The reliability and validity of rapid automatized naming scoring software ratings for the determination of pause and articulation component durations

The reliability and validity of a time-domain, amplitude-based automatic Ra pid Automatized Naming (RAN) scoring software program were investigated in two studies. The software was designed to mark the articulations and pauses inherent in rapid-naming tasks. In Study 1, the RAN letters subtest digita l wave files of 44 primary grade students were scored using the automatic s coring software program. The pause and articulation component durations wer e statistically compared to pause and articulation durations that had previ ously been manually scored. Software-scored pause and articulation componen t times were not found to be significantly different from the manually scor ed times. Ratings from both software-scored components demonstrated interna l consistency and statistically significant correlations with the manually scored components. In Study 2, statistically significant correlations among the computer-scored RAN letters pause component the RAN letters pause cons istency. and concurrent reading ability of 144 second-, third-, and fourth- grade students were demonstrated.