Scoring the Lawson Test

Scoring the Lawson Test

The Lawson test was developed to provide a valid and reliable classroom test of developmental levels – specifically formal-level reasoning. The classroom test was designed to allow teachers and/or researchers to classify student performance into developmental levels.

Scoring: In order to earn 1 correct answer, students must have selected BOTH the correct response and the correct reason. If one or both of these is incorrect, no score is awarded. There are twenty-four questions on the Lawson test, so the maximum score that can be earned is twelve points.

Determining the reasoning level of your students:

Concrete Operational: scores from 0-4 correct answers

Transitional: scores from 5-8 correct answers

Formal Operational: scores from 9-12 correct answers

Reasoning patterns assessed by the different questions

Question #

Reasoning Level Assessed

1, 2

Conservation of weight

3, 4

Conservation of displaced volume

5, 6

Proportional thinking

7, 8

Advanced proportional thinking

9, 10

Identification and control of variables

11, 12

13, 14

Identification and control of variables and probabilistic thinking

15, 16

Probabilistic thinking

17, 18

Advanced probabilistic thinking

19, 20

Correctional thinking (includes proportions and probability)

21, 22

Hypothetico-deductive thinking

23, 24

Hypothetico-deductive reasoning

Question #	Reasoning Level Assessed
1, 2	Conservation of weight
3, 4	Conservation of displaced volume
5, 6	Proportional thinking
7, 8	Advanced proportional thinking
9, 10	Identification and control of variables
11, 12 13, 14	Identification and control of variables and probabilistic thinking
15, 16	Probabilistic thinking
17, 18	Advanced probabilistic thinking
19, 20	Correctional thinking (includes proportions and probability)
21, 22	Hypothetico-deductive thinking
23, 24	Hypothetico-deductive reasoning