Some basic statistical concepts relevant to the teacher--mean scores, standard deviation, normal and skewed distributions, z scores, item analysis, standard error of measurement, reliability--and their use by the teacher are explained. (RM)

This book is a comprehensive review of competitive anxiety research that has used the Sport Competition Anxiety Test, or SCAT (a trait scale), and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2). The book describes the theoretical basis and development procedures for both scales, including detailed information on reliability and validity. In…

A functional approach to the assessment of learning disabilities (LD) is proposed in the light of confusing and ambiguous guidelines for identifying students with LD. Problems in the current evaluation procedures include the concept that ability and achievement are separate dimensions of intellectual functioning and the potential for biased…

The effects of monetary gratuities on response rates to mail surveys have been considered in a number of studies. This meta-analysis examined: (1) the nature of the population surveyed; (2) the effects of gratuities in relation to the number of follow-ups; (3) whether the gratuity was equally effective across different populations; (4) whether the…

The workshop paper examines the use of microcomputer packages to analyze spontaneous language samples of children with communication disorders. Advantages of computerized analysis are seen to include time saving, more efficient data management, and increased objectivity. To help consumers determine which programs to buy, four aspects are…

The literature on item bias, i.e., the question of whether some items in tests favor one cultural group over another cultural group due to irrelevant factors, is reviewed and evaluated. All known references through 1981 are described including a large number of unpublished reports. Each method is described and the criticisms that have appeared in…

Students, if they elect to challenge both first-year nursing courses, must take two corresponding series of written and practical tests. Steps in devising the challenge exam system, maintaining high standards, testing format, general education requirements, and evaluation are topics discussed. (MW)

A multimedia test developed in the Criminal Investigator Supervisor's block of the Officer Advanced Course at the U.S. Army Military Police School for the 1972 sessions. (Author)

A discussion of an efficient assignment plan for the domain-referenced testing program to govern how examinees encounter the items. (Author)

A discussion of the role of domain-referenced testing in educational accountability. (HB)

By analyzing different language tests currently in use for elementary school children, the article criticizes psychometric means of evaluation and ideas about language and language acquisition resulting from psychometric evaluation. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

The purpose of this handbook is to assist state, district, and school personnel in implementing the Assessment Component of the Foundation Program Assessment and Improvement System (FPAIS). The FPAIS is a comprehensive system for managing curriculum, intended to improve instruction for students. The Assessment Component includes the gathering and…

A number of current activities at the Center for the Study of Evaluation (CSE) are described, including research programs, evaluation services, workshops and field training programs, publications, and information dissemination. The Evaluation and Decision Making Program studies evaluation from three different perspectives: (1) the program level,…

Results of three separate studies were analyzed to ascertain the technical adequacy of tests used by professionals to make screening, placement/classification, instructional planning, and evaluation decisions for handicapped students. In each investigation, the frequency of usage of technically adequate instruments was addressed. The finding that…