ABSTRACT
Research in score reporting has resulted in design guidelines and research frameworks that provide advice on the design and evaluation of score reports. Both audience preferences and comprehension of the information presented should be taken into account when designing and evaluating score reports for a particular audience. Though all information included should be evaluated for appropriate interpretation by the intended audience, communicating measurement error information with teachers and parents has been found to be especially challenging. In this chapter, we describe the types of score reports that are designed for teachers and parents and review current research on how measurement error information is presented and understood by these audiences. We present research-based suggestions on how best to communicate this information so that it leads to appropriate interpretations and uses. We elaborate on the need to consider teachers and parents as different audiences and examine the potential for using similar research methods and materials when conducting research with these audiences. We conclude the chapter by noting the need for targeted research on (a) effectively communicating information in score reports (e.g., subscores or performance over time), (b) investigating both user preferences and user comprehension, and (c) evaluating instructional tools to support understanding and appropriate use of assessment information with particular audiences.
