Indicator: Communication skills

What to know about measurement

Although there is broad consensus on the importance of communication skills, communication performance assessments are not currently administered and reported at scale. We propose using a performance-based test rather than a self-reported or instructor- or employer-reported measure to mitigate the risk of bias; however, the performance tests described above only measure written communication skills, not verbal communication skills. As alternatives to the performance test measures suggested above, the AAC&U has published scoring rubrics for both written communication and oral communication that could be used to assess students’ skills in postsecondary contexts, though they have not been validated and should be used only for formative purposes. We suggest communication skills could be measured starting in middle or high school and have suggested potential performance-based measures that can be used with youth.

We acknowledge that measuring “soft skills,” including communication skills, carries with it a risk of perpetuating White, Eurocentric communication norms as the standard. There is evidence of linguistic discrimination against nonnative and Black workers based on their speech—for instance, one national study found that Black workers who were perceived to “sound Black” earned 12 percent less than otherwise similar Black workers who were perceived to “sound White.” Data users should examine potential unintended consequences of soft skills assessments and proactively mitigate risks related to bias (see the Data Equity Principles section of this report for further guidance).