This experimental project investigated the reliability and validity of rubrics in assessment of students' written responses to a social science "writing prompt". The participants were asked to grade one of the two samples of writing assuming it was written by a graduate student. In fact both samples were prepared by the authors. The…

By centralizing the issue of test fairness in language proficiency assessments, this study responds to a call by researchers for developing greater social responsibility in the language testing agenda. As inquiries into language attitude and psychology indicate, there is an underlying uncertainty pertaining to the validity of test use and score…

Discussion of graph-drawing algorithms compares and evaluates five algorithms for generated automatic graphic display of sentence dependency structures that have been implemented in the TEXTNET text structure management system. Evaluation criteria are discussed, and a test of the algorithms with a database of newspaper articles is described. (16…

The mission of this review is to appraise the new draft NAEP science framework and to determine whether it is up to snuff. This is an evaluation of the September 30, 2005, draft document, Science Framework for the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (Framework), developed for the National Assessment Governing Board. The criteria is…

A study was conducted to determine whether counting correct word sequences is a valid measure of written expression for use in a formative evaluation system for elementary students. A correct word sequence was defined as two adjacent, correctly spelled words that were acceptable within the context of the phrase to a native speaker of the English…

Shows how subjects' varying levels of academic achievement influenced their judgments of the grammatical acceptability of simple sentences, suggesting that differing levels of deep structure accompany differing levels of education. (RL)

The purpose of this study was to estimate the reliability of various measures of writing behavior using 500-word samples instead of 1000-word samples. The themes of 135 eighth graders on narrative and expository topics were collected for 6 weeks, one theme per week. Samples of at least 1000 words were obtained from each student, and the criteria…

This working paper summarizes the results of an expert panel review of the Lexile Framework (LF). The review was conducted by five panel members through readings, the preparation of brief individual reports, and participation in a meeting held on April 26, 2001 in Washington, D.C. The list of panel members and invited observers, along with brief…

Reviews some of the methods and elements of design used in research concerned with measuring the student's ability in written expression. (Author/RK)

The compositions of sixth, tenth, and twelfth grade students were used to determine whether narrations or arguments of high syntactic complexity were rated higher than narrations or arguments of low syntactic complexity. Selection of the compositions was made in pairs--one of high syntactic complexity and one of low syntactic complexity--each…

This article discusses practical considerations in developing tests of listening comprehension in second language learning with a particular emphasis on the choice of listening passages and assessment tasks. The listening construct is defined as the process of receiving, attending to, and assigning meaning to aural stimuli. Questions should be…

Eighth grade students, in response to a pictorial stimulus (either an intact picture, or a series), were instructed to write either a story (which would be enjoyable for another eighth grader) or a description (which would help another eighth grader visualize the picture). Thirty responses from each of the four task conditions were then analyzed.…

Designed for use within language arts programs as well as in the content areas, this handbook provides a continuum of activities for developing writing skills in grades five through twelve. The activities, arranged according to a diagnostic grid sheet provided for evaluation of student progress, offer practice in perception of task (point of view…

An instructional unit that enhances student interest and curiosity about animals and promotes conceptual growth through development of observation and listening skills is discussed. The lessons and activities are for use with limited English proficient students in kindergarten through fourth grade who are receiving services from the…

This competency test package, one of a series of test packages for office occupations education, contains a list of performance objectives; a pool of objective questions matched with these performance objectives; a sample, 50-point objective test; and several performance test activities. The package also includes complete directions for the…