A method for choosing a cutting point on a test

Abstract

Elementary decision theory is used to derive a formula for finding a cutting point on a continuous test used to distinguish between 2 criterion groups, when the test scores of each criterion group are distributed approximately normally. The formula considers the difference between the means of the criterion groups, the standard deviations of test scores of the groups, the relative sizes of the groups, and the relative seriousness of a "miss" vs. a "false positive." (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)