Shakopee Public Schools | Department of Teaching & Learning

UNDERSTANDING THE CogAT 7

The Overview

The CogAT 7 is a test of reasoning skills – It is not like a spelling or a math test where if you know the words or the facts you
can get 100%. There is no defined curriculum for the CogAT. It is a norm-referenced test and the national average is 50th
percentile. To better serve individual student needs as well as identify students for High Potential and Gifted and Talented
programs, Shakopee Schools plans to administer the CogAT to all students in grades 2 or 3 and to select older students.

There are three parts to the CogAT: Verbal Battery, Quantitative Battery, and Non-Verbal Battery.

Verbal Battery
The Verbal Battery tests a student's vocabulary, as well as his/her comprehension of ideas, efficiency and verbal memory,
and ability to discover word relationships. Statistics show a high correlation between high verbal ability and success in a
variety of school subjects.
Three sub-tests are administered in the verbal section. Each test has approximately 20 questions and the student is given
ten minutes to complete each sub-test. These three sub-tests comprise the verbal score.

Verbal Classification Verbal Classification

Example: green, blue, red, …
The student is given a list of three words that are alike in some way. Choices: color; crayon, paint, yellow, rainbow.
The student is asked to choose a word, from a selection of five words,
that is also alike in the same way.

Sentence Completion Sentence Completion

Example: Apples on trees.
The student is given a sentence with a word left out and is asked to Choices: fall; grow; show; bloom; spread.
choose a word that makes the best sense in the sentence.

Verbal Analogies
The student is given three words in dark type. The first two words go Verbal Analogies
together. The third word goes with one of the answer choices. The Example: new (is to) old : wet (is to)
student is asked to choose the word that goes with the third word the Choices: rain; drip; hot; sun; dry .
same way that the second word goes with the first.

Quantitative Battery
The Quantitative Battery tests the student's quantitative reasoning and problem solving ability and provides an appraisal of
the student's general level of abstract reasoning.
Three tests are administered in the quantitative battery. The first test has twenty-five questions and students are given 8
minutes to finish. The second has 20 questions with a 10 minute testing time. The third has fifteen questions with a 12
minute testing time.
Quantitative Relations Quantitative Relations
Example: 1. 0+3 2. 3+0
The student is given two problems numbered one and two with three answer Choices: a) 1 is greater than 2
choices. The student is to solve the two problems and determine if the answer is b) 1 is less than 2
greater, less than, or equal to. c) 1 is equal to 2.

Number Series Number Series

The student is given a series of numbers and is asked to decide which number should Example: 5; 10; 15; 20
come next in the series. Choices: 25; 30; 35; 40; 45.

Equation Building
Equation Building
Example: 1 2 3 - x
Choices: 1; 2; 3; 4; 6.
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The student is given numbers and signs. The student is asked to combine the numbers and signs to get a solution that is
an answer choice.

Non-Verbal Battery

The Nonverbal Battery presents the most novel problems to students. The items on these tests use only geometric shapes
and figures that have had little direct relationship to formal school instruction. The tests require no reading. The nonverbal
battery is particularly suitable for obtaining an accurate estimate of development for students who have difficulty with
reading, who have limited competency in English, or who have limited opportunities. The tests in the nonverbal battery are
between fifteen and twenty-five questions each and students are given ten minutes for each test.

Figure Classification Figure Classification

The student is given three figures that are alike in some Example: The student is given three items that are odd
shaped but each one has 4 sides and is black.
way. They are given three answer choices and five
Choices: a black circle; a black triangle; a 4 sided white
pictures to choose from. They are asked to decide which object; a black 4 sided object; six-sided white object.
figure goes best with the three answer choices.

Figure Analogies
Figure Analogies
The student is given three Example: The first two figures are a large square that goes together with a small square. The
figures. The first two figures second pair is to go together the same way that the first two figures go together.
go together; the third figure For the second pair you are given a large circle.
goes with one of the answer Choices: a small triangle; a large circle; a small square; a small circle; and a large rectangle.
choices.

Figure Analysis Figure Analogies

Example: If a dark piece of paper is folded in the center from top to bottom and a hole is
The student is shown how a punched in the bottom right hand corner, what will the piece of paper look like
square piece of dark paper is when it is unfolded?
folded and where holes are Choices: A) one hole in the bottom right hand corner
punched in it. The student is B) one hole in the bottom right hand corner and one in the top right hand corner
to figure out how the paper C) one hole in the top right hand corner
will look when it is unfolded. D) one hole in the bottom right hand corner and one in the bottom left hand corner
E) one hole in the bottom right hand corner and one in the top left hand corner.

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Shakopee Public Schools | Department of Teaching & Learning

ANALYSIS of CogAT 7 RESULTS

Using CogAT Scores to Identify Academically Talented Students

Selection standards should meet three criteria:
• fairly identify academic talent among students who differ in ethnicity, economic circumstances, and familiarity
with the English language
• apply to students whether they have even or uneven ability profiles
• produce the best possible match between a student’s cognitive resources and the cognitive demands of the talent
development program

Age- versus Grade-Normed Scores

Interpretations of scores on ability tests and judgments about academic talent generally rely on age norms, which offer a
different perspective on development from grade-normed scores on achievement tests. On CogAT, age norms are used for
the following score types:
• standard age scores
• national age percentile ranks
• local age percentile ranks
For most students, national age percentile ranks (PRs) and grade PRs do not differ greatly, so program selection based on
national age PRs is an equitable criterion. When national age PRs and grade PRs do differ, it is often because the student is
much older or younger than other students in the same grade. In these cases, students’ scores may warrant special
consideration.
Students who are older than their grade peers will have lower age PRs than grade PRs because their scores are being
compared with those of students of the same age, some of whom are in higher grades and have had more schooling.
Therefore, these older students are less likely to qualify for programs for the academically talented if you use CogAT
standard age scores or national age PRs rather than national grade PRs to make that decision. An older student with very
high grade PRs may need a greater academic challenge even if his or her age PRs do not meet the criteria set for your
program for academically talented students.

Composite and Partial Composite Scores

Requiring a high composite score for all three batteries eliminates many of the most-able students. The composite most
accurately summarizes the abilities of students who have an A 42 CogAT Score Interpretation Guide profile (all CogAT scores
are at approximately the same level) and least accurately summarizes the scores of students with an E profile (two CogAT
scores show an extremely large difference).
Therefore, when identifying gifted students, the profile of scores on all three batteries provides a better indicator of
cognitive development than the overall composite score alone.
Although the overall composite must be used with care, the quantitative-nonverbal (QN) partial composite score can be
quite helpful for talent identification. (Note: The QN partial composite is an optional score available on some paper-based
CogAT score reports. Contact your Riverside Assessment Consultant Executive for availability information.)
The QN partial composite is useful for these reasons:
• It better predicts achievement in mathematics and some technical domains than either the Quantitative Battery or
Nonverbal Battery alone.
• It allows for meaningful score interpretation for English language learner (ELL) students since none of the items on
either the quantitative or nonverbal tests require language.
The verbal reasoning score, on the other hand, is the best predictor of success in a wide range of achievement domains that
rely heavily on language.

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Considerations for Different CogAT Score Patterns

It is important to understand the issues that arise for students with different score patterns before reviewing
recommendations for using CogAT scores. The following are explanations and examples of issues regarding two types of
ability profiles:
• even patterns (A profiles)
• uneven patterns (B or C profiles)
“A” Profiles
When schools set a cut score for the standard age scores or percentile ranks that will determine eligibility for programs for
academically talented students, issues arise regarding selecting students with even score patterns (A profiles). If the
standard is based on national norms, standard age scores or age PRs will be the primary criteria.
If eligibility is based on local norms, local percentile ranks (LPR) will be the primary criteria. In this case, you could still use
the pattern of scores summarized in the ability profile, but the median age stanine is not as helpful since it is based on
national norms. For example, a student with a profile of 7A may have LPRs that would map onto local stanine scores of 8 or
9. In either case, the A profile would still hold.
For ease of discussion, national norms are used in the examples that follow.
The usefulness of relatively flat or A profiles depends on the kinds of programming options available. Consider the following
examples.
• Whole-grade acceleration requires advanced reasoning and achievement in multiple domains. Students with
strong scores on all three CogAT batteries are more likely to succeed than students with uneven profiles, especially
if the relative weakness is in verbal or quantitative reasoning.
• Single-subject acceleration or enrichment activities in a particular domain are more likely to require more domain-
specific reasoning abilities. For example, a student with strong scores on the QN partial composite and excellent
mathematics achievement may be a strong candidate for acceleration in mathematics. The student with strong
scores on all three batteries would also be a strong candidate for single-subject acceleration.
As the preceding examples illustrate, the problem with academic enrichment programs requiring students to have A
profiles and high composite scores lies not in the students admitted to such programs but in the highly able students who
are not admitted.
“B” and “C” Profiles
Approximately 60 percent of students who obtain a median age stanine of 9 have significantly uneven score patterns (B or C
profiles). These high-scoring students are much more likely to have a relative weakness on one of the three batteries than a
relative strength. Most surprising is that these high-scoring students are much more likely than others to show an extreme
relative weakness. Among average-ability students, only 3.2 percent show an extreme weakness. However, among the
most-able students, that percentage is 16.2, or five times more likely. In fact, as many of these very able students with a
median stanine of 9 show a significant or extreme weakness as show a flat profile. This underscores the importance of
measuring reasoning abilities in multiple domains rather than in a single domain, especially for students who have
extremely high or low scores.
When students have very high scores on two batteries, their composite scores can also be very high, that is, above the 90th
percentile. Nevertheless, these composite scores can be misleading because they sometimes conceal a weakness in a
cognitive area that is essential for high-level achievement in a particular program of study.

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Talent Identification Case Studies

When identifying academic talent among students who are native speakers of English, emphasis should be placed on the
verbal and quantitative abstract reasoning skills that are fundamentally involved in almost all higher-level academic
learning tasks. The problems that arise in using the composite score for such students can be illustrated by case studies
based on the four students whose CogAT scores are shown in Table 1 on the next page.

Table 1. CogAT Scores for Students with Uneven Score Patterns

Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4
SAS PR S SAS PR S SAS PR S SAS PR S
Verbal Battery 140 99 9 119 88 7 118 87 7 111 75 6
Quantitative Battery 133 98 9 132 98 9 116 84 7 138 99 9
Nonverbal Battery 114 81 7 130 97 9 143 99 9 143 99 9
Composite 132 98 9 129 97 9 128 96 9 135 99 9

These case studies represent frequently occurring uneven score patterns in which all scores are above average. Although
these students have similar composite scores, they do not all have the same probability of attaining very high levels of
achievement in a program for academically talented students.

Student 1: Strengths in V and Q, Weakness in N

Characteristics: Student 1 has very high scores on both the Verbal and the Quantitative
Student 1 Batteries but a relative weakness on the Nonverbal Battery.
SAS PR S
Verbal 140 99 9 Recommendation: Of the four students whose scores are listed in Table 1, Student 1
Quantitative 133 98 9 has the greatest probability of attaining very high levels of achievement and of being
Nonverbal 114 81 7 successful in any gifted and talented program. When using CogAT scores as part of the
Composite 132 98 9 criteria for selecting students who are native speakers of English for talent
development programs, give greater weight to the Verbal and Quantitative Batteries,
since those reasoning skills are fundamentally involved in almost all higher-level
academic learning tasks.

Student 2: Strength in Q and N, Weakness in V

Characteristics: Student 2 has very well-developed quantitative and nonverbal
Student 2 reasoning skills but weaker verbal reasoning skills.
SAS PR S
Verbal 119 88 7 Recommendation: Weaker verbal reasoning skills could be a handicap in a talent
Quantitative 132 98 9 development program. However, if English is not the student’s first language, the lower
Nonverbal 130 97 9 verbal score may not be an impediment, especially in science and mathematics.
Composite 129 97 9 Consider enrichment or acceleration in math or science.

Student 3: Above-Average on Q and V, Very High Score on N

Characteristics: Student 3 has a very high score in nonverbal reasoning but only above-
Student 3 average scores on quantitative and verbal reasoning.
SAS PR S
Verbal 118 87 7 Recommendation: Student 3 has the lowest probability of having high levels of
Quantitative 116 84 7 achievement in any academic area and is not a promising candidate for the typical
Nonverbal 143 99 9 talent development program. Individuals such as Student 3 can excel, however, in
Composite 128 96 9 programs that depend heavily on spatial and figural reasoning abilities. For ELL
students, the low verbal score would be unremarkable; however, the low quantitative
score is still worrisome.

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Student 4: Extreme Relative Weakness in V

The composite score is especially misleading when there is an extreme relative weakness.

Student 4 Characteristics: Student 4 has a high composite score but relatively weak verbal
SAS PR S reasoning skills.
Verbal 111 75 6
Recommendation: Student 4 would be likely to have trouble in many programs for
Quantitative 138 99 9
academically talented students because of her relatively weak verbal reasoning skills.
Nonverbal 143 99 9
For native speakers of English, a much lower verbal score sometimes reflects a learning
Composite 135 99 9
disability that should be further investigated (e.g., twice-exceptional students [students
who are gifted and have a learning disability]). However, Student 4’s very high scores in
quantitative and nonverbal reasoning indicate that she may well benefit from a greater challenge in mathematics and
science courses that do not depend critically on verbal skills.

Who Qualifies for a Talent Development Program in the B and C Profile Groups?
Approximately 60 percent of students with stanines of 9 on at least two batteries have uneven ability profiles. Using the
composite score for such students can lead to inappropriate identification or placement of individuals in talent
development programs, so we strongly recommend that the overall composite not be used to determine admission to such
programs. Students are better selected for specific educational programs based on the match between their particular
cognitive strengths and the demands of the program. An extreme relative weakness suggests that the student might be
twice-exceptional.

Sources:
Lohman, D.F. (2012). Cognitive Abilities Test – Form 7: Score Interpretation Guide. Riverside Publishing Co. Rolling Meadows, IL. Available online at
http://www.cobbk12.org/milford/1482824_CogAT_7_Score_Interp_Guide_v.1_CMP.pdf
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Issaquah School District: Issaquah, WA. http://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/academics/assessment/cogat.aspx
Pillman, H. (Understanding the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Riverside Publishing Co. Rolling Meadows, IL. Available online at
http://www2.rps205.com/Parents/Academics/Learning/Gifted/Documents/CogAT%20Information.pdf

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