ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to build an argument for a fresh line of inquiry into the assessment of reading comprehension. We intend to accomplish that goal by providing a rich and detailed historical account of reading comprehension, both as a theoretical phenomenon and an operational construct that lives and breathes in classrooms throughout America. We review both basic research, which deals with reading comprehension largely in its theoretical aspect, and applied research, which is much more concerned about how comprehension gets operationalized in classrooms, reading materials, and tests.
