The Source of Lake Wobegon [updated]

dc.creator	Richard P. Phelps
dc.date	2010-07-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-07-20T22:07:28Z
dc.date.available	2015-07-20T22:07:28Z
dc.identifier	2150-6477
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/f47d299474eb464286cfa9e1ab21f76b
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/11230
dc.description	John J. Cannell's late 1980's "Lake Wobegon" reports suggested widespread deliberateeducator manipulation of norm-referenced standardized test (NRT) administrations and results,resulting in artificial test score gains. The Cannell studies have been referenced in educationresearch since, but as evidence that high stakes (and not cheating or lax security) cause test scoreinflation. This article examines that research and Cannell's data for evidence that high stakes causetest score inflation. No such evidence is found. Indeed, the evidence indicates that, if anything, theabsence of high stakes is associated with artificial test score gains. The variable most highlycorrelated with test score inflation is general performance on achievement tests, with traditionallylow-performing states exhibiting more test score inflation on low-stakes norm-referencedtests than traditionally high-performing states, regardless of whether or not a state alsomaintains a high-stakes testing program. The unsupported high-stakes-cause-test-score-inflationhypothesis seems to derive from the surreptitious substitution of an antiquated definition of theterm "high stakes" and a few studies afflicted with left-out-variable bias.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	Nonpartisan Education Review
dc.relation	http://www.nonpartisaneducation.org/Review/Articles/v6n3.htm
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/2150-6477
dc.source	Nonpartisan Education Review , Vol 6, Iss 3, Pp 1-53 (2010)
dc.subject	Lake Wobegon
dc.subject	test score inflation
dc.subject	artificial test score gains
dc.subject	high-stakes test
dc.subject	cheating
dc.subject	CRESST
dc.subject	Koretz
dc.subject	Linn
dc.subject	Shepard
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	The Source of Lake Wobegon [updated]
dc.type	article