The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a test used by Mustang Public Schools to qualify children for the gifted and talented program. The test measures reasoning and problem solving skills in the areas of 1) verbal, 2) quantitative (mathematics), 3) spatial or non-verbal (using shapes and figures to solve problems). The test is given in late winter each year to all second grade students. It is also given to fourth grade students who have not been previously identified. For the 2019-20 school year, the test will be administered the week of September 23rd.
Here’s a look at each section of the test and some sample item types:
Verbal Reasoning
The verbal section of CogAT® will measure Oral Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning, Sentence Completion (grade 3 and up), and Verbal Analogies (grade 3 and up).
- Verbal Classification: The student is given a list of three words that are alike in some way. The student is asked to choose a word (from a selection of five words) that is alike in the same way.Example: The words displayed are GREEN BLUE RED and the answer choices are color, crayon, paint, yellow, rainbow
- Sentence Completion: The student is given a sentence with a word left out and is asked to choose a word that makes the best sense in the sentence.Example: Apples _______ on trees. The answer choices are fall, grow, show, bloom, spread
- Verbal Analogies: The student is given three words. The first two words go together. The third word goes with one of the answer choices. The student is asked to choose the word that goes with the third word the same way that the second word goes with the first.Example: new (is to) old : wet (is to) ________ and the choices are rain, drip, hot, sun, dry
Non-Verbal Reasoning
In this section, Figure Classification, Matrices (K-2), Figural Analysis, and Figural Classification are assessed. This part of the test often presents the most novel problems to students. The items on these tests use only geometric shapes and figures that have had little direct relationship to formal school instruction. The tests require no reading and no prior knowledge.
- Figure Classification: The students are given three figures that are alike in some way. They are given three answer choices and five pictures to choose from. They are asked to decide which figure goes best with the three answer choices.Example: the student is given three items that are oddly shaped but each one has 4 sides and is black. The choices are a black circle, a black triangle, a 4-sided white object, a black 4-sided object, and a six-sided white object.
- Figure Analogies: The student is given three figures. The first two figures go together; the third figure goes with one of the answer choices.Example: The first two figures are a large square that goes together with a small square. The second pair is to go together the same way that the first two figures go together. For the second pair students are given a large circle. The answer choices are a small triangle, a large circle, a small square, a small circle, and a large rectangle
- Figure Analysis:The student is shown how a square piece of dark paper is folded and where holes are punched in it. The student is to figure out how the paper will look when it is unfolded.Example: If a dark piece of paper is folded in the center from top to bottom and a hole is punched in the bottom right-hand corner, what will the piece of paper look like when it is unfolded?The answer choices are:
A) one hole in the bottom right-hand corner
B) one hole in the bottom right-hand corner and one in the top right-hand corner
C) one hole in the top right-hand corner
D) one hole in the bottom right-hand corner and one in the bottom left-hand corner
E) one hole in the bottom right- hand corner and one in the top left-hand corner.
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Quantitative Reasoning
This section isn’t just about math facts, it’s more about thinking numerically and problem-solving with numbers. Relational Concepts, Quantitative Concepts, Quantitative Relations (grade 3 and up), Number Series (grade 3 and up), and Equation Building (grade 3 and up) areas are assessed.
- Quantitative Relations: The student is given two problems numbered one and two with three answer choices. The student is to solve the two problems and determine if the answer is greater, less than, or equal to.Example: 1. 0 + 3 2. 3 + 0The answer choices are:
- 1 is greater than 2
- 1 is less than 2
- 1 is equal to 2
- Number Series: The student is given a series of numbers and asked to decide which number should come next in the series.Example: 5 10 15 20 The answer choices are 25, 30, 35, 40, 45
- Equation Building: The student is given numbers and signs. The student is asked to combine the numbers and signs to get a solution that is an answer choice.Example: 1 2 3 -xThe answer choices are 1, 2, 3, 4, 6