FAQs

1. Why take the test?
2. What does the Gibson Test measure?
3. How does an academic test differ from a cognitive skills test?
4. Can I pass or fail this test?
5. Is there an age limit to take this test?
6. Can I diagnose a learning disability with this test?
7. Security.......Will anyone else see my test results?
8. What do educators generally think about cognitive skill testing?
9. What do I need in hardware and software to take the test?
10. How long does it take to complete the test?
11. How does the Gibson Test compare to other tests?
12. How soon do I get results?
13. What do the results mean?
14. Are the results different for adults than they are for children?
15. What are standardized results?
16. What does a percentile score mean?
17. What can be done about weak cognitive skills?
18. What do I do if I get interrupted during the test or if some is not working correctly?
19. Can the test be taken multiple times?
20. Why does the test cost so much less compared to similar tests?
21. How can educators, schools or after-school programs get involved?
22. Where could I learn more about how I can help meet the cognitive development needs of children in my community?

1. Why take the test?

Test results provide critical information to understand how well the test taker processes information, which impacts how easily learning takes place.
Knowing if you have any weak cognitive skills can be liberating if you have struggled with learning and wondered why.
Knowing your cognitive skill profile can empower you to address any cognitive skill deficiencies to unlock your learning potential.
To learn more, please review the Why Test document, click here to view
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2. What does the Gibson Test measure?

The Gibson Test measures eleven different core cognitive skills.
For a list of the skills and a sample report click on the following links.
Summary of skills measured, click here to view
Sample report, click here to view
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3. How does an academic test differ from a cognitive skills test?

Academic tests typically measure what or how much you know. Many will tell what grade level a student is performing in reading, math or writing.
A cognitive skill test measures how well you process information. If a student struggles with any aspect of learning, this type of testing can help to identify aspects of why this student struggles. Weak cognitive skills generally mean that a student struggles with this aspect of learning.
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4. Can I pass or fail this test?

Your score reflects how you compare to national standards.
The higher the score, the better you process information and the easier it is to learn.
A low score for any core cognitive skill may indicate you have difficulty processing information which may make learning harder.
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5. Is there an age limit to take this test?

The test can generally be taken by anyone age 6 and older that is able to work with a computer, hear sounds properly and can use a mouse.
Instructions are verbal.
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6. Can I diagnose a learning disability with this test?

The test is not intended to be used to diagnose learning disabilities. We do not believe that labeling a weak cognitive skill as a disability is helpful. This test just provides important information to understand how well you process information.
However, test results may provide indications as to why a person has difficulty learning and help lead to a solution.
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7. Will anyone else see my test results?

If you were registered by a school or other organization, authorized administrators and teachers within that organization will have access to your test scores.
If you registered independently through www.Gibsontest.com, no one else outside of authorized personnel at Gibsontest.com will be able to see your results.
Gibsontest.com does not sell or provide your information to third parties not involved in the testing or registration process, this includes the Government.
Aggregated information may be used to conduct studies or standardize the test.
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8. What do educators generally think about cognitive skill testing?

Heretofore, cognitive skill testing in schools has been used primarily to qualify students for special education status. Being diagnosed with a learning disability may provide access to additional resources to address special learning needs of a given student.
Cognitive skill testing is resource intensive and thereby most schools only test on an as-needed basis when a student has a demonstrated learning challenge.
Based upon our interactions with the education system to date, it does not appear as if most teachers are fully aware of the role that cognitive skills play in the learning process and that cognitive skills can be strengthened with the proper training. There does not appear to be a general awareness that cognitive skill testing is something that could be helpful for any student.
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9. What do I need in hardware and software to take the test?

Latest version of Adobe Flash
Broadband internet access
Sound capability
Quality of sound is important; need good speakers and quiet setting or headphones
Headphones required in a lab setting
Mouse recommended if using a laptop
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10. How long does it take to complete the test?

There are seven subtests
Total time required is approximately 35-40 minutes
Ideally all subtests will be completed in one setting. If a break is needed or an interruption occurs, you can log-in again and restart the test on the next test after the last fully completed test.
If your internet connect is lost or the testing process stalls on your computer, refresh your browser. You may have to login again. If this does not work, make sure your internet connection is reestablished, close the original browser, open a new browser session and login again.
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11. How does the Gibson Test compare to other tests?

Most tests tell you how much you know or how well you perform on a give topic. They tell you what you know.
The Gibson Test tells you how well you process information in eleven core cognitive skill areas.
If you struggle with any aspect of learning, The Gibson Test may indicate which core cognitive skills may impact your ability to learn.
There are many different kinds of cognitive skill tests. The Gibson Test is geared more towards measuring the cognitive skills that directly impact learning and reading.
The Gibson Test is similar in nature to other tests commonly used in the industry to measure academic-based cognitive skills. A limited correlation study showed the Gibson Test to be highly correlated to a leading industry standardized cognitive skill test.
Dr. Ken Gibson adapted his test to combine similar elements from various tests into one comprehensive package and to more thoroughly address key areas such as memory, visual processing and logic and reasoning.
The Gibson Test has been normed using over 6,000 results based upon the age variable. Further standardization is ongoing. The next update is planned for the first quarter of 2010 using a broader base of demographic variables on a larger sample population.
A complete report is available immediately upon completion of the test.
The primary purpose of the Gibson Test is to identify if any core cognitive skills may be deficient so that further action can be taken to enhance the learning potential of the student.
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12. How soon do I get results?

A complete test report is available immediately upon completion of the test.
There should be a link at the end of the test to access results. Otherwise, return to
www.gibsontest.com at any time, log-in and your student home page will have a link to access results.
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13. What do the results mean?

Test results should not be used to diagnose any learning difficulty. Rather the test should be used as a screening tool to inform the education process. You will need to consult with a licensed school or private psychologist if a diagnosis is needed.
Results convey how well you process information in each of the eleven core skill areas.
For students 18 and under, preliminary results are ranked compared to how other students in our database in their age category performed. To help in determining scoring, we have completed a preliminary comparison to a well respected industry test that is standardized.
For students over 18 raw results are provided. As soon as sufficient adult results are captured within our database, ranked results will be provided.
Low scores generally mean that processing that type of information is harder for you. These weak skills usually explain why a certain aspect of learning may be difficult for you.
The higher your scores, the better you process information.
To excel academically the higher your scores the better.
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14. Are the results different for adults than they are for children?

The same test is used for all ages.
The results are normed by age.
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15. What are standardized results?

Results that are a relative ranking compared to a statistically valid sample of results that are representative of the larger population.
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16. What does a percentile score mean?

Percentile is a ranking from 1 to 100 out of a normalized group of the target population.
A percentile score of 60 means that you scored better than 60 percent of the population and worse than 40 percent of the population.
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17. What can be done about weak cognitive skills?

The first step is to understand what the scores mean and to assess whether the weak skills are impacting your ability to learn.
Generally speaking weak skills make learning more difficult.
Weak skills can generally be strengthened.
Please visit www.gcstest.com/html/next_steps.html for a discussion on next steps.
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18. What do I do if I get interrupted during the test or if something is not working correctly?

If the testing is interrupted or if your internet connection is lost, reestablish the internet connection and login again. You may have to refresh your browser, or close your browser and reopen a new browser session.
The test will start again on the next test after the last fully completed test.
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19. Can the test be taken multiple times?

The test can be taken multiple times if sufficient time has passed in between each test to determine if skills are improving. We primary measure gains in the exercise program to determine the impact of the program as well as improvements in academic tests.
It is not valid to take the test multiple times in close succession. The results would then reflect a practice effect.
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20. Why does the Gibson Test cost so much less compared to similar tests?

Converting what has typically been a manual test to an online version significantly lowers the cost of administering a test of this nature.
Our mission is to help as many people as possible understand the role of cognitive skills in the learning process. Therefore our pricing goal is to maximize availability and access to the test as an important public service.
We are seeking corporate sponsors to continue offering the test free. If we are unable to secure sufficient ongoing sponsorship to meet increased distribution demands, we will keep the cost as low as possible.
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21. How can educators, schools or after-school programs get involved?

Any school or education-related program can set up an account at no cost or obligation.
They can register and test their students easily so they have The Power to Know.
Send an e-mail to smarter@gcstest.com to begin the process.
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22. Where could I learn more about how I can help meet the cognitive development needs of children in my community?

We have a working relationship in place with the Cognitive First Children’s Campaign, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that serves lower-income, under-resourced and at-risk children with access to The Gibson Test. Please go to http://www.cog1st.org for more information.
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