Lectical^® Levels

(A.K.A. skill levels or orders of hierarchical complexity)

The main score on a Lectical Assessment is its Lectical Score. A Lectical Score is a score on the Lectical Scale, which is a refinement of Dr. Kurt Fischer's Skill Scale, a developmental scale that goes from birth to the highest levels of development we know how to measure. It is a scale of increasing complexity, so a score on the scale represents the complexity level of a particular performance.

It's possible for people to keep developing on the Lectical Scale for as long as they're learning new things and connecting what they learn to their existing knowledge. On this page you will find:

• a video and slide deck about Lectical levels, which are a good place to begin;
• a description of the ways in which we represent Lectical Scores;
• a table showing how Lectical Levels relate to educational and workplace demands, with a few descriptions of the decision-making skills associated with different score ranges; and
• an academic description of Lectical Levels with an interactive slide deck.

We use Lectical Scale in several ways. In fact, this scale makes everything we do here at Lectica possible—and it makes our work unique. We use it to:

• study how skills of all kinds develop over time;
• document the development of meaning over the course of the lifespan;
• investigate the effectiveness and psychological impacts of different approaches to learning and teaching;
• study the roles of emotion in learning;
• establish the complexity demands of curricula and roles;
• examine how meaning and the complexity of thought have evolved over time (historically), and
• establish the complexity level of assessment responses.

The impact of continuous improvement on Lectical Scores

The Lectical Assessment System becomes increasingly accurate over time. This means older Lectical Scores occasionally need updating.

The Lectical Assessment System (LAS) and CLAS, the Computerized Lectical Assessment System are updated continuously, based on what we learn from each assessment taken. This means scores become a tiny bit more accurate every single day. This is wonderful. It means we can deliver increasingly accurate and useful information to individuals using our assessments. But it also means that some older Lectical Scores need to be updated from time to time.

Usually, the difference between a score provided with an earlier version of the scoring system and a score provided with a newer version is so small it isn't noticeable, but occasionally—especially if several years have passed between assessment events—differences can be large enough to interfere with our ability to accurately track growth over time. To address this issue, we rescore affected assessments with the latest version of the Lectical Assessment System. By leveling the playing field in this way, we can consistently provide up-to-date information about individual growth trajectories.

A plain English description of Lectica Levels (video)

Another plain English description of Lectical Levels (slides)

A more academic description of Lectical Levels

The following table provides descriptions of Lectical Levels 6-12. If you'd like to learn more about the principles behind the Lectical Assessment System, see our hierarchical complexity page.

Please note, none of the examples shown below would be evidence of a certain level. The examples represent the kinds of things people performing in a level are likely to say but are not necessarily evidence of the level. To determine Lectical Level we need to see the structure of the larger arguments in which a concept is embedded.

*Skill levels were first described by Dr. Kurt Fischer in 1980.

How we represent Lectical Scores

There are several ways in which we represent Lectical Scores.

• Whole-level scores: These are used primarily in descriptions of Lectical Levels or when making generalizations like, "Adults typically perform in levels 10 and 11."
• Zone scores: Zones represent 1/2 of a Lectical Level. Adult zones are advanced linear thinking, early systems thinking, and advanced systems thinking. Zones are most often used when explaining Lectical Levels to the public, as in the illustration below, which provides broad benchmarks for management levels.
• Phase scores: Phase scores represent 1/4 of a Lectical Level. In level 11, the phases are 11a (1100–1124), 11b (1125–1149), 11c (1150–1174), and 11d (1175–1199).
• Decimal scores: Decimals scores (11.34, 10.99, etc.) are primarily used in academic publications.
• Four-digit scores: Four-digit scores are decimal scores without the period. This is the most common way we represent Lectical Scores in reports and non-academic publications.

Rough benchmarks for Lectical Levels, roles, & educational attainment

The following table shows how Lectical Levels typically relate to the complexity level of coursework demands in schools and role demands in organizations. It also includes a few examples of decision-making skills people are likely to exhibit in different score ranges. Keep in mind that these are descriptions of skills people demonstrate in assessment responses, not things they say.

When using this table as a reference, please keep in mind that several factors play a role in the actual complexity demands of both coursework and roles. In organizations, both size and sector matter. For example, there can be a difference as large as one-half of a level between positions in construction and IT. If you would like more precise estimates for your school or organization, please contact us.

When using this table in educational contexts, keep in mind that in level 11, annual growth ranges from 0–5 points per year, with slower growth at higher levels.