no. 2.] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. 423 



On July 2, 1918, letter ratings on the basis of mental age (for all the individual examination 

 methods) were authorized on the following basis: 



This was changed as a result of Alpha-Beta-Stanford investigation (see chapter 7) to 

 the following, which was retained until the close of the war: 



The final grade basis for all the scales used in psychological examining is set forth in the 

 revised Examiner's Guide (p. 195, Part I). 



The figures below show the percentage distribution of letter ratings assigned to the men 

 of several draft quotas on the basis of all the examinations used. It represents, perhaps not 

 unfairly, the outcome of the rating method finally adopted. It should be stated that in case a 

 man was given two or more examinations the letter grade assigned was the highest one earned. 



Distribution of letter ratings for 167,035 white drafted men was as follows: 



It will be understood that the assignment of letter ratings was a practical rather than a 

 scientific problem. The range of the A rating was made wide because of the general belief 

 that above a certain level of intelligence the military value of an individual depended chiefly 

 upon other factors. The distinction between A and B ratings was not greatly stressed. The 

 lines were so drawn as to skew the distribution of final ratings considerably toward the low end. 

 This was thought to be in the interest of safety, since 20 per cent or more of an average draft 

 quota were either foreign or illiterate, and therefore usually unsuitable for positions of special 

 responsibility. 



From the administrative point of view it was perhaps unfortunate that a satisfactory method 

 of rating was not provided earlier in the work, since a certain amount of confusion was caused 

 by the frequent changes in the basis of rating. It would also have been well had more atten- 

 tion been paid to the equating of ratings on the different examinations. The method finally 

 adopted was in the main satisfactory in this respect, but earlier in the work a letter rating of 

 D or C — made on the beta examination was certainly far from being equivalent to D or C — 

 ratings on the alpha examination. Naturally, the individual who took two or more exami- 

 nations was favored, since he always stood a chance to gain and never to lose. 



Section 4. — Explanation oj letter ratings to commanding officers. 



In the work of the first four camps the only explanation of grades furnished to command- 

 ing officers were the definitions of the letter ratings as meaning very superior, superior, average, 

 etc. In the spring and summer of 1918 the chief psychological examiners in a majority of the 

 camps found it helpful to issue a somewhat more elaborate statement for the interpretation of 

 the ratings. These were made up in many different forms, some very brief, others as much as 

 500 to 1,000 words in length. The following circular used at Camp Greenleaf is typical: 



INFORMATION REGARDING PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION. 

 (For use of company commanders). 



Purpose of the tests. — 1. To classify men and officers according to their mental ability, thus supplementing the 

 records of occupational qualifications and assisting in placement in the army. 

 2. To secure information regarding the mental strength of organizations. 



