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Documentation · 1963

Slosson Intelligence Test: Brief oral IQ screen

15-minute oral-only screening IQ test for ages 4 to adult. No reading, writing, or physical materials needed. Highly correlated with Stanford-Binet (r=0.9) and used widely as a brief intelligence screening tool when full WAIS/WISC administration is impractical.

Read About the Test

About the Slosson Intelligence Test

Richard Slosson designed the Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT) in 1963 as a brief oral screening alternative to the Stanford-Binet. The original SIT had 187 items spanning ages 0.5 to adult; testing started at the basal age and continued until the ceiling. Items measured vocabulary, general information, arithmetic, comprehension, similarities and differences, repetition of digits, and similar Stanford-Binet-like content.

The SIT requires no physical materials - the examiner reads each item aloud, the subject responds verbally. The entire test takes 10-30 minutes depending on the subject's age. The Slosson was extensively normed and correlated 0.9 with full Stanford-Binet administration, making it useful as a quick screen when budget or time precluded full IQ testing.

The SIT has been revised in 1981 (SIT-R) and 2002 (SIT-R3). It is widely used in schools for special-education screening, in research as a brief proxy for IQ, and in clinical settings for cognitive monitoring. Current SIT-R3 is copyrighted by Slosson Publications.

Copyright note: Slosson Intelligence Test items are copyrighted (Slosson Publications). We document the test format.

The 1 subtests

#1
Oral Battery 187 items across vocabulary, information, arithmetic, comprehension, similarities, digits. 10-30 minutes oral administration.
Copyrighted

Sample Items (Illustrative)

Items are presented orally, and the test taker responds verbally. The examiner scores responses based on correctness and clarity, with each subtest focusing on different cognitive abilities.

Sample 1 · Vocabulary
What does the word 'benevolent' mean?
Example response: Kind and generous
Sample 2 · Information
Who was the first President of the United States?
Example response: George Washington
Sample 3 · Arithmetic
If you have three apples and you buy two more, how many apples do you have in total?
Example response: Five
Sample 4 · Comprehension
Why is it important to have traffic lights at intersections?
Example response: To control the flow of traffic and prevent accidents
Sample 5 · Similarities
In what way are a cat and a dog alike?
Example response: Both are domesticated animals and can be kept as pets
Sample 6 · Digits
Please repeat the following numbers in reverse order: 4, 7, 2.
Example response: 2, 7, 4

These are illustrative samples, not actual items from the protected test.

Source

All test materials and historical content on this page are transcribed from:

Slosson, R.L. (1963). Slosson Intelligence Test for Children and Adults (SIT). Slosson Educational Publications.

The Slosson Intelligence Test is published by Slosson Educational Publications. Current edition is SIT-R3 (2002). All editions copyrighted.

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