Below is a brief comprehension test on this hypertext. It has been constructed to mimic the sort of test found with AR, and the feedback at the end is similar in content and tone. The test has only five items, but this number of questions should allow you to get a feel for the way AR works, without getting bored. Unlike in AR, the psychometric stability of these items is not guaranteed.

Only one of the four responses to each question is correct. If you click on an incorrect response, you will be taken back to reread the relevant paragraph in the commentary. Use the “Back” button in your browser to return to the test. Correct responses result in the presentation of the next test item. If you are fond of bells and whistles, you will have to use your imagination!

1. The Accelerated Reader is

A. a reading incentive program
B. a standardized reading test
C. a reading management, motivation, and metacognition program
D. the work of the devil

2. Students need

A. more in-class time for reading
B. to spend more time actually engaged in reading
C. to spend more time engaged with reading at an appropriate level
D. to spend more time effectively and accountably engaged with reading at an appropriate level

3. The Accelerated Reader

A. provides automatically generated “at-risk” reports
B. allows the teacher to adjust book point values
C. allows students to retake tests routinely
D. enables the teacher to adjust the pass criterion

4. Most of the existing evaluation studies of AR

A. control for implementation integrity
B. find evidence of impact on attainment
C. control confounding variables
D. demonstrate causal direction definitively

5. Good implementation of AR is characterized by

A. a high degree of challenge for all students
B. a high percentage of correct responses on tests
C. accumulation of a large number of at-risk reports
D. students reading large numbers of very easy books

How did you do?

• Five out of five correct first time? Excellent. You probably explored the entire hypertext carefully and grasped the main points well.
• Four out of five correct first time? Good. You met the 80 percent correct pass criterion. And now you have reread the text that relates to the item you were uncertain about.
• Three out of five correct first time? You have only just met the pass criterion. Maybe you did not explore the hypertext fully. Or maybe you read some parts too quickly and did not quite grasp the main points. Think about where and how you might have gone wrong. How could you avoid that happening on another occasion? Do you think you should reread the whole posting?
• Only one or two out of five correct first time? Sorry, you have not met the pass criterion. Think about the points mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Also consider whether you have chosen to read something that was too difficult for you just yet. How could you avoid that happening on another occasion?

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