Human raters' assessment of interpreting is a complex process. Previous researchers have mainly relied on verbal reports to examine this process. To advance our understanding, we conducted an empirical study, collecting raters' eye-movement and retrospection data in a computerised interpreting assessment in which three groups of raters (n = 35)…

The framework and tools used for classroom assessment can have significant impacts on teacher practices and student achievement. Getting assessment right is an important component in creating positive learning experiences and academic success. Recent government reports (e.g., United States, Australia) call for the development of systems that use…

The process of giving official acknowledgment to formal, informal and non-formal prior learning is commonly labelled as assessment, accreditation or recognition of prior learning (APL), representing a practice that is expanding in higher education in many countries. This paper focuses specifically on the assessment part of APL, which undoubtedly…

Good assessment is key to providing effective intervention, and thoughtful interpretation of assessment results is an important part of the intervention. This chapter focuses on the consultant and service recipient in the test interpretation process, including ways to help all participants in this process. In addition, case examples illustrate the…

The article reviews the development of infant cognitive assessment and describes selected tests. Considerations in choosing, administering, and interpreting the results of infant intelligence/cognitive assessment instruments are outlined. The usefulness of cognitive assessment is discussed as are new approaches to assessment. (Author/DB)

Recognizing the strong relationship between academic achievement and career options, this chapter reviews the major career assessments, their unique purposes, some technical considerations, and the types of scores used. Ways are suggested to enhance interpretation of career assessments using high-speed computers, Internet storage capacity and…

Tests and assessments are generally administered to gather data to aid in decision making, with at an individual student level or at an aggregated level. In order to incorporate assessment data in informed decision making, test users need to understand the test results. This chapter highlights the types of test scores and test score…

Three groups of persons are involved in the testing enterprise: test producers, test users, and test takers. A wide literature is available to guide the first two groups, but only recently have measurement professionals considered the interests of test takers in any careful way. The content of this chapter is presented as a set of 26…

This chapter reviews the findings of a joint committee of the American School Counselor Association and the Association for Assessment in Counseling in the development of a document describing the assessment and evaluation competencies school counselors need. Among the skills universally considered important were making decisions about which…

The use of Stanford Achievement Tests (SATs) with hearing impaired students is considered. Background of the test is given, and the SAT-HI (SAT for the Hearing Impaired) is discussed in terms of its content, item wording, and norms. Among six specific recommendations made are to use the SAT-HI because it minimizes floor and ceiling effects,…

The use of IQ scores as criteria for entry into gifted programs is criticized. Difficulties in test interpretation are noted, as are factors biasing the performance of culturally different students. The author cites flaws with intelligence, achievement, and creativity tests and suggests that locally designed and normal methods are preferable. (CL)

In the United States, standardized educational tests have been used for assessment purposes in grades K through 12 almost since the inception of the testing movement in the early 1900s. Because test-based assessment can have wide-ranging positive or negative effects on K-12 students, the test user must ensure that the tests used for assessment…

This paper recommends an evaluation procedure for gifted children which uses test results only to confirm the conclusions resulting from clinical evaluation that involves observation, discussion with the child, an interview with the parents, developmental milestones, and family history. It suggests that traditional test interpretation may lead to…

A critical review of the literature dealing with quantification of achievement-aptitude differences for identifying learning disabled (LD) readers revealed that methods developed to date suffer from grave inadequacies. Among the methods considered were those of the following individuals: G. Bond and M. Tinker, M. Monroe, A. Harris and E. Sipay, H.…

The concept of students' cognitive preferences was analyzed considering empirical findings with cognitive preference tests. Cognitive preferences were identified as the modes of attending to the course subject matter: memory of specific facts, practical application, critical questioning of information, and identification of a fundamental…