew that the world-
wide nuclear arms race has produced more than 127,000 nuclear 
warheads.  A majority of 58% thought that nuclear weapons 
should be banned.  A small majority of 57% thought that the 
possibility of a global nuclear war is very great today and 63% 
thought the possibility of a terrorist group obtaining a 
nuclear weapon is very great today.  A majority of 68% knew 
that Nagasaki and Hiroshima were the two cities in Japan that 
were destroyed by nuclear bombs during World War II.  Forty-two 
percent said that Russia is most likely to start a nuclear war 
and 12% thought that the U.S.A. is most likely to strt a 
nuclear war.  A small majority of 52% didn't know that the 
U.S.A. is the only country that has dropped a nuclear bomb 
during war.  A small majority of 58% knew that the START I and 
START II nuclear treaties will reduce American and Russian 
strategic nuclear weapons to 3,000 - 3,500 by the year 2003.

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

The majority of the respondents felt strongly against nuclear 
weapons.  They thought nuclear weapons should be banned and did 
not keep the world safe.  There were 598 responses to our 
factual questions.  Fifty-four percent of the answers were 
incorrect.  Therefore, we accept our hypothesis which stated 
that the majority of the responses to the factual questions on 
our questionnaire will be answered incorrectly.

V.  APPLICATION:

We can apply these findings to the world outside the classroom, 
by telling teachers to make their students more aware of 
nuclear weapons.  Also, we would like to start a global anti-
nuclear weapons group to work towards the banning of all 
nuclear weapons.  We will write a letter and send our research 
findings to the leaders of all nuclear weapons countries.



TITLE:  What Do Students Know and Feel About Death and Dying?    

STUDENT RESEARCHER:   Graham Rees and Devin Grabarek   
SCHOOL:  Mandeville Middle School
         Mandeville, Louisiana
GRADE:  6
TEACHER:  John I. Swang, Ph.D.


I.  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS: 

We would like to do a survey research project on what students 
know and feel about death and dying.  Our hypothesis states 
that the majority of the responses to the factual questions on 
our questionnaire will be incorrect.

II.  METHODOLOGY:

First, we wrote our statement of purpose and reviewed the 
literature on death and dying.  Second, we developed our 
hypothesis and a methodology to test our hypothesis.  Next, we 
developed our questionnaire.  Then we drew a random sample 
population of twenty-four 6th graders at Mandeville Middle 
School in Mandeville, Louisiana which would receive the 
questionnaire.  Then we administered our questionnaires to 
them.  We also sent the questionnaires out over the Internet on 
the NSRC's Electronic School District.  After we received our 
completed questionnaires, we scored them and analyzed our data.  
Finally, we wrote our summary and conclusion, and applied our 
findings to the world outside of the classroom.

III.  ANALYSIS OF DATA:

We received a total of 24 completed questionnaires from 6th 
grade students at Mandeville Middle School in Mandeville, 
Louisiana.  We also received a total of 73 responses from 
Texas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, New York, Georgia, Missouri, 
Nebraska, Kansas, Michigan, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, 
Norway, and England.  The students responding to our 
questionnaire were in grades 4 through 12.

A large majority of 91% of the students surveyed believed that 
funerals are a good way to say goodbye to friends or loved ones 
when they die.  About a quarter of the respondents (23%) wished 
to be cremated when they die.  A little over a half of the 
respondents (52%) wished to be buried when they die. About a 
fifth of the respondents (19%) wished to be frozen in hope that 
medical science can bring them back to life in the future.  
About three quarters of the respondents (74%) believed that 
their soul will travel to heaven or hell once they die.  About 
one sixth of the respondents (16%) believed that they will be 
reincarnated when they die.  The other tenth of the respondents 
believed that their body will lay unconscious and they will 
cease to exist entirely when they die.  A majority of 82% knew 
that a hospice is a program of caring people who help others 
cope with death and dying.  A majority of 74% knew that the 
longest average life span for a person living in a developed 
country today is 83 years of age.  Only a very small majority 
of 51% knew that citizens of Switzerland have the longest 
average life span of 83 years of age.  A majority of 69% knew 
that the shortest average life span for a person living in a 
developing is 43 years of age.  A majority of 73% did not know 
that Afghanistan has the shortest average life span of 43 years 
of age.  A majority of 74% knew that, on average, women live 
longer than men.  A majority of 64% did not know that death 
rates have not risen all over the world in the past fifty 
years.  A majority of 74% believe that students should be 
taught more about death and dying in school.  A small majority 
of 54% knew that the country with the highest crude death rates 
of 22.2 deaths per thousand was Afghanistan.  A majority of 76% 
did not know that Japan is the country with the lowest crude 
death rate of 7.5 deaths per thousand.  A majority of 77% 
believe that assisted suicide for terminally ill patients who 
are suffering a great deal of pain should be legal.  A majority 
of 64% did not kow that the legal definition of death is when 
the brain ceases to function.  A small majority of 57% did not 
want to live forever.  A majority of 76% did not know that 
Afghanistan has the highest infant mortality rate of 162 deaths 
per 1000.  A majority of 57% did not know that Japan has the 
lowest infant mortality rates of 5 deaths per 1000.  A majority 
of 83% believed that world governments should spend more money 
on trying to find cures for deadly diseases.  A majority of 64% 
did not know that the most frequent initial response from 
people when they find out that they are going to die is denial.   

IV.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

In summary, majority of 60% of the responses to the factual 
questions on our questionnaire were answered incorrectly.  
Therefore, we accept our hypothesis which stated that the 
majority of the responses to the factual questions on our 
questionnaire will be incorrect.  Students basically did not 
know a lot about death and dying.  They thought that they 
needed to be taught more about death and dying in school    

V.  APPLICATION:

We can apply our findings to the world outside of the classroom 
by explaining to school boards and teachers that students need 
to be taught more about death and dying.  They need to know 
more about this topic because death will happen to all of them 
and it will happen to the loved ones around them.

© 1997 John I. Swang, Ph.D.