The public’s knowledge of science and technology varies widely across a range of questions on current topics and basic scientific concepts, according to a new quiz by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian magazine. Click here to take the quiz yourself before reviewing the answers.

About eight-in-ten Americans (83%) identify ultraviolet as the type of radiation that sunscreen protects against. Nearly as many (77%) know that the main concern about the overuse of antibiotics is that it can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

However, only about half (51%) of the public knows that “fracking” is a process that extracts natural gas, not coal, diamonds or silicon from the earth.

Similarly, knowledge of basic scientific concepts differs greatly across questions. While most Americans (78%) know that the basic function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen to all parts of the body, just 20% could identify nitrogen as the gas that makes up most of the atmosphere.

The quiz is part of a nationwide survey, conducted March 7-10 among 1,006 adults, which also probed opinions and perceptions about science and math in education. The survey was conducted with Smithsonian magazine for an edition focusing on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education (see “How Much Do Americans Know about Science?”).

The public underestimates how well American high school students perform on standardized science tests compared with students in other developed nations. A plurality (44%) believes that 15-year-olds in other developed nations outrank U.S. students in knowledge of science; according to an international student assessment, U.S. 15-year-olds are in the middle ranks of developed nations in science knowledge.

Nearly half of Americans (46%) say that the main reason that many young people do not pursue degrees in math and science is mostly because they think these subjects are too hard; just 22% say it is mostly because young people think math and science are not useful for their careers while 20% say it is because they think these subjects are too boring. Women (54%) are more likely than men (37%) to say that the main reason young people do not pursue math and science degrees is because they think these subjects are too difficult.

The survey asked an open-ended question about what one subject K-12 schools should emphasize more these days; 30% of respondents say math; 19% say English, grammar or writing, while 11% say science; and 10% say history, social studies or government. Overall, 45% mention some aspect of science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

About the Quiz: Chemical Reactions, Control Groups and CO2

The new survey includes a mix of 13 knowledge questions; some are the type that might be found in a science textbook while others come from news coverage of science and technology issues.

Among the textbook-type questions, the quiz asks which is a chemical reaction – water boiling, sugar dissolving or nails rusting. Two-thirds (66%) correctly say that nails rusting is an example of a chemical reaction; much smaller percentages incorrectly say that water boiling (12%) and sugar dissolving (also 12%) are examples of chemical reactions.

The survey also asks about basic scientific knowledge in a series of true-false questions. Most Americans (77%) correctly say it is true that the continents have been moving for millions of years and will continue to move in the future. But only about half (47%) say it is true that electrons are smaller than atoms. The percentages answering these and other true-false questions correctly are little changed from a June 2009 survey.

Other questions test knowledge of scientific methods and current scientific issues. Most Americans know that scientists use control groups to test the effectiveness of new drugs in treating disease. Three-quarters (75%) correctly say that scientists give a new drug to half of a group of volunteers, but not to the other half, and compare how many in each group get better. Just 19% say it would be more effective to give the drug to the entire group.

Demographic Differences in Knowledge about Science & Technology

Education is the strongest demographic predictor of knowledge about science and technology. People with at least some exposure to college do much better than those with no college experience on nearly all of the questions.

On several questions, there also are wide differences between college graduates and those who have attended college but not graduated. For instance, 76% of college graduates but just 55% of those with some college experience identify carbon dioxide as the gas that most scientists believe causes atmospheric temperatures to rise.

There are only modest partisan differences in knowledge about which gas is generally seen by scientists as causing atmospheric temperatures to rise; 63% of independents say it is carbon dioxide, as do 58% of Republicans and 56% of Democrats.

Notably, even most college graduates could not identify the gas that makes up most of the earth’s atmosphere. Just 31% correctly say it is nitrogen, while an identical percentage (31%) incorrectly says it is oxygen. Among those with a high school education or less, oxygen is the most frequent response.

In previous Pew Research Center surveys measuring knowledge of politics and public affairs, young people typically have not fared as well as older people. But that pattern does not hold for most questions about scientific topics. As a group, those younger than 30 do about as well as those in the 30-49 and 50-64 age groups.

Meanwhile, people 65 and older scored relatively low on many questions. Just 37% know that nanotechnology deals with small things; majorities in younger age groups know this. And just 27% correctly answered a question about how lasers work, compared with about half in older age groups.

However, half (50%) of those 65 and older identify natural gas as the resource extracted in fracking, compared with 61% of those 50-64, 52% of those 30-49 and just 35% of those under 30. This was the only question on which those 65 and older scored higher than those younger than 30.

Overall, men outperformed women on the quiz, though in many cases the differences are modest. On average, men answered 8.6 items correctly, compared with 7.7 items for women.

On the health-related questions on the quiz, however, women did as well as or better than men. Women are more likely than men to know that a major concern of the overuse of antibiotics is that it can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria (81% of women know this vs. 72% of men).

What Subject Should Receive More Emphasis in K-12 Schools?

Asked in an open-ended format what one subject being taught in K-12 schools should receive greater emphasis than it does now, 30% volunteer math and arithmetic. About one-in-five (19%) say English, grammar, writing and reading should receive more emphasis, while about one-in-ten cite science (11%) or history (10%).

Republicans (35%) are more likely than Democrats (24%) to say that math and arithmetic should be emphasized more by schools. More Republicans (13%) than Democrats (5%) also say that history, social studies and civics should get greater attention.

By contrast, while 17% of Democrats say that science should receive greater emphasis in K-12 schools, just 7% of Republicans agree. Comparable percentages of Republicans and Democrats say other subjects – including English and grammar, art and music, and religion and Christianity – deserve more emphasis than they are currently receiving.

Many Say U.S. Students Are Outranked in Science

A plurality of Americans (44%) say that average American 15-year-olds rank at the bottom on standardized tests of science knowledge, when compared with students in other developed nations. That is incorrect: According to the most recent available data from the Program for International Student Assessment, U.S. students rank among the middle of OECD nations.

The survey finds that 35% correctly know that U.S. 15-year-olds are about in the middle when it comes to science knowledge; 7% say incorrectly that American students rank among the top of developed nations.

College graduates are more likely than those with less education to underestimate the performance of U.S. teens on standardized science tests. More than half of college graduates (56%) say that American students rank near the bottom among developed countries. That compares with 46% of those with some college experience who do not have a degree and 36% of those with no more than a high school education.

There are no significant partisan differences in evaluations of student performance on standardized science tests: 46% of Republicans and about as many Democrats (45%) and independents (45%) say they rank near the bottom among developed nations.

When asked why many young people do not pursue degrees in math and science, a 46% plurality says it is mostly because they view these subjects as too difficult. Fewer say young people are turned off because they see math and science as not useful for their careers (22%) or because they are too boring (20%).

Young people have about the same opinions as older people for why many do not pursue math and science degrees: 47% say it is because those subjects are seen as too difficult. More women (54%) than men (37%) say many young people do not go after degrees in math and science mainly because they perceive those subjects as being too difficult.

The latest update of the Pew Research Center’s regular News IQ quiz uses a set of 13 pictures, maps, graphs and symbols to test knowledge of current affairs. (To take the quiz yourself before reading this report, click here.) At the high end, nearly nine-in-ten Americans (87%) are able to select the Star of David as the symbol of Judaism from a group of pictures of religious symbols. And when shown a picture of Twitter’s corporate logo, 79% correctly associate the logo with that company.

At the low end, just 43% are able to identify a picture of Elizabeth Warren’s from a group of four photographs of female politicians, among them Nancy Pelosi, Tammy Baldwin and Deb Fischer. And when presented with a map of the Middle East in which Syria is highlighted, only half are able to identify the nation correctly.

Overall, majorities correctly answer 11 of 13 questions in the new quiz, which was conducted online January 18-24, 2013, among a random sample of 1,041 adults by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

The quiz includes several items about leading political figures. When shown a picture of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 73% identified Christie from a list that included Newt Gingrich, Scott Walker and Rush Limbaugh. An identical percentage identified John Boehner in a question with a similar format. To see how each question was presented, see the attached survey topline.

Seven of the 13 items were answered correctly by two-thirds or more of the survey’s respondents. These included identifying the Star of David as the symbol for Judaism (87%), the corporate logo for Twitter (79%), the map of states won in 2012 by President Obama (75%), the photos of Christie and Boehner (73% each), a graph of the unemployment rate (70%) and the symbol for the Euro (69%).

About six-in-ten (62%) could identify the new secretary of state, John Kerry, from a photo lineup of four people. When shown a list of four state maps, and asked which of the states had approved the legalization of same-sex marriage last year, 60% correctly chose the state of Washington. But just 50% were able to identify Syria as country highlighted on a map of the Middle East.

On average, quiz takers correctly answered 8.5 of the 13 questions, a score of 65% correct when graded like a classroom test.

Identifying Religious Symbols

The question about religious symbols was modeled on one asked previously in Oct. 2011. In the current survey, four symbols were shown and respondents were asked to identify the one associated with Judaism: 87% correctly selected the Star of David.

In Oct. 2011, respondents were shown the same group of symbols and asked to identify the symbol associated with Islam. Just 42% answered correctly (Crescent and Star, #2 in the graphic.) About a third (34%) incorrectly chose Om, the symbol associated with Hinduism. (For more, see What the Public Knows – In Words and Pictures, Nov. 7, 2011.)

In the current quiz, the map identification question about Syria also was modeled on a question in the 2011 survey: 50% correctly identified Syria as the country highlighted on a map of the Middle East from a list of four countries (Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt were the others). In Oct. 2011, Israel was the country highlighted on a map; 57% correctly identified it from a list that had the same alternatives as the current survey.

Young People Fare Well on Many Questions

Younger people typically score lower than older people on tests of political knowledge. That is true for some questions in the current survey, especially those that required an identification of public officials from their pictures. For example, just 46% of those younger than 30 were able to identify John Kerry from his picture as the nominee for secretary of State (the survey was conducted before Kerry was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 29). Among those 50 and older, 74% chose Kerry’s picture from a group of photos.

Young people also were less likely to identify Christie and Boehner from their photos than were those 50 and older.

However, as many people under 30 as 50 and older knew that a map with highlighted states showed those that Obama won in 2012.

And about nine-in-ten young people (91%) could identify Twitter’s corporate logo; only 67% of those 50 and older could do so. Similarly, 79% of the youngest group recognized the symbol for the Euro, compared with 62% among those 50 and older.

Educational Differences in Knowledge Persist

The largest group differences in knowledge are found between individuals with lesser and greater levels of education. Respondents with no more than a high school education were less likely than college graduates to answer every question correctly.

Those with a high school education could correctly answer an average of 7.3 questions, compared with 10.1 correct among college graduates. The median gap in percent correct between the low and high education groups is 22 points.

Differences by educational group in the percentage answering correctly ranged from a low of 10 points (identifying the Twitter logo) to 30 points (identifying the flag of China).

Small Partisan Differences in Knowledge

In past versions of the News IQ test, Republicans have often outperformed Democrats and independents, but that was not the case with the current quiz. Overall, Republicans on average answered 8.7 items correctly, no different than Democrats (8.6) and independents (8.7).

Democrats (47%) were more likely than Republicans (37%) to recognize a photo of Elizabeth Warren, the new senator from Massachusetts. Other partisan differences were very small.

Most Americans can correctly identify the relative positions of the Republican and Democratic parties on the major issues of the day. But a review of what Americans know about the political parties shows that the public is better informed about the partisan affiliations of two popular recent presidents – Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton – than it is about the positions of the parties on key issues that dominate the current national debate.

About seven-in-ten (71%) know that the Republican Party is considered to be the more conservative party. And majorities can correctly place the parties relative to each other on current issues that define the liberal-conservative divide, such as taxes, gay rights, abortion, and defense spending.

But the latest News IQ survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted March 29-April 1 among 1,000 adults, finds considerable variance in what the public knows about the parties. While 67% correctly identify the Democratic Party as more supportive of raising taxes on higher-income people to reduce the budget deficit, far fewer (53%) identify the Republican Party as more in favor of reducing the size and scope of government.

While there is some confusion over the parties’ ideological and issue positions, two recent political figures are clearly identified with their respective parties. Overall, 85% of the public knows that Reagan was a Republican, while virtually the same percentage (84%) knows that Clinton is a Democrat.

Nearly as many (78%) correctly identify John F. Kennedy as a Democrat. But Americans are less familiar with the partisan affiliations of earlier presidents and current congressional leaders. Roughly six-in-ten (58%) know that Franklin Roosevelt was a Democrat, while 55% correctly identify Abraham Lincoln as a Republican. Comparable majorities know that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is a Democrat (61%) and House Speaker John Boehner is a Republican (55%).

Two other items on the poll asked about the parties’ nicknames and symbols. Nearly seven-in-ten respondents (68%) correctly said that the initials “G-O-P” are usually associated with the Republican Party. And 65% correctly noted that the Democratic Party uses the donkey as its mascot or symbol.

Partisan Differences in Knowledge

Republicans fare substantially better than Democrats on several questions in the survey, as is typically the case in surveys about political knowledge. The largest gaps are in awareness of which party is more supportive of reducing the size and scope of the federal government (30 points) and which party is more conservative (28 points).

Republicans also are 21 percentage points more likely than Democrats to know that the GOP is more supportive of drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

There is only one policy question – which party is more supportive of cutting defense spending – on which Democrats are more knowledgeable than Republicans. Two-thirds of Democrats (67%) identify the Democratic Party as being more supportive of reducing the size of the defense budget, compared with 59% of Republicans.

On the remaining issues – expanding the rights of gays and lesbians, increasing taxes on the wealthy, restricting abortion and providing immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally with a possible “path to citizenship”– there are no significant differences in knowledge between Democrats and Republicans.

Republicans also are more familiar with the partisan affiliation of two leading Democrats – one from the present, Nancy Pelosi, and one from the past, Franklin Roosevelt. Three-quarters (75%) of Republicans know that Pelosi is a Democrat, compared with 59% of Democrats. And while 73% of Republicans identify FDR as a Democrat, just 58% of Democrats do so.

Independents also are less knowledgeable than Republicans about the parties’ positions on a number of issues and the affiliation of some political leaders. Notably, independents (71%) are less likely than Republicans (85%) or Democrats (84%) to know that John F. Kennedy was a Democrat.

The partisan gaps in knowledge are at least partly a consequence of demographic differences. On average, Republicans are older and more affluent than either Democrats or independents, and both of these are associated with knowledge about the parties’ positions and leaders.

Demographic Differences in Knowledge

Although previous Pew Research surveys of political knowledge have found young people to be less knowledgeable than older people, the pattern in this poll is more mixed.

People younger than 30 are much less likely than older Americans to be able to correctly associate several political leaders with their parties. Fewer than half of those younger than 30 correctly identify Nancy Pelosi and Franklin Roosevelt as Democrats (43% each). By contrast, three quarters of those 65 and older know that Pelosi and Roosevelt are Democrats. The gap between young and old is nearly as large on the item about John F. Kennedy’s party (28 points).

But young people are relatively well informed about the parties’ positions on most issues. In fact, people younger than 30 are more likely than those 65 and older to know that the Democrats are more supportive of expanding gay rights (72% vs. 56%) and creating a way for illegal immigrants to become citizens (74% vs. 59%).

On several other issues – which party is more supportive of drilling for oil in Alaska, reducing the defense budget and for restricting access to abortion – there are no significant age differences. In addition, about seven-in-ten across all age categories, including 68% of those younger than 30, know that the Republican Party is considered to be more conservative on most political issues. However, fewer than half (44%) of young people know that the Republican Party is more supportive of reducing the size and scope of the federal government; majorities in older age categories know this.

As in previous Pew Research Center News IQ surveys, there are wide educational differences in knowledge about the parties. Those with no more than a high school education are far less likely than better educated people to be aware of the parties’ positions on issues and to correctly associate political leaders with their parties.

Large majorities of the public know that Afghanistan and Pakistan share a border and can identify Hillary Clinton in a photograph as the nation’s secretary of state, according to the Pew Research Center’s latest News IQ survey, which for the first time includes visual questions.

While majorities answer most of the 19 questions correctly, some prove more difficult. About four-in-ten, for example, know that Republicans now hold a majority only in the House of Representatives or can identify the crescent and star from four visual choices as the symbol associated with Islam.

The new survey includes a mixture of standard multiple-choice items as well as questions that use photographs, maps and symbols. It was conducted completely online Sept. 30-Oct. 11, 2011, among a random sample of 1,168 adults by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

Of the 19 items on the survey, 10 are standard multiple-choice questions, many of which are similar or identical to those from previous political knowledge surveys. Of the other nine, five use pictures of public figures, two use maps and two use religious or political symbols. On average, quiz takers correctly answer 11.5 of the 19 items, for a score of 60% correct.

Seven of the 10 items with the most correct answers are visual questions. In addition to the large majority (82%) that correctly pick a photo of Hillary Clinton from four when asked which showed the current secretary of State, 79% select the name “Moammar Gadhafi” from a list of four when shown a photo of the former Libyan leader. On a map of South America with four nations numbered and highlighted, 77% correctly identify Brazil.

About as many (74%) correctly identify the Republican Party as the party associated with a symbol of an elephant. And 73% select a picture of Steve Jobs (from a set of four well-known technology executives) as the co-founder of Apple. Jobs died Oct. 5, while the online survey was being conducted.

Shown a picture of Ben Bernanke, 70% of those surveyed correctly select “chairman of the Federal Reserve” as his title. And 65% correctly choose U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s name from a list of four options when shown her picture.

One of the more difficult visual items is a question that asks respondents to identify Israel on a map of the Middle East region. Still, a majority (57%) is able to correctly pick Israel from a list of four countries in the region.

Of the items that do not include pictures, maps or symbols, the highest percentage correct is for a question about whether Afghanistan and Pakistan share a border (78% correctly say they do). Six-in-ten (61%) could pick Greece from a list when asked what European country is facing severe debt problems and possible default. About as many (58%) could correctly identify the current unemployment rate in the United States as approximately 9% (from a list of four choices).

Islamic Crescent and Star Not Widely Known

Majorities answered each of the visual questions correctly – except for the one that asked which of four symbols is associated with Islam. Just 42% correctly identify this symbol (answer #1 in the accompanying graphic). Perhaps because it may have reminded some people of Arabic characters, 34% incorrectly select symbol #4, which is Om, the symbol associated with Hinduism. The Star of David (Judaism) and the cross (Christianity) are chosen less frequently.

In a traditional text-only question, fewer than half (43%) know that the Republican Party holds a majority only in the House of Representatives. About one-fifth (21%) say that the GOP holds a majority in both houses; 15% say Republicans control only the Senate, 10% say they control neither chamber and 11% offer no response. Comparable percentages (46%) could identify the official poverty rate in the United States, and 47% know that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is generally considered a conservative.

On the question about the poverty rate and another regarding the unemployment rate, most of the incorrect answers overestimated the rates. A majority of those polled (58%) correctly estimate the unemployment rate as closer to 9%; just 1% say the rate is closer to 5%, while 36% say it is either 15% or 21%.

While nearly half could identify the poverty rate as reported by the federal government as closer to 15%, more than a third (36%) chose the highest option – 30%. Just 10% selected the lower figures of 5% or 1%.

Partisan Differences in Knowledge

Republicans generally outperformed Democrats on the current quiz. On 13 out of the 19 questions, Republicans score significantly higher than Democrats and there are no questions on which Democrats did better than Republicans. In past knowledge quizzes, partisan differences have been more muted, though Republicans often have scored somewhat higher than Democrats.

Questions on current politics and on geography show particularly wide differences. For example, Republicans are 19 points more likely than Democrats to know that the Republican Party has a majority in just the House of Representatives, and 14 points more likely to know that John Boehner is the speaker of the House. On international questions, Republicans are much more likely to be able to identify Israel on a map (67% vs. 51%), and more likely to know that Greece is the European country experiencing debt problems (71% vs. 54%). Additionally, more Republicans than Democrats could locate Brazil on a map (84% vs. 73%).

Fewer Young People Identify Clinton, Know Jobless Rate

In past knowledge surveys, young people consistently answered fewer questions correctly than those in older age groups. That pattern holds in the current survey, but is less pronounced. On several questions, young people perform as well or better than older people.

Those ages 18 to 29 are much less likely than older people to correctly answer questions on topics such as the current secretary of state, the current unemployment rate and the number of U.S. fatalities in Afghanistan. Overall, those younger than 30 correctly answer about one question fewer (out of 19) than do those in older age groups.

Wide Educational Divide

As in the past, those with more education are much more likely than those with less education to answer the knowledge questions correctly. In the current survey, the most striking differences come on a number of international questions.

Eight-in-ten of those with at least a college degree (80%) could identify the country of Israel on a regional map.  This compares with just 41% of those with no college experience – a 39-point gap. Similarly, those with a college degree were at least 30 points more likely than those with no college experience to correctly answer questions on non-domestic topics such as the symbol for Islam (crescent and star), the European country facing severe debt problems and possible default (Greece), and the prime minister of Great Britain (Cameron).

The public is generally aware of basic facts about several recent national and international news stories, but is much less knowledgeable about current politics in Washington, according to the Pew Research Center’s latest News IQ survey.

About seven-in-ten know that Hillary Clinton currently serves as U.S. secretary of state (73%) and that Moammar Gadhafi is the leader of Libya (71%). An even higher percentage (80%) knows that that the “No Child Left Behind” law deals with education policy.

Yet Americans continue to struggle with questions about Congress and its leaders. Just 38% correctly say that Republicans hold a majority of seats in the House – and not in the Senate or the full Congress. Shortly after the midterm elections in November, slightly more (46%) knew that the Republicans had a majority only in the House.

And only about four-in-ten (43%) are able to correctly identify John Boehner as House speaker; 19% say incorrectly that Nancy Pelosi is still speaker of the House. In November, shortly after the GOP won the House, 38% named Boehner as the presumptive speaker and 13% named Pelosi.

The latest News IQ Quiz, conducted Mar. 17-20 among 1004 adults, also finds that many Americans have a hard time answering detailed questions about U.S. government spending. Roughly three-in-ten (29%) correctly say that the federal government spends more on Medicare than on scientific research, education or on interest on the national debt. Slightly more (36%) say that interest on the debt is the greater government expenditure.

As in the past, however, most Americans (57%) are able to correctly estimate the unemployment rate (currently about 9%). A majority (63%) also knows that the main focus of the recent protests and political debates in Wisconsin was on union bargaining rights.

Reflecting his growing visibility, 55% identify Mark Zuckerberg as the founder of the social networking site Facebook. This is the only question on the survey that far more of those younger than 30 answered correctly than those age 65 and older (63% vs. 25%).

Congress a Mystery to Many

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to be aware of the details of divided power in Washington. Still, only about half of Republicans (49%) know that the GOP controls only the House, compared with 39% of independents and just 33% of Democrats.

This is little changed from November, shortly after the election, when 55% of Republicans knew that the GOP had a majority only in the House. The proportion of Democrats who know that the Republicans have a majority only in the House has fallen since November (from 45% to 33%).

Half of Republicans (50%) can identify Boehner as House speaker; in November, about the same percentage of Republicans (47%) knew that Boehner was the incoming speaker. Just 42% of Democrats and 41% of independents correctly identify Boehner as House speaker, which also is little changed from November.

Young people are only dimly aware of the new balance of power in Washington. Just 26% of those younger than 30 think that Republicans have a majority only in the House and 21% correctly name Boehner as speaker. About as many (29%) name Nancy Pelosi as House speaker.

Pew Research Center news interest surveys have found that while the 2010 elections and their aftermath garnered strong public interest and intense media coverage, much of the focus in the first few months of 2011 has been on breaking news – such as the upheaval in the Middle East and Northern Africa and the deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In recent weeks, domestic politics – even the early stages of the 2012 presidential campaign – have gotten little attention. (See “Public Stays Focused on Japan as Media Turns to Libya” March 30, 2011.)

Partisan Differences in Knowledge

On most questions partisan differences are slight. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to correctly answer three of the 11 questions.

Seven-in-ten (70%) Republicans know that public employee union rights were the subject of protests in Wisconsin, compared with 58% of Democrats. Republicans are more likely to know that the GOP controls the House (49% vs. 33%) and that coal is the leading source of U.S. electricity (44% vs. 34%).

Persistent Age Gap in Knowledge

As in past installments of the News IQ Quiz, young people struggle with questions about politics and economics, but are better informed on technology questions.

Six-in-ten (63%) of those younger than 30 know that Mark Zuckerberg is the founder of Facebook. That compares with just 45% of those over 50 who know this.

Notably, three-quarters of young people (75%) also know that the “No Child Left Behind” law deals with education. Majorities across demographic and political groups correctly answered this question.

But young people are far less likely than older Americans to know that Moammar Gadhafi is the leader of Libya. About half (54%) say correctly that Gadhafi is the leader of Libya, 15% say he leads Egypt and 28% do not know. Large majorities in older age groups associate Gadhafi with Libya. (The survey was conducted March 17-20; the United States and its allies launched airstrikes against Gadhafi’s forces on March 19.)

Similarly, 46% of young people know that the protests in Wisconsin focused on unions rights for public employees. Majorities across older age groups were aware of this. And as in previous surveys, most young people are unable to correctly estimate the unemployment rate; 38% answered this correctly.

The public sees the big picture when it comes to the changing balance of power in Washington. Fully 75% say that the Republican Party is generally regarded as doing best in this month’s midterm elections.

Far fewer know the specifics about the GOP’s victories. Fewer than half (46%) know that the Republicans will have a majority only in the House of Representatives when the new Congress convenes in January, while 38% can identify John Boehner as the incoming House Speaker.

The Pew Research Center’s latest News IQ Quiz, conducted Nov. 11-14 among 1,001 adults, finds a similar pattern in the public’s knowledge about economics. The quiz is composed of 13 multiple-choice questions about current events.

Nearly eight-in-ten (77%) say correctly that the federal budget deficit is larger than it was in the 1990s and 64% know that in recent years the United States has bought more foreign goods than it has sold overseas. As in recent knowledge surveys, about half (53%) estimate the current unemployment rate at about 10%.

But the public continues to struggle with questions about the bank bailout program known as the TARP: Just 16% say, correctly, that more than half of loans made to banks under the TARP have been paid back; an identical percentage says that none has been paid back. In Pew’s previous knowledge survey in July, just 34% knew that the TARP was enacted under the Bush administration. (See “Well Known: Twitter; Little Known: John Roberts,” July 15, 2010.)

The new survey finds that an overwhelming percentage (88%) identify BP as the company that operated the oil well that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year. But as in the past, the public shows little awareness of international developments: 41% say that relations between India and Pakistan are generally considered to be unfriendly; 12% say relations between the two long-time rivals are friendly, 20% say they are neutral and 27% do not know.

Just 15% know that David Cameron is the prime minister of Great Britain; about as many say it is Tony Hayward, the former chief executive of BP. The proportion correctly identifying Cameron as the British prime minister is about the same now as it was in July (19%).

On a different subject, 26% of Americans know that Android is the name of the Google operating system for smartphones. As in past news quiz questions about technology, there is a sizable age gap in awareness of Android. Far more people under age 50 (37%) than those ages 50 and older (11%) correctly identify Android as the Google phone’s operating system.

Fewer than Half Know GOP Won House

While 75% identify the Republicans as the party regarded as doing best in the midterms, fewer than half (46%) know that Republicans will have a majority only in the House when the new Congress convenes in January. About one-in-seven (14%) say the GOP won both the House and Senate; 8% say they won just the Senate; 5% do not think they will have a majority in either chamber; and 27% do not know.

There is broad awareness among most political and demographic groups that the Republicans did best in the midterms. But just 27% of those younger than 30 know that Republicans captured just the House; 19% say that they won both the House and Senate while 42% do not know. By contrast, 45% of those 30 to 49, and majorities of those 50 to 64 (55%) and 65 and older (57%), answered this question correctly.

While 69% of college graduates know that the Republicans won only the House, fewer than half as many (31%) of those with no more than a high school education know this. And while nearly as many women (72%) as men (79%) know that the GOP is generally regarded as having done best in the elections, just 39% of women know that the Republicans won just the House, compared with 53% of men.

Most Know Deficit Has Grown

On the subject of government spending, many Americans (77%) are aware that the U.S. has a larger budget deficit today than in the 1990s, yet far fewer correctly answer a question about what the government spends more on: national defense, education, Medicare or interest on the national debt. Roughly equal proportions of Republicans (81%), Democrats (78%) and independents (78%) know that the federal budget deficit is larger now than in the 1990s.

Overall, 39% of the public know that the government spends more on national defense than on education, Medicare or interest on the national debt. About one-in-four (23%) say the government spends more on interest payments and 15% say Medicare is the largest expenditure of these four alternatives. Government accounting estimates indicate that the government spends about twice as much on defense than on Medicare, and more than four times as much on defense as on interest on the debt.

More Democrats (46%) than Republicans (28%) know that the government spends more on national defense than the other items listed. Republicans are as likely to say the government spends most on interest on the debt (29%) as on defense (28%). A plurality of independents (44%) know that the government spends most on national defense.

Partisan Differences in Knowledge

About six-in-ten Republicans (63%) correctly estimated the unemployment rate at about 10%, compared with 48% of Democrats. There also is a wide partisan gap in awareness of the U.S. trade deficit: 72% of Republicans and 58% of Democrats say that the U.S. buys more good from abroad that it sells.

Republicans also are more likely to know than the GOP was perceived as winning the midterms and to know that the Republicans won a majority in the House. And while only about half of Republicans (47%) could identify John Boehner as the next House Speaker, slightly fewer Democrats (38%) know this.

Republicans and Democrats each are largely unaware of how much of the TARP loans have been repaid and relatively few in both parties estimated the inflation rate at about 1%. As noted, more Democrats than Republicans know that the government spends more on national defense than on interest on the national debt, Medicare or education.

The Knowledge Age Gap

As in previous knowledge quizzes, young people struggle with many questions about politics, economics and foreign affairs.

Just 14% of those younger than 30 know that John Boehner will be the next House speaker; about as many (19%) say it will be Nancy Pelosi, the current speaker. Among older age groups, Boehner is far better known.

Just 27% of those under 30 say Republicans will have a majority in the House, while the same percentage (27%) says that India-Pakistan relations are generally regarded as unfriendly. On each question, at least four-in-ten among older age groups answered correctly.

However, 45% of those under 30 know that the government spends most on national defense, about the same percentage as those 30 to 49 (41%) and slightly higher than those 50 and older (35%).

And about four-in-ten young people (42%) know that Android is the operating system for Google smartphones, compared with 34% of those 30 to 49, 16% of those 50 to 54, and just 4% of those 65 and older.

Comparing Knowledge on Average

An alternative way of comparing quiz performance across groups is to look at the average results. Twelve of the 13 itemson the test form a knowledge scale for this installment of the Pew News IQ quiz. Each question is worth one point on the scale ranging from zero (none right) to 12 (a perfect score).

This was a difficult quiz. Americans answered an average of five out of twelve questions correctly. That means the public averaged fewer than half right answers (42%). Illustrating the difficulty of some questions, less than one percent of the public answered twelve correctly while 4% missed them all.

College graduates did much better on average than those with some or no college experience. Those with college degrees answered an average of 6.8 questions correctly, compared with 3.8 on average for those with a high school degree or less education. College graduates did better on almost every question in the quiz. One exception was the item about government spending. Roughly four-in-ten of both college graduates (41%) and those with no college experience (38%) knew that the government spends more on defense than the alternatives offered.

As described above, older Americans did significantly better than young people. Quiz takers 65 and older correctly answered 5.3 questions on average while those under 30 averaged four right answers. Republicans did somewhat better than Democrats on average.

An overwhelming proportion of Americans are familiar with Twitter, the online information-sharing network. Perhaps more surprisingly, a large majority also knows that children who are born to illegal immigrants in the United States are automatically U.S. citizens.

Yet the public continues to struggle in identifying political figures, foreign leaders and even knowing facts about key government policies. Only about a third of Americans (34%) know that the government’s bailout of banks and financial institutions was enacted under the Bush administration. Nearly half (47%) incorrectly say that the Troubled Asset Relief Program – widely known as TARP – was signed into law by President Obama.

Even fewer (28%) are able to identify John Roberts as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. And just 19% know that David Cameron is the new prime minister of Great Britain.

The Pew Research Center’s latest News IQ Quiz, conducted July 1-5 among 1,007 adults reached on cell phones and landlines, finds that both young people and older people have a basic awareness of Twitter: 85% know that it is an online information-sharing service. And while young people fare particularly poorly on political knowledge, people younger than 30 are as likely as older Americans to know the host country of this year’s World Cup and that children born to illegal immigrants in the United States are automatically citizens.

The survey included 11 multiple choice questions about people, events and issues in the news. Respondents answered an average of 5.8 questions correctly.

A large majority of Americans (73%) know that Congress did pass a major health care reform bill this year. Though health care dominated the public’s news interest most weeks during the lengthy debate over the legislation, 14% say Congress did not pass health care legislation this year and 13% do not know.

Pew Research Center News Interest Index surveys found few people were following the World Cup very closely; however, 63% know that the soccer tournament was held in South Africa. A majority (55%) also is able to identify Gen. David Petraeus as the top military commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. In August 2007, fewer (39%) knew that Petraeus then led U.S. forces in Iraq.

The public’s awareness of the current unemployment rate has changed little over the past year. In the new survey, 54% say the rate is about 10%; about a quarter of Americans (26%) estimate the rate higher (at 15% or 20%) while just 3% say it is lower (at 5%). Since early May, the public has closely tracked news about the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. About half (51%) know that the damaged well is about 5,000 feet underwater.

Almost half (46%) correctly choose Greece when asked which European country recently received a major bailout from the European Union. Small percentages (13%) choose an incorrect option, and 41% say they do not know.

Most Know Petraeus’s New Post

A majority of the public (55%) knows that Gen. David Petraeus is the current U.S. military commander in Afghanistan. The general has been a prominent figure in the news recently since President Obama nominated him to replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who resigned because of controversial comments he and aides made in a magazine article. Still, a total of 46% either do not know (35%) the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan or answered incorrectly (11%).

Petraeus was less well-known in August 2007 when he was the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. Shortly before he testified before a congressional panel about the U.S. troop surge then underway in Iraq, 39% correctly named Petraeus as the general in charge of that war effort; 61% did not know (40%) or answered incorrectly (21%).

Majorities of Republicans (58%), Democrats (55%) and independents (53%) know that Petraeus has taken over the top post in Afghanistan. Men are more likely than women to know this (60% vs. 49%). And while older people generally do better than younger people on knowledge surveys, the difference is striking on this question: 69% of those 50 and older know the top commander in Afghanistan is Petraeus, compared with just 29% of those younger than 30.

Few Know Roberts is Chief Justice

Fewer than three-in-ten (28%) correctly identified Roberts as the chief justice of the Supreme Court. More than half (53%) do not know, while small percentages choose other options: former Justice Thurgood Marshall (8%), former Justice John Paul Stevens (6%) and Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (4%).

In November 1986, 43% correctly identified William Rehnquist as the chief justice, though 29% chose his predecessor, Warren Burger. Though Rehnquist was new to the chief justice post at that time, he had served on the court since 1972.

Among partisans, 23% of Republicans, 27% of Democrats and 34% of independents correctly identify Roberts as the chief justice.

Young People Generally Less Knowledgeable

Young people, typically less attentive to news about domestic and international issues than older Americans, are also often less knowledgeable on these subjects. Aside from the wide age gap over knowing the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, young people also are far less likely than older Americans to know the current unemployment rate and the depth of the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

Six-in-ten of those 50 and older know that the current unemployment rate is close to 10%, compared with 36% of those younger than 30. And only about a third of those under 30 (34%) know that the well leaking oil into the Gulf of Mexico is at a depth of 5,000 feet; 56% of those 50 and older know this.

On several questions, however, younger people are as well or better informed than are older Americans. For example, 79% of those younger than 30 and an equal share of those 50 and older know that citizenship is automatically granted to the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States. Not surprisingly, young people are more likely to know that Twitter is an on-line information sharing network; 95% of those 18-29 know this, but so does a large majority of those 50 and older: 76%.

Men also score better on a number of questions than women. For example, 64% of men know that the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is at about 5,000 feet underwater, compared with 38% of women. Men also are more likely to know correctly that Greece is the European nation that recently received bailout help from the European Union (55% vs. 37%).

Little Partisan Gap in Political Knowledge

In previous knowledge quizzes, Republicans often were better informed than Democrats. In the current quiz, however, Democrats are at least as knowledgeable as Republicans on every question except the depth of the Gulf oil leak (53% of Republicans, 42% of Democrats).

Notably, just 36% of Republicans, 35% of independents and 34% of Democrats know that the government bailout of banks and financial institutions was signed into law by former President Bush. Democrats (46%) are just as likely as Republicans (50%) or independents (44%) to incorrectly say the legislation was enacted after Obama became president.

There also is no difference among partisans in the percentages who correctly say that Congress passed health care reform legislation this year (73% of Republicans, 74% of Democrats and independents)
.

The Public’s Average News IQ

The Pew Research Center News IQ Quiz summarizes public knowledge by combining answers to all 11 questions into a single scale ranging from zero (none correct) to 11 (all correct). Respondents receive one point on the scale for each correct answer. In the July News IQ Quiz, Americans answered an average of 5.8, or about half, of the questions correctly. On the extremes, just 5% of the public answered all questions correctly, while the same percentage answered one or none of them right.

As with past knowledge tests, the scores of various demographic groups vary widely and familiar patterns emerge. Men did better than women on many of the questions; men on average answered 6.4 questions correctly, compared with 5.2 correct answers for women.
College graduates outperformed those with no college experience on nearly every question in the survey. Those with college degrees answered an average of 7.5 questions correctly, while those with a high school degree or less education averaged 4.5 correct answers out of 11.

Older Americans did better than young people on the quiz. Respondents 50 and older answered, on average, 6.1 questions correctly, while those under the age of 30 averaged 5.0 correct answers. Those between 30 and 49 answered 6.0 questions correctly on average.

Republicans and Democrats both answered an average of 5.7 questions correctly, while independents answered 6.2 items correctly on average.

The public has consistently expressed strong interest in the health care debate, but relatively few Americans can correctly answer two key questions related to the Senate’s consideration of health care legislation.

In the latest installment of the Pew Research Center’s News IQ Quiz, just 32% know that the Senate passed its version of the legislation without a single Republican vote. And, in what proved to be the most difficult question on the quiz, only about a quarter (26%) knows that it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate and force a vote on a bill. The survey was conducted before Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown won a special election to the Senate on Jan. 19; Brown’s election means Senate Democrats can no longer count on a 60-vote majority once he takes office.

About six-in-ten (59%) correctly identify China as the foreign country holding the most U.S. government debt. Nearly as many (57%) know that the United States imports two-thirds of the oil it consumes. As was the case in previous knowledge surveys, a majority (55%) knows the current unemployment rate is about 10%. However, far fewer (36%) correctly estimate the current level of the Dow Jones Industrial Average at about 10,000 points.

The news quiz, conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Jan. 14-17 among 1,003 adults reached on cell phones and landlines, asked 12 multiple choice questions on subjects ranging from economics and foreign affairs to prominent people in the news. Americans answered an average of 5.3 questions correctly.

The survey finds that while the public struggled with most of the political questions on the survey, most Americans (56%) know that there currently is more than one woman serving on the Supreme Court. Notably, this is the only question on the quiz where as many women as men answer correctly; men scored significantly better on other questions.

In response to questions about terrorism and national security, half (50%) correctly identify Yemen as the country where intelligence officials believe the suspect in an attempted Christmas Day airline bombing received training and bomb materials. A slightly smaller percentage (43%) knows that during all of 2009 there were more American military fatalities in Afghanistan than in Iraq; 32% said more U.S. troops were killed in Iraq. This question proved difficult for many, even though interest in developments in Afghanistan – and media coverage – picked up in late 2009 as President Obama announced his war strategy [See "Top Stories of 2009: Economy, Obama and Health Care," released Dec. 29, 2009].

Questions about people in the news round out the quiz update. About four-in-ten (39%) know that Nevada Democrat Harry Reid is the majority leader of the U.S. Senate. About a third (32%) correctly pick Michael Steele as the chairman of the Republican National Committee. Interestingly, nearly half of Republicans (48%) are able to identify Reid as Senate majority leader compared with just a third (33%) of Democrats. More Republicans can identify Reid as majority leader than can identify Steel as chairman of the RNC (37%).

About four-in-ten (41%) correctly say that Stephen Colbert is a comedian and television talk show host. This is the only question on the quiz that more people younger than 30 than older people answer correctly (49% vs. 39%).

Knowledge and the Senate Health Care Bill

Asked how many GOP senators voted for the chamber’s health care bill on Dec. 24, only 32% know that the measure received no support from Republican members. About as many answer incorrectly, saying that five (13%), 10 (8%), or 20 (8%) GOP Senators voted for the bill. About four-in-ten (39%) do not know or decline to answer.

A smaller percentage (26%) knows that 60 votes are needed to break a filibuster in the Senate. About as many (25%) mistakenly say that a simple majority of 51 votes can break a filibuster.

As with most other questions on the news quiz, well-educated people, older Americans and men are more likely to correctly answer the questions about the Senate vote on health care and the filibuster.

Less than a third of Republicans or Democrats can correctly identify the number of votes needed to end a filibuster (30% among Republicans, 25% among Democrats). College graduates fared better than other demographic groups on this question, but fewer than half of college graduates (45%) know that it takes 60 Senate votes to overcome a filibuster.

Republicans More Knowledgeable on Many Issues

Republicans, on average, answered one more question correctly than Democrats (5.9 vs. 4.9 correct). These differences are partly a reflection of the demographics of the two groups; Republicans tend to be older, well educated and male, which are characteristics associated with political and economic knowledge. Still, even when these factors are held constant, Republicans do somewhat better than Democrats on the knowledge quiz.

Among the largest gaps comes over knowledge of who leads the U.S. Senate. About half (48%) of Republicans are able to identify Reid as the current majority leader, while only a third of Democrats can name their own party’s Senate leader. More Republicans can name Reid (48%) than Steele (37%), the RNC chairman.

The one question in the survey in which Democrats slightly outperform Republicans is about the number of women now serving on the U.S. Supreme Court. Close to six-in-ten Democrats (58%) know that more than one woman serves on the high court, compared with 50% of Republicans. Though the Democratic Party is made up of more women than men, this finding does not appear driven mostly by gender. Republican men and women are about equally likely to answer this question correctly (about half each), while solid majorities of both Democratic men (60%) and women (57%) get this question right.

Large Age Gap in Knowledge

As in previous knowledge surveys, older people fare much better on most questions than do young people. The largest gaps come on questions about the Christmas Day terrorist plot and the name of the Senate leader.

When asked to name the country that intelligence officials believe trained and equipped the suspected Christmas Day bomber, close to six-in-ten (59%) Americans 50 and older correctly identify Yemen, compared with just 25% of those younger than 30. Similarly, there is a 34-point difference between those younger than 30 and older than 50 in knowledge of who leads the U.S. Senate (16% vs. 50%).

The most notable exception to this pattern is the ability of young people to identify Colbert. About half (49%) of those younger than 30 correctly identify the comedian and talk show host compared with 38% of those older than 50.

Gender Differences on Economic Questions

The Pew Research Center’s news consumption surveys have consistently measured greater attentiveness to news about politics and economics among men than among women. The results of the News IQ Quiz tend to reflect these news preferences.

In the
current poll, men on average answer more questions correctly than women (6.0 for men vs. 4.6 for women). The gender gap in news knowledge is greatest on the question of which country holds the most U.S. government debt (70% of men answer correctly vs. 49% of women) and the current level of the Dow (45% of men know this vs. 27% of women). But there is no gender divide on the item about the number of women on the Supreme Court. Roughly equal proportions of men (57%) and women (56%) answer this correctly.

News Knowledge on Average

The survey measures overall news knowledge using the 12 multiple choice questions in an additive scale. For each question answered correctly respondents receive one point on a scale ranging from zero (none correct) to 12 (all correct). In the current News IQ Quiz, just 2% of the public answered all questions correctly (12 out of 12), while 6% failed to answer a single question right.

Compared with the News Quiz from nearly a year ago, it proved harder for the public to answer at least half the questions correctly this time. Only 42% of Americans answered at least six questions right, compared with 71% who answered at least half the questions correctly in March 2009.

Consistent with past knowledge tests, demographic groups differed in how well they performed on the quiz. Men correctly answered an average of 6.0 out of 12 questions correctly, while women answered an average of 4.6 questions right. Those with college degrees correctly answered 7.3 questions correctly on average. Those with some college experience answered an average of 5.4 questions and those with no college experience answered 3.9 correctly on average.

As in the past, older Americans generally did better than young people. Respondents 50 and older could correctly answer an average of about two more questions than those under age 30 (5.9 vs. 3.8).

Republicans averaged 5.9 correct answers. Independents correctly answered 5.6 on average and Democrats answered 4.9 correct on average.

The U.S. government has a lot on its plate right now, which means that the American public has a lot to keep up with in the news. The Pew Research Center’s latest News IQ Quiz finds a mixed picture of public awareness on key issues, with majorities aware of some key facts on health care and the economy. But other questions stump large segments of the public, including the current size of the U.S. military commitment in Afghanistan, the approximate level of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the name of a key environmental proposal being debated in Congress.

On health care, which has dominated news coverage for much of the summer, most Americans are aware that the U.S. spends more per capita on health care than most major European nations. And more than half (56%) know that the debate in Congress over a “public option” pertains to health care legislation and not some other substantive policy area. By contrast, far fewer (18%) can correctly identify Max Baucus as chair of the Senate Finance Committee that has developed legislation to reform the U.S. health care system.

The current news quiz, conducted Oct. 1-4 among 1,002 adults reached on cell phones and landlines, asked 12 multiple choice questions about people, events and issues in the news. Respondents answered an average of 5.3 questions correctly.

The quiz included three items on the economy. The same proportion now as in the Pew Research Center’s March news quiz were able to correctly identify the unemployment rate: 53% picked 10% out of four choices. A sizeable minority overestimated the current rate (33%), far more than the number who underestimated it (5%). A third of those interviewed (33%) could correctly name Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and the same percentage correctly estimated the current level of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (around 10,000 points).

Beyond health care and the economy, the survey also addressed public awareness of some facts about foreign affairs. Only about four-in-ten (42%) knew that Iran and Israel do not share a border; 27% said the two countries do share a border and 30% did not answer. In March, 69% knew that Pakistan and Afghanistan do share a border.

The current news quiz also touches on the subject of Afghanistan. Fewer than three-in-ten (28%) correctly estimated that the U.S. has roughly 70,000 military personnel stationed in Afghanistan, while 25% believe the U.S. has a larger military presence there and 17% think that that U.S. force is smaller.

Among the other topics on the quiz, 75% of the public knows that Democrats control the U.S. House of Representatives, about the same as in June 2009 but a little lower than in the months immediately following the 2008 election. Nearly two-thirds (65%) could correctly identify Sonia Sotomayor as the newest member of the U.S. Supreme Court. Fewer than half (40%) could identify Glenn Beck as a TV and radio talk show host; and among the most difficult questions in the survey, just 23% of Americans are aware that legislation often referred to as “cap and trade” concerns energy and environmental policy.

Knowledge and the Health Care Debate

In the debate over health care reform, there are frequent references to how much the U.S. spends per capita in comparison with other nations. A majority of Americans (61%) answered correctly that the U.S. spends more per person on health care than most major European nations. Similarly, 56% know that the “public option” is part of the debate over health care reform. Still, a third of the public (33%) does not know what policy area discussion of a “public option” refers to, and 11% guessed incorrectly.

The hardest question on the quiz asked respondents to pick from a list the name of the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee that is tasked with writing health care reform legislation. Just 18% correctly identified Montana Senator Max Baucus; another 26% chose other leading political figures (11% named Dianne Feinstein, 8% Kathleen Sibelius and 7% John McCain); more than half (56%) declined to answer.

Men generally outperformed women on the news quiz, but women held their own on two of the three questions on health care (U.S. spending vs. Europe, and the public option). More men (23%) than women (12%) could pick Max Baucus as chair of the Finance Committee.

Americans under the age of 30 were less likely than older Americans to know that the “public option” refers to health care legislation, or to correctly identify Baucus as the chair of Senate Finance. Young people were just as likely as those 50 and older to know that U.S. spends more per capita on health care than many major European nations. More than two-thirds (67%) of those between the ages of 30 and 49 got this question right.

Not surprisingly, college graduates had among the best scores on the health care questions. For example, nearly three-quarters (74%) are aware that the “public option” is a health care proposal.

Partisan Knowledge Gap

Across the 12 knowledge items tested, the biggest gap between Democrats and Republicans is on the item identifying Glenn Beck as a TV and radio talk show host. About half of Republicans (49%) knew Beck’s occupation, compared with 32% of Democrats.

There was a double-digit gap between Republicans and Democrats on three other items as well, but there was little difference on the items dealing with health care, the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, or whether Iran and Israel share a border.

Knowledge on Average

To measure overall news knowledge, the 12 multiple choice questions were used to create an index ranging from zero (none correct) to 12 (all correct). On average, the public correctly answered approximately five out of 12 questions (mean 5.3). The current news IQ quiz proved harder than the one conducted earli
er this year. In March, the public correctly answered an average of 7.4 out of 12 possible questions.

In the current knowledge test, just 2% of the public answered all questions correctly (12 out of 12) and 6% failed to get a single question right. Fewer than half (44%) answered at least half the questions correctly.

Overall, Americans 50 and older answered an average of 5.8 questions correctly, while those younger than 30 answered an average of just four questions. College graduates got the highest scores among all of the groups analyzed (7.1 correct answers), while those with some college education averaged 5.3 correct answers and those with a high school education or less got 4.2 right.

Republicans and independents each averaged 5.7 correct answers, compared with five correct among Democrats. Men correctly answered an average of 5.9 of the 12 items; women answered an average of 4.7.