Sunday, 23 September 2012

DATs Explained

Mr Alexander writes:

The Differential Aptitude Tests (DATs) are designed for use in educational and vocational guidance and are used by school counsellors, personnel officers, psychologists and all persons concerned with assessing the intellectual characteristics and educational or vocational aptitudes of adolescents. This battery of tests has been adapted for use in Irish schools.

The rationale behind the Differential Aptitude Tests is that since different kinds of abilities are useful in different jobs and in different school subjects, a battery giving measures of several abilities is likely to be more useful than a test giving a single general ability score. There are eight subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Ability, Abstract Reasoning, Space Relations, Mechanical Reasoning, Clerical Speed and Accuracy, Spelling, and Language Usage.

Scores can be used to produce a profile showing a pupil's strengths and weaknesses. A combined Verbal Reasoning and Numerical Ability score can be used as an index of scholastic ability.

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