Grasping the STARS: A comprehensive study on statistics—Anxiety levels among engineering students

Abstract

Engineering students often face the challenge of comprehending and applying statistical concepts to evaluate and assess research. This research seeks to investigate the factor structure of Statistics Anxiety Rating Scale (STARs), which comprises six domains with 51 items. The questionnaire was administered to engineering students currently enrolled in a statistics class, and the data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The study sheds light on the factors that contribute to students’ statistics anxiety when taking a statistics course. The findings highlight the elements that influence statistics anxiety, educators and institutions can develop targeted interventions and support mechanisms to enhance students’ statistical competence and overall learning experience. This research not only addresses the unique challenges faced by engineering students but also holds implications for fostering statistical literacy across various disciplines.