HiSET - Test at a Glance (TAAG) - 2019 - Language Arts - Reading

Sep 29, 2026

ETS HiSET Test at a Glance (TAAG) Information Brief 2019 explains the HiSET High School Equivalency Test and how scores reflect academic knowledge and skills comparable to a high school graduate. It outlines five core test areas and details the Language Arts – Reading section, including test time, question count, format, and the balance of literary versus informational texts. The document also describes Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels and assigns DOK percentages for 2019 reading operational forms, plus the framework of content, process categories, and descriptors used to interpret and analyze reading material.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Language Arts – Reading

About This Test

Depth of Knowledge Levels (DOK)

The Test Framework

Reading Process Categories

HiSET® –Test at a Glance (TAAG) Information Brief – 2019 The purpose of the ETS High School Equivalency Test (HiSET®) is to certify a candidate’s attainment of academic knowledge and skills equivalent to those of a high school graduate. HiSET scores will identify those candidates who have performed at a level consistent with high school equivalency. Information from the HiSET program also will help identify areas in which candidates are career and college ready, as well as areas in which additional preparation may be needed. Candidates will be tested in five core areas: Language Arts – Reading, Language Arts – Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Descriptions of each of these five tests are contained in this document. The HiSET® Practice Tests allow candidates to view sample content and item types and provide them with general information about their level of preparation for taking the operational form. Through ongoing validity research, the HiSET program has been connected to college-readiness indicators. Candidate performance relative to these indicators is part of the reporting system for the assessment. The following TAAG sections give a quick overview of each HiSET test and include: • Test name • Length of test (Time) • Number and types of questions (Format) • Content Categories and approximate percentage of the test • Process Categories • Process Category Descriptors • Depth of Knowledge Levels (DOK)* The emphasis of each category is expressed as the average percentage of the number of questions per category. This percentage is the approximate average number of questions across the forms on the HiSET exam. * Norman L. Webb, University of Wisconsin, 2002. Depth-of Knowledge Levels for Four Content Areas. URL: [http://ossucurr.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/49691156/Norm%20web%20dok%20by%20subject%20area.pdf](http://ossucurr.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/49691156/Norm%20web%20dok%20by%20subject%20area.pdf) 1 Language Arts – Reading Test at a Glance | Test Name | Language Arts – Reading | | --- | --- | | Time | 65 minutes (English), 80 minutes (Spanish) | | Number of Questions | 50 | | Format | Multiple-choice questions | |
I 40%
II 60% | Content Categories (Approximate Percentage of Questions) | | | Application of concepts, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation involving:
I. Literary Texts (40%)
II. Informational Texts (60%) | | | Process Categories | | | A. Comprehension
B. Inference and Interpretation
C. Analysis
D. Synthesis and Generalization | About This Test The Language Arts – Reading test provides evidence of a candidate’s ability to understand, comprehend, interpret, and analyze a variety of reading material. The Language Arts – Reading test forms will include 40 percent of texts that are literary and 60 percent of texts that are informational. In the ETS HiSET program, candidates will be required to read a broad range of high-quality literary and informational texts. The selections are presented in multiple genres on subject matter that varies in purpose and style. The selections will span various forms (e.g., narratives, memoirs, essays, biographical sketches, editorials, and poetry). The texts generally range in length from approximately 400 to 600 words, however the length typically increases after Spanish translation. This test may contain some questions that will not count toward your score. Depth of Knowledge Levels (DOK) Each test question is assigned a Depth of Knowledge Level (DOK). The levels refer to the cognitive demand that the test questions require to answer correctly. The DOK are listed below along with a brief explanation or some examples ofthe DOK performances. • Level 1 – Recall: test takers reflect surface-level understanding of explicit details of the text. • Level 2 – Skill/Concept: test takers process text and make inferences to exhibit understanding beyond surface level. • Level 3 – Strategic Thinking: test t

FAQs

What is the purpose of the HiSET test and how are scores used?

The HiSET test certifies attainment of academic knowledge and skills equivalent to those of a high school graduate. HiSET scores identify candidates who performed at a level consistent with high school equivalency, and program information helps identify career and college readiness areas or where additional preparation may be needed.

How long is the Language Arts – Reading test and how many questions does it include?

The Language Arts – Reading test is 65 minutes in English and 80 minutes in Spanish, with 50 multiple-choice questions.

What are the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels for the 2019 reading forms?

Each question is assigned a DOK level reflecting cognitive demand. The 2019 reading operational forms distribution is Level 1 (Recall) 14%, Level 2 (Skill/Concept) 41%, Level 3 (Strategic Thinking) 36%, and Level 4 (Extended Thinking) 9%.

Sep 29, 2026

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