Making a List Requires Checking it Twice: A Call for Empirical Evidence in Characteristics Lists

Countless characteristics lists have been made to describe gifted children. But what evidence do they have to support them? If such lists are to be useful, they must be appropriately contextualized and grounded in empirical support. Many existing lists are severely lacking in either of these things. In this paper, I first provide background on characteristics lists and their use. Second, I outline limitations of current lists. Third, I introduce a formal nomenclature for determining what constitutes a characteristic of gifted students. Finally, I propose a path forward for how characteristics lists can be created and consumed that will help better align the field’s actions with its aspirations. Without sufficient empirical support, characteristics lists will not help schools and can exacerbate both inequity and distrust in research. Calling something a characteristic is a privilege that must be empirically earned.