TASC TEST READING

As noted, the use of public domain and permissioned texts is allowed and their inclusion in TASC Test is encouraged so that examinees encounter authentic texts both in the classroom and in assessments. These texts should adhere to the guidelines as described in this document. Because public domain texts are sometimes older, their language and syntax may be less familiar to examinees; these factors should be considered during the selection process. It is permissible to footnote language in public domain texts to support examinees’ comprehension of the texts, as long as the footnotes do not clue items.

Foundational and Seminal Texts
At the College and Career Readiness level, examinees are expected to read seminal and foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance. Developers and searchers should seek out public domain texts that have important and significant influence on other texts in a literary or historical movement, showing significant influence on subsequent important texts, to allow for development of items to align to standards that describe these expectations.

Literature
Literary texts are categorized into the following categories:
  • Fiction
  • Poetry
  • Drama
When selecting literary texts, the preference is for complete, intact passages. However, for length considerations, selections may be excerpts from longer works (unaltered portion of a work, with no omitted or changed words within a sentence), abridgments (a compilation of an entire work, minus a few sections, without deleting or changing any words within sentences), or, sparingly, adaptations (deleting or changing words within a sentence). Selections should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, with plot development (narrative text), or a developed topic or central idea (expository text), even after excerpting, abridging, or adapting the work.

Text Types
Informational texts are categorized into these three categories for the purpose of this assessment:
  • History/Social Studies
  • Science/Technical
  • Literary Nonfiction
The following types of informational texts may be used in the TASC Reading subtest:
  • Autobiographies/Biographies/
  • Interviews/Memoirs
  • Essays
  • Government documents
  • History articles
  • Magazine articles/News articles/
  • Journal articles
  • Opinion/Editorial pieces
  • Reports
  • Scientific articles
  • Speeches
  • Articles on topical interests (social science, political theory, cognitive science, etc.)