Study title

During 2003, Statistics Norway (SSB) in cooperation with the Reading Centre at the University of Stavanger, conducted a reading comprehension survey (Leseforståelsesundersøkelsen, LFU). LFU is part of an international research program, Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL). LFU is an ambitious project with the aim of collecting comparable data on adults in Norway. In Norway, the survey conducted in Norwegian (bokmål) regardless of the informant's mother tongue. ALL is internationally led by Statistics Canada in cooperation with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the United States. The pages of competence here captured, is what in English is called "literacy" (OECD and Statistics Canada 1995): The ability to use printed or handwritten texts: - To function in society and meet the requirements for various everyday situations - In order to achieve their needs and personal goals - To be developed in line with their personal circumstances This survey was carried out in Norway in the language form; bokmål, regardless of the informant's mother tongue.