Efficiency, precision, and concurrent validity of results from adaptive and fixed-item music listening tests were studied using: (1) 2,200 simulated examinees; (2) 204 live examinees; and (3) 172 live examinees. Results support the usefulness of adaptive tests for measuring skills that require aurally produced items. (SLD)

Computerized and paper-and-pencil versions of four standard personality inventories administered to 147 undergraduates were compared for: (1) test-retest reliability; (2) scores; (3) trait anxiety; (4) interaction between method and social desirability; and (5) preferences concerning method of testing. Doubts concerning the efficacy of…

Discusses the tension between testing and literacy education, the deleterious influences of testing on the curriculum, and the lack of a firm relationship between improved test scores and improved educational experiences for students. Presents two alternative systems for evaluation of writing skills at the local and state level. Demonstrates the…

Reading comprehension is a multidimensional process and a key component of this process is the activation of prior knowledge in the comprehension of text. This study utilized video clips as a means to anchor instruction and assist struggling middle-level readers in comprehending text. Participants in this study were 17 seventh- and eighth-grade…

First year students' academic performance in three Life Science courses (Botany, Zoology and Bioscience) was compared. Pass rates, as well as the means and distributions of final marks were analysed. Of the three components (coursework, practical and theory examinations) contributing to the final mark of each course, students performed best in the…

In this commentary, the author discusses some of the issues she finds interesting from a Swedish perspective, and also makes some comparisons between the systems. The English and Swedish education and assessment systems have some fundamental differences, but also similarities. Some are becoming even more evident after learning about the…

The controversy regarding the admissibility of one-tailed tests of hypotheses was examined. Rather than taking a stand with regard to whether the one-or the two-tailed test is the most seriously flawed, a procedure is developed which can capitalize on the advantages of each. (RC)

Due to the problems inherent in using a norm-reference test such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) to determine pupil achievement, a comparison of ITBS with the Individually Prescribed Instruction (IPI) continuum and placement tests was undertaken. This yielded the following conclusions: Of the 136 items on test 1-A Arithmetic Concepts, 14…

Criticizes correlational comparisons of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and the Halstead Category Test (Pendleton and Heaton, 1982) regarding assessment of cognitive abilities. Recommends asking patients to think aloud while performing on the tests as a more direct approach to understanding the cognitive components of the test. (LLL)

The proportion of agreement, G, and kappa indexes are shown to differ in how they correct for chance agreements between two observers. On the basis of the findings, it is suggested that no single agreement index is appropriate for all sets of data. (Author/BW)

Challenge studies can be used to see whether there is a causal relationship between an agent of interest and a response. An approach based on union-intersection testing is presented that allows researchers to examine observations on a single subject and test the hypothesis of interest. An application using psychological data is presented. (SLD)

Introduced the hypothesis-assessment model, claiming that the strength of inductive argument is determined by the same factors that affect hypothesis plausibility in the everyday social milieu. Describes experiments conducted to assess argument strength. Discusses strengths and limitations of the proposed hypothesis-assessment model. (MOK)

With the increasing globalization of human resources practices, a commensurate increase in demand has occurred for multi-language ("global") personality norms for use in selection and development efforts. The combination of data from multiple translations of a personality assessment into a single norm engenders error from multiple sources. This…