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> > > After the Exam
Receiving Exam Results
All candidates should receive immediate preliminary test results before they leave the test center, excluding any issues at the test site. These results will indicate whether candidates have passed or failed the exam; however, this is an unofficial test result and should be treated as such. Candidates should wait for their official test results before announcing their certification status. Official test results (including the actual score and functional area breakdown) will be mailed to the address on file two to three weeks after the exam date. Candidates with questions about their test results should direct them in writing to PES. Because of the need to maintain test security, exam questions will not be released to candidates.In addition to a score report, passing candidates receive an official certificate and lapel pin displaying the designation earned. Passing candidates can notify their employers of their achievement by completing the employer notification request form online at www.hrci.org. A sample press release is also available online. Candidates should wait for their official test results before requesting the employer notification or releasing this information publicly.Passing candidates will receive important recertification information from HRCI at the end of the testing window. This information is available online at www.hrci.org/recertification. Under no circumstances will scores or pass/fail information be released over the phone, via e-mail or Internet, or by fax. Candidates who have not received an official score report and/or certificate within six weeks of the exam or who receive a damaged score report and/or certificate should notify PES in writing, following the procedures outlined in “Duplicate Score Reports/Replacement Certificates” in this handbook. A duplicate score report and certificate (if applicable) will be issued at no cost. PES reserves the right to request that candidates return the damaged certificate before a replacement may be issued. A U.S.$20 duplicate score report/certificate fee may be assessed for requests postmarked more than 60 days after the test administration date.
About Scoring and Score Reports
PES receives candidates’ test records in the form of scrambled electronic files from Prometric. Each record is unscrambled according to the scoring key for that particular exam form. Candidates are assigned an exam form, or version, when they register for the exam. There are multiple exam forms for each exam. Quality control checks include verification that the record is complete and the preliminary score in the record is accurate. Understanding the Score Report The score report indicates whether candidates have passed or failed the exam. Passing or failing the certification exam is reflected in the scaled score shown on the score report. A scaled score of 500 is needed to pass. All candidates are provided with individual section scores listed by functional area. Each section reports the number of questions answered correctly versus the total number of questions in that section. This information can be used to identify weak areas, focus future exam preparation strategies or identify professional development opportunities for recertification. How the Passing Score Was Set Passing scores were determined through a passing point study, using the modified-Angoff method carried out by HRCI and PES. The Angoff method is a commonly used criterion-referenced passing point technique in the credentialing industry. For each of the exams, a panel of content experts, consisting of randomly selected HR professionals with expertise and experience, discusses the eligibility requirements for each certification, reviewes the job-related tasks in the functional areas of the practice analysis and develops a composite profile of a typical minimally qualified candidate. From these profiles, a list of job-related behaviors that distinguish a candidate who is minimally qualified from one who is below the certification standard is developed. After discussion on how to rate exam questions, each panel member independently rates each exam question from an actual exam form in terms of how many of the minimally qualified candidates would answer each question correctly. These ratings are then used to determine the passing scores by averaging the panel’s ratings for each item and summing the averages across panel members. All exam questions in the PHR, SPHR and GPHR item banks are “pre-equated’’ using Item Response Theory (IRT) methodology, making it unnecessary to assess the statistical characteristics of a question each time it appears on a new exam form. Using statistical measurements acquired through the pretesting process and use on previous exam forms, each exam question, or item, has been placed on an ability scale. The item is then calibrated in relation to the ability level on the scale at which the minimally qualified candidate has an even chance (a probability of .50) of correctly answering the item. The sum of the probabilities for each item constitutes the passing score for the exam. What Are Scaled Scores and Why Are They Used? HRCI provides candidates with information on their performance in terms of raw scores and/or scaled scores. The raw score is the number of test questions answered correctly. The minimum raw passing score differs from one exam form to another because of variations in the difficulty level of the exam forms. After equating procedures are completed, raw scores are mathematically converted to scaled scores that range from 100 to 700. The scaled score of 500 always represents the minimum passing score. Scaled scores are equivalent for all administrations, and candidates must obtain a minimum scaled score of 500 to pass, regardless of when they take the exam. Scaled scores are not “number correct” or “percent correct” scores. What Is Equating? To ensure the integrity and security of the exams, every PHR, SPHR and GPHR exam form has a unique combination of items. Thus, no two versions of the exams are the same, although all forms conform to the same test specifications and are created to be similar in terms of difficulty level. They are not precisely equivalent, however. To address variations in difficulty level, equating procedures are used to determine the passing score for each exam administration. Equating procedures ensure that candidates of comparable proficiency will be equally likely to pass the exam regardless of minor fluctuations in overall exam difficulty level. This statistical process adjusts the minimum raw passing score for each exam form to compensate for fluctuations in exam difficulty levels. For example, 130 questions correct on one form may convert to the passing scaled score of 500, while on an easier form, 139 questions may convert to the same passing scaled score of 500.
Retaking The Exam
Recertification
Recertification is required every three years by the expiration date of your current recertification cycle (indicated on passing candidates’ certificates). PHR-, SPHR- and GPHR-certified professionals can recertify by participating in 60 contact hours of updating HR experience and/or professional development activities or by successfully retesting. For more information about recertification through professional development opportunities, please visit the HRCI web site at www.hrci.org/recertification. For information about recertification by examination, please see “Recertification by Examination” in this handbook or visit the HRCI web site at www.hrci.org.
Duplicate Score Reports/Replacement Certificates
Formal name changes require appropriate legal documentation, such as a notarized copy of a marriage certificate or divorce decree. Such requests must include a U.S.$20 duplicate score report/certificate processing fee. Payment must be made by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, certified/cashier’s check, money order or organizational check made payable to Professional Examination Service. Cash or personal checks are not accepted. The candidate’s name and HRCI ID number must appear on checks or money orders. Requests submitted without the fee will not be honored. Duplicate score report/certificate requests must include:
Review of Exam Score
Candidates may request that PES review their electronic exam file within six months of the exam date. Requests received after that time will not be honored. To submit a request, complete the Review of Exam Score form located in Appendix D and mail it to PES. There is a U.S.$50 fee to have PES review your electronic exam file. Payment can be made by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, certified/cashier’s check, money order or organizational check made payable to Professional Examination Service. Cash or personal checks are not accepted. The candidate’s name and HRCI ID number must appear on the check or money order.
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HR Certification Institute 1800 Duke Street · Alexandria, Virginia 22314 US Toll Free +1.866.898.4724 Phone +1.703.548.3440 HR Certification Institute is an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management Home | Certification | Assessment Exam | Recertification | CE Pre-Approvals | About Us Volunteers | Verifications | Partners | Accessories | Privacy Statement | Contact Us Copyright © 2008 Human Resource Certification Institute |
