ACER Applied Reading Test Second Edition - ART 2

Author(s): ACER

Publisher: ACER, 2006

ACER has updated and enhanced the highly popular Applied Reading Test. This test is suitable for testing literacy for entry into technical and/or trade type positions or courses. Research has found that levels of literacy correlate with a person's ability to complete courses or perform effectively in certain positions.

Applications
To assess reading comprehension of candidates for various job roles and courses

Candidates
Apprentices, trainees, technical, trade and administration personnel, and others who may need to read and understand written work-related instructions.

Format Online and Paper-based

Time
25--30 minutes

Features

• Key measure of reading comprehension
• Updated Australian norms
• Different versions to suit particular job roles

Content

The ART-2 assesses the ability to comprehend written information. The content deals with mainly work-related topics such as industrial safety and machine operation/maintenance. The ART-2 is independent of technical knowledge and reading speed. With the advantage of high face validity, the ART-2 works well as a tool for selection and development. The enhanced normative data is provided in the form of:

• percentile ranks and stanines, which allow for comparison with an Australian representative sample
• a description of achievement based on test content
• a score which allows comparisons of the reading ability of different individuals and how that relates to the difficulty of different items.

Three forms of the test have been developed with varying levels of difficulty and items relevant to specific types of occupations:

The General / Clerical Form is a general applied reading test suitable for selection into administrative and clerical roles or courses.

The Technical / Trade Form is an updated version of the Applied Reading Test appropriate for selection into trade and technical roles or courses.

The Basic Literacy Form is designed to assess basic literacy skills for selection into operational roles or applied courses with minimal literacy requirements. It can also be used to test literacy levels of persons from a non-English speaking background.

Performance on the different forms is intended to be independent of technical knowledge or reading speed. Passages or diagrams with text from a wide range of relevant areas are presented to candidates. Each passage or diagram is then followed by a number of questions or statements that are based on the passage. Candidates respond to the questions or complete the statements in order to indicate the extent to which they have comprehended the text

The test forms are quick and easy to administer. Please note that the test can only be scored by ACER Test Scoring Services, or by entering the responses online. For the online scoring all test-takers have to use the paper Test Booklets and fill in the Answer Sheets online. Alternatively they can use the paper Answer Sheets and the test administrator can enter the results online later.

Download additional norm data for electrical trades positions

View a Sample Report