Science Knowledge Quiz
How much science do you actually know?
How much of the science you were taught actually stuck? This 25-item quiz spans biology, physics, earth and space science, psychology, statistics, linguistics, and the history of science. It is harder than the usual, and every question has one correct answer.
Question 1 of 25
There is a hypothesis in psychiatry that all forms of psychotherapy produce equivalent outcomes. What is this hypothesis called?
BACK NEXT
The Science Knowledge Test is an objective knowledge quiz: each item has a single correct answer, and your score is the total number you answer correctly out of 25. The sections below explain where the questions come from and how the score is read.
About the Questions
The 25 items follow the tradition of public science-literacy surveys, such as the index of civic scientific literacy developed by Jon D. Miller and the measures used in the U.S. National Science Foundation's Science and Engineering Indicators. They sample core findings, named effects, and quantitative reasoning across biology, physics, earth and space science, psychology, statistics, linguistics, and the history of science, rather than testing a single subject.
Reference Norms
Your score is reported as a percentage correct and as a percentile relative to an internet reference sample (N = 2,413). Because that sample is self-selected rather than nationally representative, it skews high: answering roughly 80% of the items correctly already places a respondent near the 93rd percentile. The percentile therefore describes standing within an engaged online audience, not the general population.
Science Knowledge
Science Knowledge is breadth of factual and conceptual understanding across the natural and social sciences, including biology, physics, earth and space science, psychology, statistics, linguistics, and the history of science. High scorers recognize core findings, named effects, and quantitative reasoning across many fields; low scorers know fewer of these and rely more on everyday intuition. Each item has one correct answer, and the score is the number answered correctly out of 25.
Limitations
Educational quiz. It samples a limited set of facts across many fields and is not an IQ test or a measure of overall intelligence, expertise, or aptitude.
References
- Miller, J. D. (1998). The measurement of civic scientific literacy. Public Understanding of Science, 7(3), 203-223.
- Sturgis, P. & Allum, N. (2004). Science in society: re-evaluating the deficit model of public attitudes. Public Understanding of Science, 13(1), 55-74.
- Bauer, M. W., Allum, N. & Miller, S. (2007). What can we learn from 25 years of PUS survey research? Liberating and expanding the agenda. Public Understanding of Science, 16(1), 79-95.
- Allum, N., Sturgis, P., Tabourazi, D. & Brunton-Smith, I. (2008). Science knowledge and attitudes across cultures: a meta-analysis. Public Understanding of Science, 17(1), 35-54.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Science Knowledge Quiz actually test?
It tests objective knowledge of core findings, named effects, and quantitative reasoning across biology, physics, earth and space science, psychology, statistics, linguistics, and the history of science.
How is my score on the Science Knowledge Quiz shown?
Your score is the total correct out of 25, reported as a percentage and as a percentile relative to an internet reference sample of 2,413 people.
Where do the questions in the Science Knowledge Quiz come from?
The 25 items follow public science-literacy surveys such as Jon D. Miller's index and the U.S. National Science Foundation's Science and Engineering Indicators.
How reliable are the percentiles on the Science Knowledge Quiz?
The reference sample is self-selected and skews high, so the percentiles describe standing within an engaged online audience rather than the general population.
What can I learn by taking the Science Knowledge Quiz?
You can check how much of the science you were taught actually stuck across multiple fields through 25 items that each have one correct answer.
Why Use This Quiz?
1. Free. The Science Knowledge Test is provided free of charge and lets you check your factual knowledge across a broad range of scientific fields.
2. Broad coverage. The items span biology, physics, earth and space science, psychology, statistics, linguistics, and history rather than a single subject.