The first step in scientific and education evaluation is testing. Written and oral examinations can be used to test reading comprehension skills. Preparing a written exam of comprehension questions usually comprises specific information relating to the text. For oral testing, allow a reader to read the text silently first, and then aloud. Finally, rewriting the text will result in a well-rounded assessment of understanding.
A reader should be able to verbally summarize what she read by putting the passage in her own words and presenting it accordingly. Retelling -- using descriptive and key words from the text -- will also test what someone remembers. If there is understanding of the text, inflection will be used when there is punctuation. A prepared reader will speak every word in the passage clearly, having recognized the words from plenty of practice.
The final exam for reading comprehension skills is rewriting. Participating in rewriting a passage means using your own words. Managing complete sentences, you need only key words to retell a passage with your own descriptive grammar. Finding a different version of the passage to arrive at additional angles allows for exceptional comprehension. Allowing the participant to research various sources other than the original text will motivate higher-quality reading comprehension skills.
Evaluate the reading comprehension skills. Were the preparation, presentation and participation acceptable or exceptional? Scientifically, test results are either pass or fail. To integrate research design with assessment, include observations, descriptions and predictions of the three P's. If all else fails, re-test.