What is the CogAT Form 8?
The CogAT Form 8 is the newest form of the CogAT to be released by the Houghton Mifflin Company. The CogAT Form 8 is equivalent to the CogAT Form 7 in terms of both format and content. Therefore, the CogAT Form 8 is not meant to replace the CogAT Form 7 but rather work alongside it. Both the CogAT Form 8 and the updated CogAT Form 7 are designed to be friendlier for non-native English speakers and English learners by basing the questions in 5/6-8 levels (kindergarten-2nd grade) on pictures and shapes. This reduces the dependency of students on language skills in order to get a high score on the CogAT.
In both the CogAT Form 7 and the CogAT Form 8, the verbal battery in levels 9-12 (3rd-6th grade) is language-based and requires a certain degree of language skills in order to score high on the test. However, keep in mind that above all, the CogAT measures reasoning skills and cognitive abilities so these are the most important aspects of this test, rather than the language skills themselves.
While the CogAT Form 8 has exactly the same format and characteristics as CogAT Form 7, it provides new questions with new and different content. In other words, there is no overlap in content between Form 8 and Form 7. For example, both forms contain sentence completion questions, and in this way they both test the same skill, but the sentences differ between the forms.
So what is the contribution of form 8?
Having two equivalent forms of the same test provides an opportunity for quick and reliable retesting. Sometimes, administrators need to carry out retesting in order to monitor the progress of their students. In these cases, schools and programs can use Form 8 a short time after administering Form 7, rather than administering the same form once again. Using an equivalent form that tests the same skills and abilities with different questions provides a reliable picture of the students’ progress.
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