Critics of standardized testing have recommended replacing standardized tests with more authentic assessment measures, such as classroom assignments, projects, or portfolios rated by a panel of raters using common rubrics. Little research has examined the consistency of scores across multiple authentic assignments or the implications of this…

A model which gives maximum likelihood estimates of measurement error within the context of a simplex model for practice effects is presented. The appropriateness of the model is tested for five traits, and error estimates are compared to the classical formula estimates. (Author/JKS)

Evaluated the technical aspects of three Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) administrations of five psychology graduate students using the WISC-R Administration Observational Checklist (WAOC) to evaluate interrater agreement. Students performed significantly better on the second than on the first observation, with…

Lord's, Millman's and Saupe's methods of approximating the standard error of measurement are reviewed. Through an empirical demonstration involving 200 university classroom tests, all three approximations are shown to be biased. (Author/JKS)

Generalizability theory is described and applied to data collection methods for student ratings of instruction. Three generalizability coefficients (generalizing over both students and items, generalizing over students only, and generalizing over items only) are defined, and the appropriateness of each for various purposes is discussed.…

A study investigated the variability of language performance on different types of testing task, global versus discrete-focus. Three tests (cloze, multiple-choice, and fill-in-the-blank) were developed to measure learners' knowledge of five verb forms. The tests, containing corresponding items designed to elicit equivalent structures, were…

Dissertations are an important component of the effort to generate knowledge. Thus, dissertation quality may be seen by accreditation and coordinating-board reviewers as a noteworthy reflection on the quality of doctoral programs themselves. The present study reviews methodological errors within Ph.D. dissertations. The illustrative errors are…

To assess the impact of various rating scale formats in rating student teachers, a Likert-type scale (Highly agree/slightly agree/neither/slightly disagree/highly disagree) was derived from the graphic scale currently used by the cooperating teachers and university supervisors. They rated the music student teachers on an eight-point scale from…