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How to read 12 axes test results
Understand paired percentages, midpoint scores, neutral responses and differences between the 60- and 288-question 12 axes results.
Reviewed 2026-11-11 · 12axes.org editorial guide
Read one pair at a time
Each result bar has a left pole and a right pole that add up to 100. Their position on the screen is a visual convention, not a claim about political left and right. Equality appears on the left of Economy, but Decentralisation appears on the left of Governance. Always read the named poles before interpreting the number.
A worked score example
For each axis, answers use values from −2 to +2. The calculation averages responses to left-keyed items and right-keyed items separately. The left score is round(50 + 12.5 × (left-keyed mean − right-keyed mean)); the right score is 100 minus the left. If those means are +1 and −1, the result is 75 / 25. Weighting the groups equally avoids favouring the group with three rather than two questions in the quick version.
What does 50 / 50 mean?
The midpoint may reflect neutral answers, agreement with competing priorities or disagreement with both sets of statements. It does not prove moderation, lack of knowledge or lack of interest. The neutral count gives an additional clue but does not explain every combination. Reviewing the statements is more useful than treating one bar as a complete story.
Two ways to get the same Economy result
Imagine answering Neutral to all five Economy statements on the short test. Your bar reads 50 / 50 and the neutral count is five. Now imagine answering Agree to all five. The two groups of statements point toward different poles, so their averages balance again. This time the neutral count is zero. If your result resembles the second example, revisit one statement about redistribution and one about market incentives. Which parts of each would you support in the same policy?
What the percentages are not
They are not population percentiles, probabilities of belonging to an ideology or confidence intervals. They also are not percentages of all possible policies you support. The site does not have representative population norms or a validated classifier. A difference of a few points should not be interpreted as a precise ranking between people.
Why short and full results can differ
The 60-question version has five items per axis; the 288-question version has twenty-four. Additional statements can cover issues that were absent from the short form. Record the length and date if you compare results, and examine which answers explain a difference. Do not interpret a change as proof that your political identity has changed.
Where to go next
Your private result screen links to the ideology guide and up to three axes furthest from the midpoint. This is a reading aid, not an ideology assignment. Ties use the site’s axis order. If every score is at the midpoint, the screen offers the full axes overview. Your results stay in the current tab; this public guide does not display or publish them.