Frequently Asked Question:
Why were item sets used instead of using basal and discontinue rules?
Answer:
The Reading Comprehension subtest was created using
item sets that were designed to assess an adequate
sample of the student's reading achievement, while attempting to minimize the number of reading passages required. The improved scoring procedures for the Reading Comprehension subtest take into account the difficulty level of the
item sets, so it is not necessary to administer additional items to get a more accurate score. However, the examiner can decide whether to administer more items as a way of "testing the limits" in order to gain further qualitative information (for
item analysis, for example). These additional
item scores should not be used for normative purposes.