A reliability and validity study of a literacy assessment instrument for undergraduate college students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Turrentine/Bradley Literacy Testing Battery (TBLTB), a literacy test designed to parallel the type of texts and tasks commonly employed with undergraduates in a university class. The TBLTB has two forms, each consisting of multi-page reading passages selected from a widely used college-level psychology textbook. Form 1 of the TBLTB was a 2839-word passage about dreams. Form 2 consisted of a 2750-word passage about cognition. Each passage was accompanied by thirteen multiple choice and ten short answer test items. The TBLTB was administered to 138 undergraduate students attending nine classes at a southwestern university. The tests were given to the sample during two sessions typically separated by a one to three week hiatus. The standard directions and procedures were followed. Correlations across the two response types and between the two forms (Dreams and Cognition) were examined. Results of the study indicated that low to moderately low but positive correlations existed between the TBLTB and GPAs (college and high schools English) and the scores on the commonly used admissions tests (ACT, SAT, and SAT Recentered). The extent of agreement across the two response types and between the two forms (Dreams and Cognition) of the TBLTB produced very positive results although correlations between raw scores was marginal. The wide range of scores across the two response types and between the two forms of The TBLTB indicates the tests is a valid measure of reading and writing skills. The quantitative data provided in examining short answer responses provided valuable information in several areas: (1) the students ability to express information in written responses, (2) grammatical and spelling strengths and weaknesses, and (3) the possibility of the discovery of the presence of a learning disability. The conclusion of the study is that the Turrentine/Bradley Literacy Testing Battery (TBLTB) is a valid and reliable measure for screening students in terms of mastery/non-mastery of college-level literacy skills and for aiding in determining the nature and extent of literacy weaknesses