A Study of Speededness as a Source of Test Bias1

Specially constructed “speeded” and “unspeeded” forms of a Reading Comprehension test were administered to both regular center and fee‐free center LSAT candidates in an effort to determine: (1) if the test was more speeded for fee‐free candidates, and (2) if reducing the amount of speededness was more beneficial to fee‐free candidates. Results of the analyses show: (1) the test is somewhat more speeded for fee‐free candidates than for regular candidates, (2) reducing the amount of speededness produces higher scores for both regular and fee‐free center candidates, and (3) reducing speededness is not significantly more beneficial (in terms of increasing the number of items answered correctly) to fee‐free than to regular center candidates. Lower KR‐20 reliability was observed under speeded conditions in the fee‐free sample.