Ashmore, R., & Cork, K. (1985). Estimating reading grade level equivalents using the American College Testing Program. Journal of College Student Personnel. https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/ACT_RR88.pdf

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Researchers wanted to see if the ACT English and Social Studies Reading sections are reliable predictors of performance on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test Forms C and E. They found that the ACT is a good indicator of reading ability and can be used for placement purposes. 

Estimating reading grade level equivalents using the American College Testing Program

- 2 sub-sections: vocabulary test with 100 questions and reading comprehension test with 36 questions on 8 passages
- Reading passage topic ranges from English literature, social studies, to natural science 
- 2 forms: Forms C-D (1973) and Forms E-F (1981)
- Sometimes used as a second test besides the ACT for placing students into different class levels based on their reading abilities   

Estimating reading grade level equivalents using the American College Testing Program - Nelson-Denny Reading Test

- Recruited 2,431 students from 3 universities in the Midwest who took the ACT and Form C of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test
- Recruited 3,016 students form 1 university in the Midwest with ACT and Form E Nelson-Denny Reading Test scores 
- Test scores were from 1980 to 1984
- Regression models included ACT English and Social Studies Reading passages (excluded Math and Natural Science Reading because those had negative to zero impacts on the overall model) 

Estimating reading grade level equivalents using the American College Testing Program - Procedure

- ACT English and Social Studies subsections do provide a reliable source of information regarding student reading skills 
- ACT can be used to predict or estimate reading comprehension abilities 
- Since the ACT already provides an idea of student reading abilities, taking the Nelson-Denny Reading Test would be unnecessary and unlikely to yield any additional helpful information 

Estimating reading grade level equivalents using the American College Testing Program - Results

- Assumed the two tests have similar formats by only including English and Social Studies reading from the ACT
- ACT prediction can look different for students with scores outside of the range studied in this paper or on different Nelson-Denny forms 

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