ACT Research

Research topics include test reliability and validity, the meaning of test-score differences, racial/ethnic achievement differences, gender bias, occupations, interests, and related subjects.

The results are published as ACT Research Reports.

ACT's Information Briefs are intended to inform general audiences about educational issues through research based on ACT's programs. They are short and are written in simple, nontechnical language. Information Briefs address topics such as interpreting test scores, course placement, and increasing racial/ethnic minority students' chances for success in college.

ACT also offers a variety of research and information services for educational institutions.

Fairness reports describe the extensive fairness reviews the EXPLORE^®, PLAN^®, and ACT^® tests undergo before they are administered.

Technical manuals provide detailed information about test development, scaling, scoring, norming, equating, and validity evidence for the ACT, the ACT Writing Test, EXPLORE, PLAN, DISCOVER^®, and the UNIACT.

Related Information

ACT National and State Scores—includes an overview of the academic abilities and nonacademic characteristics of ACT-tested high school graduates nationwide and average composite scores for every state.

ACT News—view press releases related to ACT Research.

Trends in College Admission 2000
(opens new window)—presents the results of a national survey of undergraduate admission policies, practices, and procedures.

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