Appendix A
Key Definitions and Statements about Literacy, Numeracy, Science Literacy, Health Literacy, and Health Numeracy
The five tables in this appendix detail the formal definitions and other definitional statements about literacy, numeracy (quantitative literacy), science literacy, health literacy, and health numeracy. The following acronyms are used in the tables:
AAAS | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
ALL | Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey |
AMA | American Medical Association |
HALS | Health Activities Literacy Scale |
IALS | International Adult Literacy Survey |
IOM | Institute of Medicine |
NAAL | National Assessment of Adult Literacy |
NALS | National Adult Literacy Survey |
NCES | National Center for Education Statistics |
NRC | National Research Council |
NSB | National Science Board |
OECD | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
PIAAC | Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies |
PISA | Programme for International Student Assessment |
REALM | Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine |
S-TOFHLA | Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults |
TOFHLA | Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults |
WHO | World Health Organization |
TABLE A-1 Literacy
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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The active engagement of the reader in constructing meaning through the accurate and fluent processing of text. | Snow (2002) | |
Using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential. | Kirsch et al. (1993), Kirsch (2001) | NALS 1992, IALS 2001 |
How adults use printed and written information to adequately function at home, in the workplace, and in the community. Measures three types of literacy—prose, document, and quantitative. | NCES (2003) | NAAL 2003 |
The knowledge and skills needed to understand and use information from text and other written formats. | NCES (2003) | ALL 2003-2008 |
Reading literacy is understanding, using, reflecting on and engaging with written texts, in order to achieve one’s goals, to develop one’s knowledge and potential, and to participate in society. There are three broad aspect categories: (1) access and retrieve, (2) integrate and interpret, (3) reflect and evaluate. | OECD (2009) | PISA 2009 |
Understanding, evaluating, using and engaging with written text to participate in the society, to achieve one’s goals and to develop one’s knowledge and potential. | NCES (2012a) | PIAAC 2012 |
Definitions of literacy emphasize the active engagement of the reader in constructing meaning through the accurate and fluent processing of text and note that success at reading comprehension depends on language skills and world knowledge as well as on control over decoding processes. Task or purpose for literacy use is at the center of any interpretation of reader skill, with an emphasis on the sociocultural context in which literacy skills are deployed and the role of that context in determining what constitutes adequate literacy levels. | Snow (2016) |
TABLE A-2 Numeracy (quantitative literacy)
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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The knowledge and skills required to apply arithmetic operations, either alone or sequentially, to numbers embedded in printed materials, such as balancing a check-book, figuring out a tip, completing an order form, or determining the amount of interest on a loan from an advertisement. | Kirsch et al. (1993), Kirsch (2001) | NALS 1992, IALS 2001 |
To be numerate means to be competent, confident, and comfortable with one’s judgements on whether to use mathematics in a particular situation and if so, what mathematics to use, how to do it, what degree of accuracy is appropriate, and what the answer means in relation to the context. | Coben (2000, 2003) | |
A more comprehensive portrait of quantitative literacy includes (1) confidence with mathematics; (2) cultural appreciation of mathematics; (3) interpreting data; (4) logical thinking; (5) using mathematics in making decisions in everyday life; (6) using mathematics in specific settings; (7) number sense; (8) practical skills in wide variety of common situations; (9) prerequisite knowledge (ability to use algebraic, geometric, and statistical tools); (10) symbol sense (being comfortable with algebraic and other mathematical symbols). | Steen (2001) | |
Numeracy is defined as the knowledge and skills required to manage mathematical demands of diverse situations. | NCES (2003) | ALL 2003-2008 |
The components of numeracy are (1) context—the use and purpose for which an adult takes on a task with mathematics demands; (2) content—the mathematical knowledge that is necessary for the tasks confronted; and (3) cognitive and affective—the processes that enable an individual to solve problems and, thereby, link the content and the context. | Ginsburg et al. (2006) |
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Mathematical literacy is an individual’s capacity to formulate, employ, and interpret mathematics in a variety of contexts. It includes reasoning mathematically and using mathematical concepts, procedures, facts, and tools to describe, explain, and predict phenomena. It assists individuals to recognize the role that mathematics plays in the world and to make the well-founded judgments and decisions needed by constructive, engaged and reflective citizens. | OECD (2012b) | PISA 2012 |
Numeracy is the ability to use, apply, interpret, and communicate mathematical information and ideas. It is an essential skill in an age when individuals encounter an increasing amount and wide range of quantitative and mathematical information in their daily lives. Numeracy is a skill parallel to reading literacy, and it is important to assess how these competencies interact, since they are distributed differently across subgroups of the population. | Goodman et al. (2013), NCES (2012a) | PIAAC 2013 |
Numeracy is defined as the ability to access, use, interpret, and communicate mathematical information and ideas, to engage in and manage mathematical demands of a range of situations in adult life. | NCES (2012a) | PIAAC 2012 |
Numeracy is defined as the ability to understand probabilistic and mathematical concepts. | Peters (2012) | |
TABLE A-3 Science Literacy
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Attempts to define human values, to understand the social, economic and political problems of our times, or to validate educational objectives without a consideration of modern science are unrealistic. More than a casual acquaintance with scientific forces and phenomena is essential for effective citizenship today. Further efforts are required to choose learning experiences that have a particular value for the development of an appreciation of science as an intellectual achievement, as a procedure for exploration and discovery, and which illustrate the spirit of scientific endeavor. | Hurd (1958) | |
Scientific literacy involves (1) an understanding of the basic concepts in science, The scientifically literate individual presently is characterized as one with and understanding of (a) the basic concepts in science, (b) the nature of science, (c) the ethics that control the scientist in his work, (d) the interrelationships of science and society, (e) the interrelationships of science and the humanities, and (f) the differences between science and technology. | Pella et al. (1966) | |
Distinguish three forms of science literacy:
|
Shen (1975a) | |
The science-literate person is one who: is aware that science, mathematics and technology are interdependent human enterprises with strengths and limitations; understands key concepts and principles of science; is familiar with the natural world and recognizes both its diversity and unity; and uses scientific knowledge and scientific ways of thinking for individual and social purposes. | Frank (1989) | AAAS Science for All Americans 1989 |
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Reasons to care about the public understanding of science: (1) science is arguably the greatest achievement of our culture, and people deserve to know about it; (2) science affects everyone’s lives, and people need to know about it; (3) many public policy decisions involve science, and these can only be genuinely democratic if they arise out of informed public debate; and (4) science is publicly supported, and such support is (or at least ought to be) based on at least a minimal level of public knowledge. | Durant et al. (1989) | |
Four scales measuring (1) scientific interest, (2) factual scientific knowledge, (3) general attitudes to science, and (4) support for European Commission funded science. | Bauer et al. (1994) | Eurobarometer 1989 |
An education in science should contain at least three components: (a) learning science (the facts, laws, and theories of science); (b) learning about science (the philosophical, historical, and sociological foundations of science); and (c) learning to live with science. Students should be taught how to use criteria for judging experts: the role and weight of consensus; the role and weight of prestige in the scientific community; the role and weight of publication and successful competition for research grants; and so on… students need practice in judging the credibility of scientific experts. This practice should be based on real-world problems that currently affect their lives. | Norris (1995) |
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Scientific literacy is the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity. Scientific literacy means that a person can ask, find, or determine answers to questions derived from curiosity about everyday experiences. It means that a person has the ability to describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena. Scientific literacy entails being able to read with understanding articles about science in the popular press and to engage in social conversation about the validity of the conclusions. Scientific literacy implies that a person can identify scientific issues underlying national and local decisions and express positions that are scientifically and technologically informed. A literate citizen should be able to evaluate the quality of scientific information on the basis of its source and the methods used to generate it. Scientific literacy also implies the capacity to pose and evaluate arguments based on evidence and to apply conclusions from such arguments appropriately. | NRC (1996) | National Science Education Standards 1996 |
Individuals are scientifically and technically literate: When their knowledge gives them a certain autonomy (the possibility of negotiating decisions without undue dependency with respect to others, while confronted with natural or social pressures; a certain capacity to communicate (finding ways of getting one’s message across); and some practical ways of coping with specific situations and negotiating over outcomes. | Fourez (1997) | |
The primary and explicit aim of the 5–16 science curriculum should be: To provide a course which can enhance ‘scientific literacy’ enabling students to express an opinion on important social and ethical issues with which they will increasingly be confronted. | Millar and Osborne (1998) |
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Since the 1950’s there have been a variety of goals for teaching science and a wide range of meanings of scientific literacy: (1) teaching and learning about science as a cultural force in the modern world; (2) preparation for the world of work; (3) teaching and learning about science that has direct application to everyday living; (4) teaching students to be informed citizens; (5) learning about science as a particular way of examining the natural world; (6) understanding reports and discussions of science that appear in the popular media; (7) learning about science for its aesthetic appeal; (8) preparing citizens who are sympathetic to science; and (9) understanding the nature and importance of technology and the relationship between technology and science. | DeBoer (2000) | |
The types of knowledge needed to engage in science in contemporary societies by individuals who are not professionally involved in science: (1) subject matter knowledge, (2) collecting and evaluating data, (3) interpreting data, (4) modeling in science, (5) uncertainty in science, and (6) science communication in the public domain. | Ryder (2001) | |
Reading and writing when the content is science is the fundamental sense of scientific literacy, and being knowledgeable, learned, and educated in science is the derived sense. Scientific literacy comprises both the concepts, skills, understandings, and values generalizable to all reading, and knowledge of the substantive content of science. | Norris and Phillips (2003) | |
A scientifically literate citizen needs to have (1) a basic vocabulary of scientific terms and constructs, and (2) a general understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry. The level of understanding needed for scientific literacy needs to be sufficient to read and comprehend the Tuesday science section of The New York Times. | Miller (2004) |
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Scientific literacy refers to four interrelated features that involve an individual’s: (1) scientific knowledge and use of that knowledge to identify questions, acquire new knowledge, explain scientific phenomena and draw evidence-based conclusions about science-related issues; (2) understanding of the characteristic features of science as a form of human knowledge and enquiry; (3) awareness of how science and technology shape our material, intellectual, and cultural environments; and (4) willingness to engage in science-related issues and with the ideas of science, as a constructive, concerned, and reflective citizen. | Bybee et al. (2009), OECD (2006) | PISA 2006 |
Indicators of science literacy are (1) a good understanding of basic scientific terms, concepts, and facts, (2) an ability to comprehend how science generates and assesses evidence, and (3) a capacity to distinguish science from pseudoscience. | NSB Science & Engineering Indicators 2010 | |
Scientific literacy refers to an individual’s: (1) scientific knowledge and use of that knowledge to identify questions, acquire new knowledge, explain scientific phenomena and draw evidence-based conclusions about science-related issues; (2) understanding of the characteristic features of science as a form of human knowledge and enquiry; (3) awareness of how science and technology shape our material, intellectual and cultural environments; and (4) willingness to engage in science-related issues, and with the ideas of science, as a reflective citizen. | OECD (2012a) | PISA 2012 |
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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By the end of the 12th grade, students should have gained sufficient knowledge of the practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas of science and engineering to engage in public discussions on science-related issues, to be critical consumers of scientific information related to their everyday lives, and to continue to learn about science throughout their lives. They should come to appreciate that science and the current scientific understanding of the world are the result of many hundreds of years of creative human endeavor. It is especially important to note that the above goals are for all students, not just those who pursue careers in science, engineering, or technology or those who continue on to higher education. | NRC (2012) | A Framework for K-12 Science Education |
The outcomes of scientific literacy can be categorized into three categories of values regarding (1) the states of knowing one might obtain, (2) the capacities one might refine, and (3) the personal traits one might develop. | Norris et al. (2014) | |
Scientific literacy is the ability to engage with science-related issues, and with the ideas of science, as a reflective citizen. A scientifically literate person, therefore, is willing to engage in reasoned discourse about science and technology which requires the competencies to:
|
Koeppen et al. (2008), OECD (2013) (draft) | PISA 2015 |
Key indicators of Americans’ attitudes about and understanding of science and technology are (1) interest in new scientific discoveries, (2) basic scientific knowledge, (3) belief that science creates opportunity, (4) confidence in the scientific community, and (5) support for science funding. | NSB (2016) | Science & Engineering Indicators 2016 |
TABLE A-4 Health Literacy
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Health literacy represents the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health. By improving people’s access to health information, and their capacity to use it effectively, health literacy is critical to empowerment. Health literacy is itself dependent upon more general levels of literacy. Poor literacy can affect people’s health directly by limiting their personal, social and cultural development, as well as hindering the development of health literacy. | WHO (1998) | |
Health literacy is a constellation of skills, including the ability to perform basic reading and numerical tasks required to function in the healthcare environment. Patients with adequate health literacy can read, understand, and act on health care information. | AMA (1999), Davis et al. (1993), Parker et al. (1995), Baker et al. (1999) | REALM 1993, TOFHLA 1995, S-TOFHLA 1999 |
Assessment of various health-related activities from NALS 1992 and IALS 1994-1998 literacy surveys: 1) health promotion, 2) health protection, 3) disease prevention, 4) health care and maintenance, and 5) systems navigation. | Rudd et al. (2004) | HALS 2004 |
Health literacy is the degree to which individuals can obtain, process and understand the basic health information and services they need to make appropriate health decisions. But health literacy goes beyond the individual. It also depends upon the skills, preferences, and expectations of health information and care providers: our doctors; nurses; administrators; home health workers; the media; and many others. | IOM (2004), Weiss et al. (2005) | NAAL 2003, Newest Vital Sign 2005 |
The wide range of skills, and competencies that people develop to seek out, comprehend, evaluate and use health information and concepts to make informed choices, reduce health risks and increase quality of life. | Zarcadoolas et al. (2005) | |
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Health literacy goes beyond a narrow concept of health education and individual behavior-oriented communication, and addresses the environmental, political and social factors that determine health. Health education, in this more comprehensive understanding, aims to influence not only individual lifestyle decisions, but also raises awareness of the determinants of health, and encourages individual and collective actions which may lead to a modification of these determinants. | WHO (2009) | |
A more comprehensive definition of health literacy must include both the abilities of individuals and the characteristics of professionals and institutions that support or that may inhibit individual or community action. | Rudd et al. (2012) | |
Health literacy is linked to literacy and entails people’s knowledge, motivation and competences to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information in order to make judgments and take decisions in everyday life concerning healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion to maintain or improve quality of life during the life course. | Sørensen et al. (2012, 2015), Pelikan et al. (2012) | European Health Literacy Questionnaire 2012 |
Components of a definition of health literacy should include (1) system demands and complexities as well as individual skills and abilities; (2) measurable components, processes, and outcomes; (3) potential for an analysis of change; and (4) demonstrate linkage between informed decisions and action. | Pleasant et al. (2016) |
TABLE A-5 Health Numeracy
Definition | Source | Assessment/Educational Standard |
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Health numeracy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to access, process, interpret, communicate, and act on numerical, quantitative, graphical, biostatistical, and probabilistic health information needed to make effective decisions. | Golbeck et al. (2005) | |
Productive health information use results from the interplay between the quantitative competencies of the patient (health numeracy), the properties of the artifacts that mediate health cognition (information design), and the communication skills of the health-care provider. | Ancker and Kaufman (2007) | |
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