One way to avoid the advantages that some participants may have as a result of background knowledge on a subject in a reading comprehension test is to offer texts that cover general content. The goal is that the subject matter will be equally familiar with all participants and offer no unique advantages to any participants. 

General Content and Background Knowledge

In reading comprehension test, the advantage experience by participants with background knowledge can be limited by offering texts with a wide range of subjects. The goal is to offer enough diversity in subject matter that most readers will equally have some familiarity in some of the topics and little familiarity with other topics. 

A Wide Range of Content 

Testing the participant's topical knowledge before the formal test. This can include either related content or content directly from the reading portion. Measuring background knowledge serves to indicate how much a score is potentially impacted by background knowledge. 

Measuring Background Knowledge

- General Content
- A Wide Range of Content
- Measuring Background Knowledge

San Jose State University

Background knowledge can effect outcomes in reading comprehension tests. Specifically, the test taker with background knowledge will have several advantages over those that do not. These advantages include:
- a better understanding of the text
- a better ability to infer unstated relationships between elements
- a developed schema of information to which they can add new information

Background Knowledge in Reading Comprehension

O’Reilly, T. & Sabatini, J. (2013). Reading for understanding: How performance moderators and scenarios impact assessment design. ETS Research Report Series, 2013(2), i–47. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2333-8504.2013.tb02338.x


Reading for understanding: How performance moderators and scenarios impact assessment design

Because of the advantages present during a reading comprehension test for participants with background knowledge, the validity of the test can be challenged. The results of the test could reflect a participants prior knowledge more than it reflects their capacity to read and understand a text. 

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