Mathematics and writing skills are moderately correlated overall (r = 0.48) across 211 studies¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r3 · q4 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2024 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

Reading the evidence codes

q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.

This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.

q4 i3 Across 564 effect sizes from 211 studies, mathematics and writing skills show a moderate correlation of r = 0.48. → Young-Suk Grace Kim 2024

Evidence¶

Young-Suk Grace Kim 2024¶

Young-Suk Grace Kim, Dandan Yang, Jinkyung Hwang. (2024). Are Mathematics and Writing Skills Related? Evidence from Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09960-4

q4 · i3 · quant-synthesis · r3

Random-effects meta-analysis (Robust Variance Estimation) of 211 studies with 564 effect sizes and 1,207,983 participants, using Fisher's z-transformed Pearson correlations. The pooled effect size was "moderate: r = 0.48" with significant heterogeneity (Q = 24,126.39, I-square = 98%).

"The random-effects model showed that the overall correlation between mathematics and writing skills was moderate: r = 0.48 (t = 23.87, 95% CI [0.45, 0.52], p < 0.001)."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

Writing Skills — predictor: learners who differ on it differ in outcomes

Mathematics and writing subskill category (lower vs. higher order) does not significantly moderate the mathematics–writing relation — related
The mathematics–writing correlation is stronger in primary grades (r = 0.52) than in university and beyond (r = 0.30) — related
Publication bias is present in the mathematics–writing literature, though the pooled estimate is robust in sensitivity analyses — related
Standardized, normed writing assessments show a stronger mathematics–writing correlation (r = 0.50) than non-standardized writing assessments (r = 0.31) — related
In primary grades, lower order writing and lower order mathematics skills show the strongest relation (r = 0.59); in adulthood the higher order pair is weak (r = 0.26) — a narrower finding that bears on this claim

Page metadata

Field	Value
`type`	`claim`
`id`	`math-writing-moderate-overall-correlation`
`title`	`Mathematics and writing skills are moderately correlated overall (r = 0.48) across 211 studies`
`description`	`Mathematics and writing skills are moderately correlated overall (r = 0.48) across 211 studies`
`status`	`review`
`evidence_strength`	`strong`
`newest_evidence`	`2024`
`source_checked`	`2026-10-20`
`generated`	by `process:wiki-ingest` on `2026-10-19`
`trust`	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
`sources`	1 — `young-suk-grace-kim-2024`

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