Post by mypassion on Feb 3, 2008 21:34:52 GMT 5.5
Test Development Process
The General Test is composed of questions formulated by specialists in various fields. Each question is reviewed by several independent critics and revised if necessary. New questions are pretested in actual tests under standard testing conditions.
Questions appearing in a test for the first time are analyzed for usefulness and potential weaknesses; they are not used in computing scores. Questions that perform satisfactorily become part of a pool from which new editions of the General Test are assembled at a future date.
After questions for a new edition of a General Test have been assembled, they are reviewed by other subject matter experts and test specialists from inside and outside ETS. Individual test questions and the test as a whole are reviewed to eliminate material considered to be potentially offensive, inappropriate for major subgroups of the test-taking population, or serving to perpetuate any negative attitude concerning these subgroups.
The extensive procedure described above has been developed to ensure that every question in the General Test is appropriate and useful and that the combination of questions is satisfactory. Even so, the appraisal continues until after the new edition has been administered and subjected to a rigorous statistical analysis, before scores are reported, to see whether each question yields the expected statistical results.
This analysis could provide information that suggests that a particular question is ambiguous, requires knowledge beyond the scope of the test, or is inappropriate for the total group or for a particular subgroup of test takers. Answers to questions found to have such flaws are not used in computing scores.
Scoring Process
Scores will be based on one section each of verbal and quantitative, and two analytical writing tasks.
Analytical Writing Section
A single score is reported for the analytical writing section. Each essay receives a score from 2 trained readers using 6-point holistic scale. In holistic scoring, readers are trained to assign scores on the basis of the overall quality of a response to the assigned task. If the 2 assigned scores differ by more than 1 point on the scale, the discrepancy is adjudicated by a third, very experienced, reader. Otherwise, the scores from the 2 readings of an essay are averaged. The final scores on the 2 essays are then averaged and rounded up to the nearest half-point interval (e.g., 3.0, 3.5). If no essay response is given for either of the 2 tasks in this section, an NS (No Score) is reported for the section. If any essay response is provided for only one of the 2 writing tasks, the task for which no essay response is provided will receive a score of zero.
The primary emphasis in scoring the analytical writing section is on your critical thinking and analytical writing skills rather than on grammar and mechanics. Additional scoring information is provided in the POWERPREP software and in the interpretive leaflet enclosed with your score report.
During the scoring process, your essay responses on the analytical writing section will be reviewed by ETS essay-similarity-detection software and by experienced essay readers. See Independent Intellectual Activity.
Verbal and Quantitative Sections
You will receive a test score on every section (except unidentified pretest sections and/or research sections), regardless of the number of questions answered, even if time expires before you answer all the questions. However, if you answer no questions at all in a section, that section will be reported as a No Score (NS).
Your score on each section of the test will depend on the number of questions answered in the time allotted, as well as on your performance on the questions given. Because both of these sections are computer adaptive, the questions given are selected to reflect both your performance on preceding questions and the requirements of the test design. Test design factors that influence which questions are presented include:
the statistical characteristics (including the difficulty level) of those questions already answered
the required variety of question types
the appropriate coverage of content
Scores Reported on the General Test
Three scores are reported:
a verbal score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments,
a quantitative score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments, and
an analytical writing score reported on 0-6 score scale, in half-point increments.
If you answer no questions at all in a section (analytical writing, verbal, or quantitative), that section will be reported as a No Score (NS).
Descriptions of the analytical writing abilities characteristic of particular score levels are available in the interpretive leaflet enclosed with your score report, and in the Guide to the Use of GRE Scores.
Canceling Your Scores
At the end of the test, before you view your scores, you will have the option to cancel your scores. This is the only time your scores can be canceled. Canceled scores cannot be reinstated, and no refund will be issued.
Institutions will not receive any information about your canceled scores or about any previous scores you may have on file.
Reporting Your Scores
You can view unofficial verbal and quantitative scores at the test center; however, because of the essay scoring process, you will not receive your analytical writing score at that time. Official verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing scores will be sent to you and score recipients within 10 to 15 days after you take the test. Printed score reports are not available at the test center.
At the end of the test, if you choose to report your scores, you may request that they be sent to as many as 4 graduate institutions or fellowship sponsors at no additional charge. If an institution is not listed, ask the test center administrator for the appropriate form to indicate unlisted institutions. Complete the form and turn it in before you leave the test center. The form will not be accepted after you leave the test center. If you do not select institutions on the test day, you will be required to pay US$15 per recipient to have the scores sent at a later date.
Test centers cannot provide printed copies of score reports.
Retaking the Test
You may take the General Test (computer-based and/or paper-based) only once per calendar month and no more than 5 times in any 12-month period. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously.
The General Test is composed of questions formulated by specialists in various fields. Each question is reviewed by several independent critics and revised if necessary. New questions are pretested in actual tests under standard testing conditions.
Questions appearing in a test for the first time are analyzed for usefulness and potential weaknesses; they are not used in computing scores. Questions that perform satisfactorily become part of a pool from which new editions of the General Test are assembled at a future date.
After questions for a new edition of a General Test have been assembled, they are reviewed by other subject matter experts and test specialists from inside and outside ETS. Individual test questions and the test as a whole are reviewed to eliminate material considered to be potentially offensive, inappropriate for major subgroups of the test-taking population, or serving to perpetuate any negative attitude concerning these subgroups.
The extensive procedure described above has been developed to ensure that every question in the General Test is appropriate and useful and that the combination of questions is satisfactory. Even so, the appraisal continues until after the new edition has been administered and subjected to a rigorous statistical analysis, before scores are reported, to see whether each question yields the expected statistical results.
This analysis could provide information that suggests that a particular question is ambiguous, requires knowledge beyond the scope of the test, or is inappropriate for the total group or for a particular subgroup of test takers. Answers to questions found to have such flaws are not used in computing scores.
Scoring Process
Scores will be based on one section each of verbal and quantitative, and two analytical writing tasks.
Analytical Writing Section
A single score is reported for the analytical writing section. Each essay receives a score from 2 trained readers using 6-point holistic scale. In holistic scoring, readers are trained to assign scores on the basis of the overall quality of a response to the assigned task. If the 2 assigned scores differ by more than 1 point on the scale, the discrepancy is adjudicated by a third, very experienced, reader. Otherwise, the scores from the 2 readings of an essay are averaged. The final scores on the 2 essays are then averaged and rounded up to the nearest half-point interval (e.g., 3.0, 3.5). If no essay response is given for either of the 2 tasks in this section, an NS (No Score) is reported for the section. If any essay response is provided for only one of the 2 writing tasks, the task for which no essay response is provided will receive a score of zero.
The primary emphasis in scoring the analytical writing section is on your critical thinking and analytical writing skills rather than on grammar and mechanics. Additional scoring information is provided in the POWERPREP software and in the interpretive leaflet enclosed with your score report.
During the scoring process, your essay responses on the analytical writing section will be reviewed by ETS essay-similarity-detection software and by experienced essay readers. See Independent Intellectual Activity.
Verbal and Quantitative Sections
You will receive a test score on every section (except unidentified pretest sections and/or research sections), regardless of the number of questions answered, even if time expires before you answer all the questions. However, if you answer no questions at all in a section, that section will be reported as a No Score (NS).
Your score on each section of the test will depend on the number of questions answered in the time allotted, as well as on your performance on the questions given. Because both of these sections are computer adaptive, the questions given are selected to reflect both your performance on preceding questions and the requirements of the test design. Test design factors that influence which questions are presented include:
the statistical characteristics (including the difficulty level) of those questions already answered
the required variety of question types
the appropriate coverage of content
Scores Reported on the General Test
Three scores are reported:
a verbal score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments,
a quantitative score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments, and
an analytical writing score reported on 0-6 score scale, in half-point increments.
If you answer no questions at all in a section (analytical writing, verbal, or quantitative), that section will be reported as a No Score (NS).
Descriptions of the analytical writing abilities characteristic of particular score levels are available in the interpretive leaflet enclosed with your score report, and in the Guide to the Use of GRE Scores.
Canceling Your Scores
At the end of the test, before you view your scores, you will have the option to cancel your scores. This is the only time your scores can be canceled. Canceled scores cannot be reinstated, and no refund will be issued.
Institutions will not receive any information about your canceled scores or about any previous scores you may have on file.
Reporting Your Scores
You can view unofficial verbal and quantitative scores at the test center; however, because of the essay scoring process, you will not receive your analytical writing score at that time. Official verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing scores will be sent to you and score recipients within 10 to 15 days after you take the test. Printed score reports are not available at the test center.
At the end of the test, if you choose to report your scores, you may request that they be sent to as many as 4 graduate institutions or fellowship sponsors at no additional charge. If an institution is not listed, ask the test center administrator for the appropriate form to indicate unlisted institutions. Complete the form and turn it in before you leave the test center. The form will not be accepted after you leave the test center. If you do not select institutions on the test day, you will be required to pay US$15 per recipient to have the scores sent at a later date.
Test centers cannot provide printed copies of score reports.
Retaking the Test
You may take the General Test (computer-based and/or paper-based) only once per calendar month and no more than 5 times in any 12-month period. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously.