In the arena of educational testing, accessibility refers to the degree to which students are given the opportunity to participate in and engage a test. Accessibility theory is a model for examining the interactions between the test-taker and the test itself and defining how they may decrease some students' access to the test event, ultimately…

Three item selection methods for criterion-referenced tests are examined: the classical theory of item difficulty and item-test correlation; the latent trait theory of item characteristic curves; and a decision-theoretic approach for optimal item selection. Item contribution to the standardized expected utility of mastery testing is discussed. (CM)

This manual is designed to assist faculty members at the University of North Dakota (UND) in the construction, scoring, and analysis of their classroom tests. A computer program is described which will assist staff in test scoring and analysis. The program was developed by the author in the Office of Medical Education and Evaluation of the…

O'Brien's research on Prescriptive Test Theory was replicated, using a survey of basic skills in mathematics taught in Singapore. The feasibility of using Prescriptive Test Theory on a large scale basis was investigated. Instruments used in the study were given in Appendix II (pp. 71-87). (LMO)

The extent, causes, and importance of context effects on item parameters for one- and three-parameter latent-trait models were examined. Items were taken from the California Achievement Tests Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Concepts and Applications subtests. The reading items were administered to 1,678 fourth-grade students, and the…