This paper documents the development of the Mosaic Readiness Index, a score that is reported for individuals who take the high school version of Mosaic by ACT®: Social Emotional Learning Assessment (hereafter referred to as the Mosaic assessment). The Mosaic Readiness Index is designed to predict high school academic outcomes--namely high school…

This study examines whether scores from an interim reading assessment in grade 9, the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading--Florida Standards, can be used to identify students who may score below the college readiness benchmark on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test and ACT Plan in grade 10. Using scores on an…

In this article, the author describes the growth and acceptance of achievement tests, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), over the past century, advocating that many SAT claims of equity, uniformity, technical reliability, and prediction, over traditional measures of academic achievement have been found to be illusory. Summarizing a series…

This article outlines shortcomings of currently used university admissions tests and discusses ways in which they could potentially be improved, summarizing two projects designed to enhance college and university admissions. The projects were inspired by the augmented theory of successful intelligence, according to which successful intelligence…

An important but too infrequently considered methodology that can be used in research, especially research focusing on Pearson's "r" (B. Walsh, 1996) or the multiple "R" (see B. Thompson, 1992) involves testing for moderator or mediator variable effects. As explained by M. Gall, W. Borg, and J. Gall (1996), moderator analysis…

Discusses problems with formative evaluation of educational materials and examines the slope test when used in a pretest/posttest multiple group (PPMG) design to adjust posttest scores treatment interaction studies. An example is given of the utility of the slope test and analysis of covariance procedure using an educational film about AIDS. (five…

Describes efforts of the California State University and Colleges system to develop an affirmative action plan for each campus. Reviews past research on issues related to typical and nontypical students and addresses the functions that student affirmative action plans should include. (Author/JAC)

Addresses the validity of the Cognitive-Affective Response Test-Music by clarifying the theoretical assertions on which the construct validity of the instrument rests. Presents nine specific assertions and data from two studies. Concludes that the test is valid for college-bound high school students. (CFR)

The focus of this study is the relationship between language attitude, beliefs, efficacy, English language competence, and language achievement. Two hundred and eighty-five students from five metropolitan primary schools in Western Australia completed a specially designed questionnaire based on the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (Gardner,…

Uses test questions from the Basic Economics Test (BET) to reveal that elementary students are capable of understanding economics concepts. Maintains that neither ethnic background nor parental income makes a difference in economic learning. The most statistically significant determinant of improved scores was the extent to which a concept was…

Students enrolled in an organic chemistry course were given a diagnostic inventory according to the SCRAPE model. Information was obtained on 11 motivational personality variable and three attitudinal variables for students in both computer-based instruction and regular instruction sections. Descriptive statistics were obtained on each instrument…

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 were used in a study to investigate the relative effectiveness of high school grades and standardized aptitude test scores, together with demographic characteristics, in predicting early postsecondary educational activity of high school seniors. Self concept and locus of…