Defining coorientational accuracy as how closely one person estimates another's orientation to something cooriented, this paper examines the reasons why the concept has been favored as a criterion for communicating and how it has been measured. It notes problems in measuring accuracy with reference to various ways the orientation situation has…

Some theoretical concerns for competency-based evaluation instruments are discussed, and means of examining these instruments for validity and reliability are presented. The areas of concern include descriptions of the behavior, the level of response, and the nature of the evaluation. Two different types of instruments are examined to determine…

Over forty articles dealing with studies of affective variables were analyzed in this report of the Elementary School Subcommittee of the National Council on Measurement in Education's Task Force on Measurement of Affective Outcomes. The measurement problems were of both a theoretical and practical nature. The greatest practical problem is…

The paper describes the "Early Social Communication Scales" designed to assess social and communication skills typically acquired in the first 30 months of life. Stressed is the role of the tester as an interactive partner for the infant. Reliability data suggesting reliability over time with the same partner are presented. (Author/DB)

This article addresses itself to the issue of accurate assessment techniques. The authors look at three assessment techniques--psychological tests, assessment centers and "biodata"--and compare them in terms of the information they provide, their accuracy, and ease of implementation. (Author/CT)

A study of the reliability of oral tests in a medical school illustrates the use of a balanced incomplete block design, chosen when not all participating examiners can rate each examinee, for experimental research. (MSE)

This study examined processes and techniques teachers used to ensure that their assessments were valid and reliable, noting the extent to which they engaged in these processes. A sample of 625 elementary and secondary teachers received mailed copies of the Ohio Teacher Assessment Practices Survey, which asked about steps that they followed and the…

The purpose of "Considering Consistency" is to provide conceptual and procedural guidance regarding reliability within the context of a local assessment system. Some of this document's contents echo "Measured Measures." For instance, methods for estimating the reliability of individual assessments, particularly as appropriate for…

Data indicate that the scales in each of four forms (student perceptions of actual and preferred environments, and teacher perceptions of actual and preferred environments) of the Individualized Classroom Environmental Questionnaire possess internal consistency and discriminant validity. (PN)

Presents a critical overview of educational screening devices and the means by which they should be judged. Topics discussed include estimates regarding the extent to which school readiness tests are used, objectives of screening, effectiveness of educational screening, defining the at-risk population, measurement problems, and measures for…

Describes the development and assessment of evaluation instruments designed to test student political-citizenship knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The tests are a part of the Improving Citizenship Education Project in Fulton County, Georgia. (Author/CK)

The Interrater/Test Reliability System (ITRS) is described. The ITRS is a comprehensive computer tool used to address questions of interrater reliability that computes several different indices of interrater reliability and the generalizability coefficient over raters and topics. The system is available in IBM compatible or Macintosh format. (SLD)

Investigates reliability and validity of speech evaluation instruments used in public speaking classes. Finds that student speeches can be evaluated reliably and validly using any of a number of different evaluation forms that address the fundamental speech constructs of content and delivery. Finds that lack of extensive rater training and…