Validity is the sine qua non of properties of educational assessment. While a theory of validity and a practical framework for validation has emerged over the past decades, most of the discussion has addressed familiar forms of assessment and psychological framings. Advances in digital technologies and in cognitive and social psychology have…

Analyzed the Vocational Identity (VI) scale items of My Vocational Situation for entering college freshmen (n=4,378). Identified four major clusters suggesting that vocational identity as measured by the VI scale is not a unitary construct. (Author/ABL)

Explored validity and potential use of Family-of-Origin Scale (FOS). Subjects included 100 adults currently in psychotherapy, 100 adults not in psychotherapy, 32 who had previously sought treatment, and 41 college students. The results showed that the FOS differentiated between patients and nonpatients, but it measured only one general factor and…

To assist the clinician or researcher in scale selection, four symposium papers discussed instruments available to measure test anxiety (TA), with special attention given to the newly-developed Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). Following an integrative summary delivered by the chairperson (DeVito), the first paper (Conetta and Tryon) reviewed the two…

Student perceptions of the preparation for and fairness, value as a learning experience, and logistics of a newly implemented oral examination in a course preparing senior pharmacy students for community pharmacy practice are summarized. (MSE)

The development of the Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics is described, and the results from several validity analyses performed with 1,203 college students are presented. Additional validity evidence was obtained through correlation with the Attitudes Toward Statistics Scale of S. L. Wise for a subsample of 221 students. (SLD)

Examined multidimensional assessment of career decision problems as measured by Career Decision Diagnostic Assessment (CDDA). Administered CDDA to 844 college students from 3 universities. Results supported reliability and validity of CDDA as measure of psychological blocks to career decision making. CDDA seemed only partially able to discriminate…

At a community college in Hawaii, two separate validation processes were carried out in order to install a new student placement test, each serving a different purpose at different times in the installation process. Decision Theory was used to arrive at a decision tool to allow for compromises between accuracy and enrollment management. The…

This case study was designed to demonstrate how an institution could use readily available archival data to produce a simple yet informative validity study as a necessary step in understanding the effectiveness of their selection process. Results indicated the GRE does not significantly predict graduate school success across all disciplines…

The Nairn report, The Reign of ETS, has charged that the major college admissions tests administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) have undue influence on admissions to higher education, and that the tests have little value in predicting future academic performance. Nairn's claims that the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a poor predictor…

A comparison of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences Examination (BPSE) results with student performance evaluations in core clerkships, institutional and community externships, didactic and clinical courses, and related basic science coursework revealed the BPSE does not predict student performance during clinical instruction. (MSE)

Issues related to the two-stage college entrance examinations used in Turkey are explored. Focus is on the first stage, the selection phase of the examination, rather than on the second stage, the placement phase. Further study is needed of the dimensionality of the test and sources of item bias. (SLD)

Examined internal consistency, construct validity, and content validity of the Ethical Judgment Scale using 61 counseling graduate students. Findings indicated need for a revision of the instrument. (Author/ABL)

Although the primary use of the speaking section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language™ Internet-based test (TOEFL® iBT Speaking test) is to inform admissions decisions at English medium universities, it may also be useful as an initial screening measure for international teaching assistants (ITAs). This study provides criterion-related…

A study evaluated the Michigan Test Battery as a placement tool and indicator of student performance at the college level for one continuing education intensive academic English program. Three issues were addressed: whether the test: (1) is being used correctly for program placement and exit; (2) is an accurate indicator of performance for…