Random Equating (RE) and Heuristic Approach (HA) are two linking procedures that may be used to compare the scores of individuals in two tests that measure the same latent trait, in conditions where there are no common items or individuals. In this study, RE--that may only be used when the individuals taking the two tests come from the same…

Test-takers, policymakers, teachers, and institutions are increasingly demanding that testing programs provide more detailed feedback regarding test performance. As a result, there has been a growing interest in the reporting of subscores that potentially provide such detailed feedback. Haberman developed a method based on classical test theory…

The purpose of the study reported here was to observe the effects of examination practices on the extent to which university students procrastinate. These examination practices were: (1) limiting the number of resits, (2) compensatory rather than conjunctive decision-making about student progress, and (3) restricting the time available for…

This article investigates the central role of topic in the IELTS Speaking Test (IST). Topic has developed a dual personality in this interactional setting: topic-as-script is the scripted statement of topic on the examiner's cards prior to the interaction, whereas topic-as-action is how topic is developed by the candidate during the course of the…

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in student perceptions of instructor and course characteristics for courses that students deemed to be high in learning versus high in enjoyment. Realizing that students differ from faculty in how they view the traits of a highly effective instructor, the authors created a survey of student…

A longitudinal assessment program was launched by a medical board in 2016 as one of its continuing certification requirements. This study explored distinct behavioral patterns in answering self-testing questions using data collected in 2016. The time at which a physician accessed each question was used as the primary measure of behavior. Four…

The present study explores the uses of WhatsApp groups in the education context. It examines utilities and burdens associated with educational WhatsApp groups. The study also explores how the presence of teachers in the groups can influence the group functioning. In the first study chats of four WhatsApp groups of one year, where two groups were…

We examined change in test-taking effort over the course of a three-hour, five test, low-stakes testing session. Latent growth modeling results indicated that change in test-taking effort was well-represented by a piecewise growth form, wherein effort increased from test 1 to test 4 and then decreased from test 4 to test 5. There was significant…

Retrieval practice is known to lead to better retention of a to-be-learned material than restudy (i.e., the testing effect). However, few studies have investigated retrieval practice in relation to working memory capacity (WMC) and personality characteristics such as grittiness (Grit) and need for cognition (NFC). In two experiments, we examined…

Background: Women in mathematical domains may become attuned to situational cues that signal a discredited social identity, contributing to their lower achievement and underrepresentation. Aim: This study examined whether heightened in-group representation alleviates the effects of stereotype threat on women's mathematical performance. It further…

The history of intelligence testing merits study as standardized intelligence tests have been administered for only a little over a century. The most popular tests in use today are the Wechsler scales, despite the availability of other test batteries that are better grounded in contemporary theory. To understand why contemporary revisions of…

Objective(s): The focus on competency attainment by professional psychology trainees obligates training programs to assess these competencies prior to completion of an internship. However, little is known about how trainees may perceive such testing. This study examines relationships between performance on an Oral Final Competency Examination of a…

Because schools worldwide use low-stakes tests to make important decisions, value-added indices computed from test scores must accurately reflect student learning, which requires equal test-taking effort across testing occasions. Evaluating change in effort assumes effort is measured equivalently across occasions. We evaluated the longitudinal…

This study investigates the measurement equivalence of a five-factor measure of personality across two groups applying for jobs, who completed the same questionnaire using either a paper-and-pencil (n = 429) or a web online answer format (n = 651). The data were collected using the Big Five Questionnaire-2 (BFQ-2; which is a measure of the Five…

Test-retest studies for assessing stability and change are widely used in different domains and allow improved or additional individual estimates of interest to be obtained. However, if these estimates are to be validly interpreted the responses given at Time-2 must be free of retest effects, and the fulfilment of this assumption must be…