When student affairs professionals assess their work, they often employ some type of survey. The use of surveys stems from a desire to objectively measure outcomes, a demand from someone else (e.g., supervisor, accreditation committee) for data, or the feeling that numbers can provide an aura of competence. Although surveys are effective tools for…

This technical report provides detailed information regarding the technical, statistical, and measurement attributes of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP) for the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics 2018 Operational Tests. This report includes information about test content and test development, item (i.e., individual…

Employers, postsecondary institutions, and civic leaders are urging greater focus on 21st century skills essential for college, career, and civic success: problem solving, interpersonal skills, and collaboration, among others. In response to these demands, states across the country are working to realign policies--on learning standards,…

This technical report provides detailed information regarding the technical, statistical, and measurement attributes of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP) for the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics 2017 Operational Tests. This report includes information about test content and test development, item (i.e., individual…

The paper describes the Children's Interaction Schedule (CIS), an observation schedule designed to measure children's skills or processes in interacting with peers. There are nine categories of interactive behavior on which the CIS is based. The effectivness of the instrument in a field situation, using an interval-recording technique of behavior…

This article describes the findings of studies conducted on a large-scale, classroom-based performance assessment of literacy for the early grades designed to provide information that is useful for reporting, as well as teaching. Technical studies found the assessment to be a promising instrument that is reliable and valid. Follow-up studies of…

Reviews the administrative features, uses, development, standardization, reliability, and validity of the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB), a new group intelligence test designed to be a paper-and-pencil parallel to the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). (BL)

Reviews the behaviors sampled, test administration, scoring, norms, reliability, and validity of the Basic Achievement Skills Individual Screener (BASIS), an individually administered test that measures skill development in reading, mathematics, spelling, and writing. (BL)

Describes the Knowledge of Child Development Inventory (KCDI), a multiple-choice test of knowledge of child development from birth to age three in the areas of emotional, cognitive, physical, and social development. Normative data, reliability, and validity statistics are given. (Author/BL)

While Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and American College Testing Program (ACT) scores are viewed as reliable, and colleges and universities continue to use them, they are often misunderstood and misused. They are reliable for predicting freshman grades only when comparisons are made within one racial group. They also do not account for student…

A study involving 95 retarded persons (16-66 years old) revealed that the Objective Behavioral Assessment-OBA-, a behavioral system for assessing self-care, social, sheltered domestic, prevocational, and sheltered work performance skills, has a high degree of objectivity and acceptable standards of inter-rater and test-retest reliability. (CL)

A brief overview is presented of the current status of mandatory testing in the United States, and of some of the problems involved. While the testing of teacher candidates is generally approved, both the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association oppose the testing of veteran teachers. It is suggested that leadership…

Evaluation of the final examination should be part of the course evaluation and should include student perceptions of the exam's nature and the questions' quality. The final examination experience of two groups of undergraduate and graduate students are considered. (MSE)

The International English Language Testing System is described, including the test's underlying principles, design, administration, scoring, reliability, and interpretation. Some criticisms of the program are briefly discussed. (MSE)

The Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales (CTSPC), a version of the well-established Conflict Tactics Scales, was developed to improve its ability to obtain data on physical and psychological child maltreatment. The conceptual and methodological approaches used to develop the CTSPC are described and psychometric data, including reliability,…