no. 2.] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. 475 



to read the directions and to point to the appropriate drawing. This method was not exten- 

 sively used because it gave segregation merely, and not a literacy gradation. A modification 

 of the original literacy test was also tried. This consisted in the omission of written instructions 

 and the use of blackboard demonstration. No definite, results were reported. 



Camp Dix. — A carefully summarized statement of the relation between the results of the 

 literacy test and examination a on 307 cases was reported by the Camp Dix staff. They con- 

 clude that the literacy test does not fairly eliminate those who can not read English from 

 the a examination. Certain material facts support this conclusion. Fifty-one per cent of the 

 entire group received grades of or 2 in literacy and would therefore have been eliminated 

 from the a examination. Nine per cent of those scoring zero and 46 per cent of those scoring 2 

 in literacy exceed the median of the entire group in examination a. 



The staff at Camp Dix concluded after actual experience with the test: 



It is doubtful whether we may expect to develop for immediate use a satisfactory test which will form a basis 

 for distinguishing different degrees of literacy and at the same time be adapted for use in the rapid preliminary division 

 of men for the group test. To meet the first requirement we probably need a longer test; to meet the second, a 

 very brief test. It is believed that the literacy test as given in the Examiner's Guide is unsatisfactory. 



Considering the information given in the regular intelligence examinations and that available in the personnel 

 office, one may doubt whether a gradation in literacy, such as that proposed, is worth the effort necessary to obtain it. 

 And, if it is highly desirable to obtain such information, one would think that it might best be obtained by a somewhat 

 more extensive examination in the regular intelligence series. 



It is believed that the chief purpose of the preliminary group examination should be that of selecting (1) those 

 who can profitably be examined by group methods which necessitate an elementary knowledge of the English language 

 as printed and written as well as spoken and (2) those who must be examined by group methods requiring little or no 

 knowledge of English and by the individual examination method. 



For experimental purposes, Dix modified instructions for giving the literacy test. In one 

 modification the directions were read aloud. In another the printed directions were folded 

 back and the men were instructed orally to draw a fine under every word that meant an animal. 

 The result seemed to indicate that the complication in the instructions of the original form 

 prevented the test from measuring the lower degrees of literacy. A third form omitted all 

 reading material except the four fines of test words. A demonstration blackboard with dem- 

 onstration material similar to the test material was used. 



In order to attain the second result desired — namely, the discovery of a brief test which 

 will segregate those unable to do themselves justice in examination a from those who can prop- 

 erly take the examination — a dictation literacy test was proposed. The form first reported was 

 tried on a small group and seemed to the Dix staff to have the evident advantage of simplicity. 

 It, offered the further possibility of keeping away from the test situation as far as possible in the 

 first work with a group. This seemed to be necessary, since the examiners reported that many 

 of the men did not become at ease until after the completion of the literacy test. Sine* the 

 preliminary trial of this test seemed to give good results, careful instructions for its use were 

 drawn up. (See account of this test, p. 34S.) The dictation literacy test was adopted as the 

 main procedure for segregating literates and nonliterates at Camp Dix during the fall examining. 



Section 5. — Testing semiliterates, illiterates, and non-English speaJcing recruits. 



We have indicated above the process of segregation. Those considered sufficiently literate 

 to take examination a proceeded to take that examination. In practically all cases a certain 

 percentage of men tried examination a and failed to make the critical score. As a result of 

 segregation and examination a, four classes of recruits remained to be given further examina- 

 tion — those who failed to make a satisfactory score in examination a (these may have been 

 either unable to read rapidly enough or men of low-grade intelligence) ; the semiliterate who were 

 split off bj r the preliminary segregation process; the illiterate; and the non-English speaking 

 who have not learned to read English. A fifth group also must be considered in the general 

 discussion. Examination a lays considerable emphasis on speed of performance. There is 

 probably a small group of individuals who read well and are to be considered of average intelli- 



