Frequently Asked Question:

How do you handle scoring multiples responses?

Answer:

Sometimes a student will spontaneously give several responses to an item. The following rules should guide the scoring of such responses:

• If the student gives both a correct and an incorrect response to an item, or two responses of different point values, and it is not clear which is the intended answer, ask the student which one is intended and score only the intended response.
• If the student self-corrects after an initial response, award appropriate credit. If a later response is intended to replace a previous one, score only the intended response.
• If the student self-corrects after an initial response, award appropriate credit. If a later response is intended to replace a previous one, score only the intended response.
• If the student gives both a correct and an incorrect response to an item, or two responses of different point values, and it is not clear which is the intended answer, ask the student which one is intended and score only the intended response.
• If the student’s responses vary widely in quality with no one answer spoiling the entire response, score the best response of the group.
• For example, if the student responds to Item 84 of Reading Comprehension (“Near the end of the climb, why did Angela refuse to check on Sherry’s progress?”) with, “She didn’t want to look down, because she couldn’t deal with Sherry right then. She needed to get herself to the top first,”then the best response,“She needed to get herself to the top,”is scored. Two points are awarded even though the other responses are worth 1 point and 0 points, respectively.
• For subtests without strict time limits, the student is permitted to respond to a previously administered item after beginning the next item. If this occurs, go back and rescore the preceding item based on the student’s final answer.