Introduction
The List Report provides a summary of results for a group of students who have taken the same test. Each individual’s results are provided as well as summary statistics for the whole group. Teachers/management can view statistics quickly to either answer questions they have regarding the subject, or to highlight trends and patterns that require further investigation
List Reports contain the following group and individual statistics:
Test group statistics
- Number in class
- The class mean on the patm scale
- The year group's national mean (Term 1) on the patm scale from the trials (in brackets)
- The standard deviation of class estimates - i.e. the range of scores either side of the mean that most students fall into
- A mean stanine for the class - national mean is always stanine 5
Individual statistics
- The raw test score
- The patm scale estimate with margin of error
- The number of items omitted
- An individual stanine score
The margin of error
For the PAT tests, each scale score on the List Report is provided with a margin of error. This indicates the precision of the score and gives a range within which we can be reasonably sure that the student’s true achievement level lies. This margin of error should be considered in all comparisons of scale scores, particularly when scores are close together. It takes into account that if the student sat the same test over several days, their raw score would probably vary a little. Applying the margin of error acknowledges that, and defines the area of the scale, therefore the level of the curriculum, the student is working in. Teachers can have confidence/ that this is accurate as long as the tests were administered correctly.
Stanines
Stanines are used to compare an individual student’s achievement with the results obtained by a national reference sample chosen to represent a certain year level. Stanines divide the distribution of results for a year group into nine categories. Most students, when compared with their own year level, achieve around stanines four, five, and six. Stanines seven, eight, and nine represent comparatively high achievement for a year group, while stanines one, two, and three indicate comparatively low achievement.
It is important to remember that the national reference sample data for the PAT tests was collected in March. This means that when a test is administered at the end of the year it will be more appropriate to make stanine comparisons with the next highest year level.
More information about stanines and how they were derived can be found in the teacher manuals or here.
How can you use the List Report?
- Use the triangles at the top of each list to
- order the raw scores and the scale and stanines columns will order also - use this to find cohorts of students - below, or stanine 6/7 etc
- STAR - order the subtests to see discrepancies/patterns between subtest knowledge
- Quickly compare scale progress alongside List report of previous testing
- Click on students' names to view individual reports - speeds up investigation into strengths and weaknesses
- Use the search button for individual names or search for students with the same stanine