Setting cutoff scores for personnel selection tests: Issues, illustrations, and recommendations

Cutoff scores are necessary in many public sector selection contexts. In this article, reasons for using cutoff scores, legal and professional guidelines, and methods for setting cutoff scores are examined. Recent literature on the Angoff method is reviewed, and 2 applications of this approach are explored in public sector contexts. In Study 1, 3 variations on the Angoff method applied to a multiple-choice test for fire chief were compared. In Study 2, standards were set for a physical ability test for firefighter using an Angoff-based method. Data and methods from both studies are discussed in terms of reliability, practicality, and the organizational issues involved in implementation. Finally, we review areas for future research that could improve the standard setting process, and we give recommendations for standard setters based on the current literature.