ABSTRACT
Up to this point in the book, we have focused on proper techniques for devel-oping and evaluating tests. We have talked about establishing evidence for the reliability and validity of our tests. We have even talked about performing item analyses to evaluate individual items on a test. Essentially, we have been recommending that you perform certain analyses to make sure you would have confidence in any decisions that resulted from use of the test. At some point, however, you will have to do something with the test. That is, as noted in Module 1, you are most likely administering the test to help you make an important decision. As a result, you will have to score the test and most likely set a cutoff or pass point for the test to decide who “passes” and who “fails.” Subsequently, we present several of the more common methods for scoring tests, thus allowing us to actually use our test data to help us make important, even life-altering, psychometrically sound decisions with confidence.
