Factor Structure of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised, Forms G and H

Abstract

The Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised (WRMT-R) is a test battery that is used to measure basic reading skills, reading comprehension skills, and total reading achievement. According to Woodcock (1987), the Word Identification and Word Attack tests measure two elements of basic reading skills, whereas the Word Comprehension and Passage Comprehension tests measure two elements of reading comprehension. Collectively, according to Woodcock, the four tests measure an individual's total reading achievement. This study evaluated Woodcock's claims by analyzing the factor structure of the WRMT-R for Forms G and H. Principal axis factor analyses with promax rotations were used to evaluate evidence that the WRMT-R contains a large unrotated general factor and, when rotated obliquely, two correlated factors representing basic skills and reading comprehension. Variables with pattern coefficients of .55 or greater were considered to be significant. Using these criteria, the WRMT-R produced a robust unrotated general factor for both forms. When the factor matrices were rotated obliquely, two factors emerged for each form based on the pattern coefficients. However, based upon the large interfactor correlations ( rs = .84, and .77), one might question the practical distinction between the two factors. Thus, Woodcock's assertions regarding the factor structure of the WRMT-R were partially supported.