Q&A: Online IQ tests
Q: Where can I find a valid online IQ test?
A: It’s not really possible to get a valid IQ test online. They have to be administered and scored by humans because there are a lot of judgment calls involved, and a multiple-choice format simply doesn’t lend itself to that kind of thing ( Read more... )
A: It’s not really possible to get a valid IQ test online. They have to be administered and scored by humans because there are a lot of judgment calls involved, and a multiple-choice format simply doesn’t lend itself to that kind of thing ( Read more... )
I'm going to use the MA/CA model here, even though it's not exactly accurate, but it helps illustrate the basic idea. Let's say you have a 10 year old (just had his birthday) who was given a magically precise IQ test and scored 110. His twin brother took the same IQ test and got 112. What would that mean for MA?
The first boy would have an MA of 11 years. The second boy would have an MA of 11 years and 2.5 months. In other words, the difference in their cognitive abilities would be the same as the difference between two 11 year olds with IQs of 100 who are 2.5 months apart. Which is not really meaningful at all. So why would it matter if an IQ test isn't accurate to that degree?
On the other hand, a 10 year old with an IQ of 115 would have an MA of 11 and a half, making that kid, in theory, a year and a half ahead of a kid the same age with an IQ of 100. While the difference between a kid who's just turned 10 and one who's 11 and a half is slight, it's noticeable, particularly if you're looking at their academic scores. If you put an 11 and a half year old kid in a grade 5 class, assuming their IQ is roughly 100 and they don't have specific learning disabilities or educational neglect, they'll probably get better than average marks. Which is also true of kids with an IQ of 115.
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