Standardized reading assessments are often used as an admissions criterion for college admittance, however, the relationship and predictive validity of reading assessments to academic achievement remains in question. Through a quantitative review of the literature, we conducted a meta-analysis to examine how well performance on college reading…

Reading comprehension assessments are used for postsecondary course placement and advising, and they are components of college entrance exams. Therefore, a quantitative understanding of the relationship between reading comprehension assessments and postsecondary academic achievement is needed. To address this need, we conducted a meta-analysis to…

This study of first-year students in a Canadian university examined linguistic diversity and assessed associations with academic performance and reading abilities in English, the language of instruction. Among 68 students, 19 spoke English as a second language (secondary anglophones). Compared with 49 primary anglophones, these students'…

Provides evidence of some predictive validity of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT) for college students. Argues that because the NDRT is more convenient and economical to administer, it can serve as a feasible alternative to the SAT when a quick verbal measure is needed in the college setting. (FL)

A study was conducted at Florissant Valley Community College (FVCC) to compare three standardized tests--the Iowa Silent Reading Test (ISRT), the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT), and the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT)--for use in assessing student reading skills. The study population of 402 students included 216 students who agreed to…

A review of the literature indicates that the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT) may be a viable instrument for screening students and predicting their academic success in particular circumstances. In 1981, a study was conducted at Schoolcraft College to determine the extent of the relationship between the reading abilities of entering students and…

The importance of reading in a course (content, evaluation, etc.) needs to be considered. This research involved 120 college students and compared the Revised Nelson-Denny reading scores (vocabulary, comprehension, rate) and a course grade. Questionnaire responses were also received. Vocabulary predicted about 35 percent of the grade variance.…

In spring 1987, a study was conducted at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley (Missouri) to identify the basic skills necessary for the successful completion of the course, "Fundamentals of Chemistry." The study evaluated the relationship between performance on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT), the Numerical Reasoning…

A study was conducted at Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) to analyze the college's assessment of students' reading and writing skills, investigate the relationship between assessment scores and grades in specific content courses, establish the relationship between developmental course completion and content course grades, and measure…

The records of 7,499 college students were examined to determine if the Nelson Denny Reading Test (NDRT) scores, high school or college grades, high school rank or ACT composite scores differed across 8 colleges or major student groups at a midwestern state university. Arts and science students and music students tended to produce slightly higher…

A study was conducted at Morton College (Illinois) to gain a better understanding of the factors which contribute to academic success in introductory nursing courses, and to investigate the relationship between the following variables: student grades in Fundamentals of Nursing I and II, Anatomy and Physiology I, and Rhetoric I; and their scores on…

In recognition of the trend toward functional illiteracy, this study developed and evaluated a criterion-referenced functional literacy test for use in diagnosis and evaluation of Miami-Dade Community College English students. The instrument was pilot-tested on 135 composition students in the fall of 1976, then revised after item analysis and…

Since 1985, students taking English 101, the basic composition course at Shoreline Community College (SCC) in Seattle, Washington, have been required to take the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and submit a piece of writing for holistic grading. The introduction of the testing process prompted several questions among students and faculty about what the…