When vocabulary test items include unfamiliar images for a student, what consideration is essential to avoid bias?

• A. Cultural relevance of items should be considered to avoid bias.
• B. Results are automatically valid.
• C. Swap to a non-verbal test only.
• D. Test results should be discarded if images unfamiliar.

Answer: (A)

Unfamiliar images can shape how a student responds more than their vocabulary knowledge, because recognizing objects, settings, or symbols is tied to cultural and experiential background. To avoid bias, ensure the images used in vocabulary items are culturally relevant and representative of diverse students, so performance reflects vocabulary understanding rather than familiarity with a particular culture. This helps preserve what the test is supposed to measure. It wouldn’t be appropriate to assume results are automatically valid or to rely on non-verbal tests as a blanket fix, and discarding results ignores opportunities to improve fairness.