This article provides a single, common-case study of a test retrofit project at one Colombian university. It reports on how the test retrofit project was carried out and describes the different areas of language assessment literacy the project afforded local teacher stakeholders. This project was successful in that it modified the test constructs…

Social and naturally occurring choice phenomena are often of the "pick any" type in which the number of choices made by a subject as well as the set of alternatives from which they are chosen is unconstrained. A model and scaling method for these data are introduced. (Author/JKS)

Describes measurement problems associated with computer based testing (CBT) programs when they are part of a computer assisted instruction curriculum. Topics discussed include CBT standards; selection of item types; the contamination of items that arise from test design strategies; and the non-equivalence of comparison groups in item analyses. (8…

A number of empirical studies are suggested to answer certain questions in connection with flexilevel tests. (MS)

A detailed description of five latent structure models of achievement measurement is presented. The first project paper, by David L. McArthur, analyzes the history of mental testing to show how conventional item analysis procedures were developed, and how dissatisfaction with them has led to fragmentation. The range of distinct conceptual and…

The effects of a multidimensional latent trait space on estimation of item and person parameters by the computer program LOGIST are examined. Several item pools were simulated that ranged from truly unidimensional to an inconsequential general latent trait. Item pools with intermediate levels of prepotency of the general latent trait were also…

The quality of mathematics multiple choice items and their susceptibility to test wiseness were examined. Test wiseness was defined as "a subject's capacity to utilize the characteristics and formats of the test and/or test taking situation to receive a high score." The study used results of the Graduate Record Examinations Aptitude Test (GRE) and…

Examines some problems of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS): multiple cutoff scores for passing the test and receiving a high school diploma, and artificially "tricky" items that disproportionately confuse language-minority students. Uses factor analysis and simulations to show ways to improve item selection for the TAAS.…

Direct assessments of the accuracy with which raters can use a rating instrument are presented. This study demonstrated how surplus behavioral incidents scaled during the development of Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) can be used effectively in the evaluation of the newly developed scales. Construction of scenarios of hypothetical…