Robert scored an 87 on a recent mathematics placement test. John scored an 86. The standard error of measurement of the test is 4. What can we conclude about the two students' actual measures?
A) Robert's true score is higher than John's
B) John's true score is higher than Robert's
C) Robert's true score may be higher than John's
D) The two student's true scores are equal

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Because the standard error of measurement is 4, there is a range of scores that each student could have achieved with some level of confidence. It is possible that Robert's true score is higher than John's, but it is also possible that John's true score is higher than Robert's. Without additional information, we cannot say which student's true score is higher, but we can conclude that there is some overlap in the range of scores that each student could have achieved. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Robert Scored an 87 on a Recent Mathematics Placement Test