Correlates of Rapid-Guessing Behavior in Low-Stakes Testing: Implications for Test Development and Measurement Practice

Previous research has shown that rapid-guessing behavior can degrade the validity of test scores from low-stakes proficiency tests. This study examined, using hierarchical generalized linear modeling, examinee and item characteristics for predicting rapid-guessing behavior. Several item characteristics were found significant; items with more text or those occurring later in the test were related to increased rapid guessing, while the inclusion of a graphic in a item was related to decreased rapid guessing. The sole significant examinee predictor was SAT total score. Implications of these results for measurement professionals developing low-stakes tests are discussed.