There is evidence that pre-tests can have orienting and motivational and teaching functions - in addition to the sought-for testing function. There is also evidence that these additional functions can be either general or specific. The present paper contributes to the ongoing debate by discussing the issues involved in the context of a series of…

Abridged version of the original Swedish article. (DD)

The union and disjunction models for combining individual test marks to yield final grade distributions are outlined and examined empirically in two educational psychology classes. (Authors/CB)

Examined and compared the validity of Friedman's Developmental Level (DL) and Exner's Developmental Quality (DQ) as measures of cognitive development in children (N=134). Results supported the convergent and discriminant validity of both DL and DQ. The DL and DQ were most strongly related to different types of cognitive ability. (JAC)

Used the intraclass correlation coefficient to estimate the interrater reliability of judgments of clinician and novice raters of depressed females (N=20) who took the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). Expert and student raters both made reliable ratings on the HRSD. Criterion validity for student raters was also satisfactory.…

Technology has been used to measure visual acuity with the severely or profoundly mentally retarded child. The following categories of technology have been used for assessment: the recording of visual fixation within the habituation paradigm; equipment to measure eye movements and pursuits; operant techniques; and electrodiagnostic techniques…

Concludes that neither the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory (MTAI) nor the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) were valuable as predictors of success in elementary school student teaching. (FL)

University graduates in China are viewed as the new mandarin class in China. University entrance examinations are seen as the modern counterpart of the long tradition of civil service examinations. It is noted that China's 630 universities and colleges only accommodate four to five percent of those seeking admission. (Author/MP)

Mathematics success or failure is noted as possibly related to the way in which material is presented rather than to the subject itself. Teachers are encouraged to have pupils complete a questionnaire that is designed to measure their mathematical "state of health." Instructors are told to identify learning styles. (Author/MP)

Through a retrospective study, the methods of investigative journalism are analyzed as they are applied to a statewide evaluation of student achievement and to a local school evaluation of new student registration procedures. The benefits and shortcomings of the journalistic approach are illustrated. (Author/AL)

Reports on the development and testing of the Revision and Editing Test. Presents the test and its answer key in an appendix. (RL)

The authors review problems associated with currently practiced matrix methods of identifying gifted students, describe an aggregation method utilizing a statistical approach involving standard scores, and relate the method to specific program examples. (SB)

The paper documents experiments designed to compare essay and multiple-choice tests as means of testing science learning. Results indicate it is easier to score high on multiple-choice tests; some students substitute quantity on essay tests; and essay tests reveal weaknesses hidden by multiple-choice tests. (RE)

Compared are two approaches to exam writing in which the narrative approach is described as a novel, creative, and integrated learning opportunity. In this approach, a single system is chosen in which questions are asked that challenge the student to perceive interrelationships between principles and details previously learned. (CS)