Haggerty: The Ability to Read 



49 



''are not much better than convenient guesses"; and indicated a 

 program for the revision of the scale. Our results from 10,551 

 children confirm his contention that the several sets arranged 

 in Scale Alpha do form a scale of difficulty ''adequate to show 

 differences in reading ability", but suggest values very different 

 from those given. Table 17 gives the per cent of error for each 

 grade in each set of the scale. Basing scale values on the total 

 per cent of error and using the same units as in the visual vocab- 

 ulary revision, we get values as follows: A = 4, B = 10, C = 12, 

 D = 16. The ratios here are 1, 2\, 3, and 4 as against 

 Thorndike's ratios of 1, 1|, 2, and 2| and emphasize even more 

 strongly his statement that "intermediate sets are much needed". 



TABLE 17. — Understanding of Sentences 

 Per cent of errors in each set. 



Ghade 



Set a 



Set B 



Set C 



Set D 



3 



7 



31 



45 



85 



4 



5 



22 



34 



78 



5 



2 



11 



21 



59 



6 



2 



8 



15 



51 



7 



2 



8 



13 



42 



8 



1 



6 



11 



34 



Total 



3 



14 



23 



58 



Test for Revision of Scale Alpha 



With a view to supplying such intermediate values tests like 

 those shown in Test S were given to about 12,000 children. Each 

 set was answered by about 4,000 children. 



TEST S 



Read this and then write answers to questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. 

 AU questions must be answered from the paragraph. Read the paragraph 

 as often as you need to. 



Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for 

 delight is in privateness, and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for 

 ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business; for, expert men can 

 execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, 

 and the plots and marshaling of affairs, come best from those that are learned. 



To spend too much time in studies, is sloth; to use them too much for orna- 

 ment, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a 

 scholar; they perfect nature, and are perfected by experience — for natural abilities 



4—5533 



