Valid assessment of professional competence has proven to be an elusive goal. Objective tests, direct observation of performance, overall ratings of competence, and simulations have been tried and found wanting in one way or another. Objective test items are criticized as being unrealistic and therefore invalid. Direct observation tends to be very…

Describes examinee-centered method for setting multiple cutscores on a test involving both objective and extended-response items. Judges evaluate a representative sample of examinee performance using a rating scale that is defined in terms of performance standards, and these ratings are linked to examinee's test scores to generate a functional…

A proposed model for the validity of measures of professional competence treats validation as the evaluation of inferences drawn from test scores, focusing on evaluation, generalization, and extrapolation. The model is used to indicate strengths and weaknesses of assessments of professional competence: observations of performance, simulations, and…