There are many myths about
the ASVAB that are simply not true. Some of the more
persistent myths are identified here and dispelled.
Myth: The CAT-ASVAB
is harder than the paper-and-pencil (P&P) ASVAB.
The Truth: The CAT-ASVAB may seem
harder than the P&P-ASVAB to some applicants because
the test is tailored to the ability level of each individual
examinee. That is, in the CAT-ASVAB questions are administered
that are best suited to each examinee’s ability
level, whereas the P&P-ASVAB includes questions
that range from very easy to very hard. This doesn’t
mean that the P&P ASVAB is easier than the CAT-ASVAB.
Regardless of whether an applicant takes the CAT-ASVAB
or the P&P-ASVAB, his/her scores should be very
similar. This is because scores are statistically linked
across CAT and P&P administrations through a process
called equating. Equating studies are conducted for
every CAT-ASVAB item pool (and for every paper and pencil
ASVAB form) to ensure that scores have the same meaning
regardless of which item pool or test form the examinee
receives.
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Myth: The P&P-ASVAB
is harder than the CAT-ASVAB.
The Truth: The CAT-ASVAB may seem
easier than the P&P-ASVAB to some applicants for
the same reasons discussed above. Again, because all
ASVAB forms are equated, scores have the same meaning
regardless of which item pool or test form the examinee
receives.
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Myth: Some
P&P-ASVAB forms are easier/harder than other P&P-ASVAB
forms.
The Truth: Each time a new form of
the ASVAB is created, it is equated (i.e., statistically
linked) to prior forms to ensure that scores have the
same meaning regardless of which test form the examinee
receives.
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Myth: The ASVAB
test is biased against minorities.
The Truth: Bias occurs when an item
or test unfairly favors one group over the other. The
ASVAB Testing Program routinely conducts analyses to
make sure that items and scores are fair and unbiased.
Analyses of ASVAB scores suggest that there is some
adverse impact on the ASVAB.
Namely, qualification rates for African-American/Black
and Hispanic applicants are less than four-fifths of
the qualification rates for Caucasian/White and Non-Hispanic
White applicants. These minority groups have lower qualification
rates both for entry into the military and enlistment
incentives.
The occurrence of adverse impact does not necessarily
mean the ASVAB is biased, however. If a test is equally
valid for minority and majority groups, then it is not
considered to be
biased. A test is equally valid if minority and majority
group members with the same test scores have the same
performance on an outcome, such as final school grades.
Previous research on the ASVAB technical tests has suggested
that the tests are equally valid for both males and
females, and African-Americans/Blacks and Caucasians/Whites.
Also, the degree of adverse impact observed on the AFQT
tests is similar to the adverse impact observed on other
high-stakes test batteries with similar
tests. This all suggests that the adverse impact observed
in the ASVAB reflects a societal phenomenon, rather
than a bias in the test.
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Myth: Some
individual items on the ASVAB are biased against minorities.
The Truth: The ASVAB testing program
routinely conducts statistical analyses of new test
items to ensure that individual items are not biased
against minorities. Items displaying evidence of bias
are excluded from use on the ASVAB. In addition, sensitivity
analyses are conducted on new ASVAB items to guard against
including items that might be unintentionally viewed
as biased against or insensitive toward a particular
group. Experts who are trained to recognize item insensitivity
review all new items and identify items with questionable
content. Such items are either revised or excluded for
use on the ASVAB.
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