Article

Comparing Vertical and Horizontal Scoring of Open-Ended Questionnaires

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Abstract

Although horizontal scoring is generally considered more accurate than vertical scoring (due to the elimination of halo effects), no systematic comparison of the two methods had been carried out, prior to this study. Our extensive and structured study yields a comprehensive perspective on this issue. Our findings are that: (1) in general, there is not much difference between the methods; (2) horizontal scoring is somewhat better in terms of reliability and validity; (3) the raters' feedback pointed out the differences between the methods, with some in favor of one method, others in favor of the second method; and (4) the choice of scoring method makes a difference probably only with respect to a few specific questions. Accessed 13,985 times on https://pareonline.net from September 15, 2008 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right.

Keywords: Test Construction, Evaluation Methods

How to Cite:

Allalouf, A., Klapfer, G. & Fronton, M., (2008) “Comparing Vertical and Horizontal Scoring of Open-Ended Questionnaires”, Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation 13(1): 8. doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/qsbc-9x07