The Effect of Test Speededness on the Validity of Reading Comprehension Scores
Keywords:
-Abstract
This study examined irregularities in reading comprehension (RC) test results at both the individual and aggregate level focusing on the effect of test speededness on test scores. Individual student and classroom score profiles were grouped on the basis of RC subtest completion rates. Groups that completed the RC subtest scored lower on other battery subtests (e.g., Language) than did those that did not complete the RC measure. Given these results, the test publisher agreed to generate norms based on the first 40 items of the 60-item RC sub- test, using the Rasch model. Rescoring the RC subtest with the 40-item norms substantially corrected score irregularities. The implications of these findings for test score validity are discussed.