Basal and Ceiling Rules

Synonyms

Entry and discontinue rules

Definition

A basal and ceiling rule refers to the entry point and discontinue point of a psychometric test. The purpose of basal and ceiling rules is to reduce the number of items an examinee is required to attempt, by eliminating items that are too easy and too difficult. Doing so reduces administration time and burden on the examinee.

Although specific start and stop rules and administration procedures vary across tests, basal and ceiling rules are generally used for tests in which the items are ordered from easiest to most difficult. The most common basal procedure is to first start at an early, easier item based on the examinee’s age. The examinee is then required to establish a basalby completing a predetermined number of consecutive items correctly (e.g., three correct items in a row). In general, items are administered in reverse order, so that they are increasingly easier, until the basal is established. In doing so, the examiner can...