Recording Responses

Plus and minus signs alone are not usually sufficient. Whenever possible the

entire response should be recorded. If the test results are to be used by any other

person than the examiner, this is absolutely essential. Any other standard of completeness

opens the door to carelessness and inaccuracy. In nearly all the tests, except

that of naming sixty words, the examiner will find it possible by the

liberal use of abbreviations to record practically the entire response

_verbatim_. In doing so, however, one must be careful to avoid keeping

the child waiting. Occasionally it is necessary to leave off recording

altogether because of the embarrassment sometimes aroused in the child

by seeing his answer written down. The writer has met the latter

difficulty several times. When for any reason it is not feasible to

record anything more than score marks, success may be indicated by the

sign +, failure by -, and half credit by 1/2. An exceptionally good

response may be indicated by ++ and an exceptionally poor response by --.

If there is a slight doubt about a success or failure the sign? may

be added to the + or -. In general, however, score the response either +

or -, avoiding half credit as far as it is possible to do so.



If the entire response is not recorded it is necessary to record at

least the score mark for each test _when the test is given_. It must be

borne in mind that the scoring is not a purely mechanical affair.

Instead, the judgment of the examiner must come into play with every

record made. If the scoring is delayed, there is not only the danger of

forgetting a response, but the judgment is likely to be influenced by

the subject's responses to succeeding questions. Our special record

booklet contains wide margins, so that extended notes and observations

regarding the child's responses and behavior can be recorded as the test

proceeds.