AGE NORMS ON THE PAT - A RESPONSE TO MCDONALD

McDonald's criticism of the use of age norms in the Progressive Achiev ement Tests (McDonald, 1991) is shown to be based on misinterpretation of norming procedures and false assumptions about the test authors' v iews. We do not believe that age percentiles measure innate qualities, nor that over-age children are necessarily slow learners. The fact th at promotion policies differ between schools strengthens the case for age norms. McDonald's notion that class level effects obliterate age e ffects is shown to be a misinterpretation of the consequences of promo tion policies for test means. There is no substance in McDonald's case for abolishing age norms.