The development of some psychometric indices of performance rating quality based in judgement is traced. The conceptual and analytical confusion that characterizes contemporary research in this area is described. The operational definitions of several criteria of rating quality, including leniency and severity of the rating effect, halo effect,…

The evidence used in condemning a test as racially biased is usually a validity coefficient for one racial group that is significantly different from that of another racial group. However, both variables in the calculation of a validity coefficient should be examined to determine where the bias lies. A study was conducted to investigate the…

A discussion of performance contracting, defined as an agreement between a group offering instruction and a school needing the services, is presented. Four major hazards to direct measurement of specific learning are considered: poor statement of objectives; selection of the wrong tests; misinterpretation of test scores; and depersonalization of…

Since at least 1897, educational researchers have reported, with great frequency, "no significant differences" with respect to studies investigating the effects on educational outcomes of various treatments, suggesting that many educational variables are relatively impotent. A possible reason for at least many of the no-difference findings may lie…

"Teaching the test" has been defined in terms of teaching those particular content knowledges or skills needed to answer the test items correctly. Evidence of several sorts examined in this paper clearly indicates that New Century was teaching students in Providence, R.I., the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test, which was used to assess their…

The 1967 meeting of the Western Regional Conference on Testing Problems dealt with evaluation and educational change. The following speeches were presented: (1) "The Atypical Student" by Carole A. Leland; (2) "Citizenship Assessment" by Vincent N. Campbell; (3) "Educational Criteria and the Cheshire-Cat" by Scarvia B. Anderson; (4) "Are…

This document, part one of a report on performance contracting, explores its basic issues and considerations and is addressed to educational decisionmakers. The evolution of performance contracting is traced and the concept as it is currently being applied in education is discussed. The second part will analyze the outcomes of some programs when…

This paper is part 3 of Research Department Report Number 123, "Exploring the T.R.Q.: An Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Teachers' Rating Questionnaire," which gave questionnaire users information necessary to tailor the instrument to their own needs. Retention of TRQ questions which generated good distributions of teacher ratings…

An aptitude battery was validated against a Job Knowledge Test to determine if aptitude tests are culturally biased when used to predict occupational success. 287 white and 168 Negro Medical Technicians completed an eight test experimental aptitude battery and a Job Knowledge Test developed as a criterion measure of job performance. Linear…

The study reviewed the formats and psychometric rationale of several alleged culture-fair tests. Advantages and disadvantages of each instrument were examined and implications for compensatory education were discussed. (Author)

This paper describes test development efforts for measuring achievement of selected concepts in social studies. It includes descriptive item and test statistics for the tests developed. Twelve items were developed for each of 30 concepts. Subject specialists categorized the concepts into three major areas: Geographic Region, Man and Society, and…

A set of pilot performance reference scales was developed based upon airborne Audio-Video Recording (AVR) of student performance in T-37 undergraduate Pilot Training. After selection of the training maneuvers to be studied, video tape recordings of the maneuvers were selected from video tape recordings already available from a previous research…

This handbook was designed to assist practicing vocational educators in planning and preparing performance measures for evaluating the behavioral outcomes of instruction. It is particularly concerned with fulfilling the needs of individuals involved in manpower development and training programs. The nature of and need for performance testing is…

On March 4, 1977, the Center for Advanced Study in Education (CASE) of the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) and the Board of Education of the City of New York co-sponsored a National Conference on Minimum Competencies: Trends and Issues. Six papers were presented: "An Overview Regarding Minimal…

The purpose of these studies was to develop and demonstrate a model for identifying criterion levels of performance that can be rationally defended as being the best level of performance for a particular instructional task. The specific objective was to identify the score on a cloze test that represents the most desirable level of performance on…