Passage dependency refers to a characteristic of questions in reading comprehension assessments. A question is considered passage dependent when it can only be answered correctly by carefully reading and understanding the given text. These questions cannot be answered based on prior knowledge or general information alone.
Key aspects of passage dependent questions include:
- Text-based evidence: Answers must be supported by information explicitly stated or implied in the passage.
- Comprehension focus: They assess the reader’s ability to understand, analyze, and interpret the specific content of the text.
- Discouragement of guessing: Students cannot rely on background knowledge or test-taking strategies to answer correctly.
- Variety of question types: May include multiple-choice, short answer, or essay questions that require textual support.
Passage dependent questions are crucial in evaluating true reading comprehension skills, as they ensure that students engage deeply with the text rather than relying on external knowledge or test-taking strategies.
