Adoption of new instructional standards in science demands high-quality information about classroom practice. Teacher portfolios can be used to assess instructional practice and support teacher self-reflection anchored in authentic evidence from classrooms. This study investigated a new type of electronic portfolio tool that allows efficient…

Component Universe Score Profile analysis (CUSP) is introduced in this paper as a psychometric alternative to multivariate profile analysis. The theoretical foundations of CUSP analysis are reviewed, which include multivariate generalizability theory and constrained principal components analysis. Because CUSP is a combination of generalizability…

As a property of test scores, reliability/dependability constitutes an important psychometric consideration, and it underpins the validity of measurement results. A review of interpreter certification performance tests (ICPTs) reveals that (a) although reliability/dependability checking has been recognized as an important concern, its theoretical…

Problem Statement: Reliability, which refers to the degree to which measurement results are free from measurement errors, as well as its estimation, is an important issue in psychometrics. Several methods for estimating reliability have been suggested by various theories in the field of psychometrics. One of these theories is the generalizability…

Phonics was identified as one of the critical components in reading development by the National Reading Panel. Over time, research has repeatedly identified phonics as important to early reading development. Given the compelling evidence supporting the teaching of phonics in early reading, it is critical to make sure that instructional decisions…

The Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) has been reported to provide reliable scores for the four-branch ability model of emotional intelligence [Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2002). "Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). User's manual." Toronto, Canada: Multi-Health…

Examinees who take high-stakes assessments are usually given an opportunity to repeat the test if they are unsuccessful on their initial attempt. To prevent examinees from obtaining unfair score increases by memorizing the content of specific test items, testing agencies usually assign a different test form to repeat examinees. The use of multiple…

The testing of English language learners (ELLs) is, to a large extent, a random process because of poor implementation and factors that are uncertain or beyond control. Yet current testing practices and policies appear to be based on deterministic views of language and linguistic groups and erroneous assumptions about the capacity of assessment…

This book presents a comprehensive overview of univariate and multivariate generalizability theory, a psychometric model that provides a powerful approach to the analysis of errors of measurement through the use of random-effects and mixed-model analysis of variance. (SLD)

These analyses suggest that if a criterion-referenced test had a reliability (defined in terms of internal consistency) below 0.5, a simple a priori procedure would provide better estimates of students' universe scores than would individual observed scores. (Author/LMO)

The extent to which a scale score generalizes to a latent variable common to all of the scale's indicators is indexed by the scale's general factor saturation. Seven techniques for estimating this parameter--omega[hierarchical] (omega[subscript h])--are compared in a series of simulated data sets. Primary comparisons were based on 160 artificial…

Generalizability theory (g-theory) was used, as an alternative to classical test theory, to evaluate measurement error in a behaviorally anchored role-play measure, highlighting the usefulness of this theory in instrument development. G-theory partitions an observed score into the universe score and error scores associated with separate sources of…

Generalizability theory is used to examine the psychometric characteristics of the Listening and Writing Tests developed by American College Testing for its Work Keys program. Results with samples of 50 suggest the desirability of a minimum number of the tests' tape-recorded messages and the use of at least 2 raters. (SLD)