Measuring Reading Comprehension with the Lexile Framework

This paper shows how the concept of general objectivity can be used to improve behavioral science measurement, particularly as it applies to the Lexile Framework, a tool for objectively measuring reading comprehension.

Abstract

Abstract Implicit in the idea of measurement is the concept of objectivity. When we measure the temperature using a thermometer, we assume that the measurement we obtain is not dependent on the conditions of measurement, such as which thermometer we use. Any functioning thermometer should give us the same reading of, for example, 75 °F. If one thermometer measured 40 °, another 250 and a third 150, then the lack of objectivity would invalidate the very idea of accurately measuring temperature.