ERIC Number: EJ1404548
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0267-1522
EISSN: EISSN-1470-1146
Using Pupils' Grade Obtained in National Examinations as an Outcome Measure in Evaluations: Some Considerations for the Design of Randomised Controlled Trials
Ben Smith; Stephen P. Morris; Harry Armitage
Research Papers in Education, v38 n6 p886-901 2023
It is not uncommon for randomised trials in education to have the performance of sample members in national examinations as their primary outcome. In many cases, examination results are available as summary measures only. Taking the example of GCSE examination results in England, this paper shows that using summary measures of an underlying score or mark, such as exam grade, complicates the design of trials and can lead to underpowered studies. Simple simulations are used to explore the consequences of powering trials to detect a difference assuming grade or summary measures are the only outcome metric available, where the effects of an intervention are primarily captured in the unknown mark or score distribution. The analysis draws on data that relate the entire distribution of marks in English language and mathematics examinations to grades. Recommendations are made in order to address this problem.
Descriptors: Language Arts, Mathematics Instruction, Grades (Scholastic), Standardized Tests, Student Evaluation, Randomized Controlled Trials, Foreign Countries, Scores, National Standards, Secondary School Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A