Why are raw scores (i.e., number-correct scores) not reported to test-takers?
The TOEIC item development process includes a rigorous series of reviews that ensure all items meet ETS’s quality and fairness standards. Individual test forms are then carefully assembled so that each test form is similar in overall difficulty to other test forms. Nevertheless, some minor variations in test-form difficulty are expected across forms. As a result, a test taker may achieve a higher or lower raw score depending on the individual form (assuming his or her ability remains the same). In short, raw scores from different test forms are not comparable, due to inevitable differences in overall form difficulty. For this reason, the TOEIC program has established the policy that raw scores should not be reported to test-takers. To ensure comparable scores, only scaled scores are reported to test-takers. Scaled scores are transformed and derived from test takers’ raw scores through a proven statistical procedure called ‘equating’. This procedure adjusts for test-form difficulty and
