The present study aimed to represent the innovative assessments that support students' learning in STEM education through using the integrative framework for Cognitive Diagnostic Modeling (CDM). This framework is based on three components, cognition, observation, and interpretation (National Research Council, 2001). Specifically, this dissertation…

In adolescence research, the treatment of measurement reliability is often fragmented, and it is not always clear how different reliability coefficients are related. We show that generalizability theory (G-theory) is a comprehensive framework of measurement reliability, encompassing all other reliability methods (e.g., Pearson "r,"…

In recent years, the social sciences have seen a resurgence in the study of divergent thinking (DT) measures. However, many of these recent advances have focused on abstract, decontextualized DT tasks (e.g., list as many things as you can think of that have wheels). This study provides a new perspective by exploring the reliability and validity…

Since its release in 1979 the TOEIC® (Test of English for International Communication) has been consistently and widely used by educational institutions and companies of Japan despite criticisms that it provides little useable information about language ability. In order to both reduce the extreme focus on and also aid with the practical…

Many countries use national-level surveys to capture student opinions about their university experiences. It is necessary to interpret survey results in an appropriate context to inform decision-making at many levels. To provide context to national survey outcomes, we describe patterns in the ratings of science and engineering subjects from the…

The study scrutinized the probable interaction between using cognitive test-taking strategies, reading proficiency, and reading comprehension test performance of Iranian postgraduate students, who studied English as a foreign language. The study also probed the extent to which the participants' test performance was related to the use of certain…

This paper demonstrates that, although aggregated standard scores can correlate substantially with aggregated raw scores, their correlations with an external criterion can differ markedly. This will occur when the variances of the components differ, and these differences are related to the correlations of the components with the criterion. (Author)

A correlation coefficient should not be regarded as a judgment; it is only a number summarizing the relationship of two sets of facts to each other. A coefficient's size is important, but the reason for its size is more important. A coefficient should be regarded as a clue to further investigation, which should include the test, the criterion…

Some aspects of test reliability are discussed. Topics covered are: (1) how high should a reliability coefficient be?; (2) two factors affecting the interpretation of reliability coefficients--range of talent and interval between testings; (3) some common misconceptions--reliability of speed tests, part vs. total reliability, reliability for what…

Ways are suggested in which validation studies may be carried out by personnel workers who use tests in selection and placement. The correlational techniques discussed are the product-moment correlation coefficient, biserial correlation coefficient, tetrachoric coefficient of correlation. The summarizing techniques (a term used to refer to methods…

A procedure for estimating the reliability of a factorially complex composite is considered. An application of its use with Scholastic Aptitude Test data is provided. (Author/JKS)

Because test scores are ordinal not cordinal attributes, the average test score often is a misleading way to summarize the scores of a group of individuals. Similarly, correlation coefficients may be misleading summary measures of association between test scores. Proper, readily interpretable, summary statistics are developed from a theory of…

Samples in research on individual and group differences may be selected based on whole scores which differ from the population mean. Children are diagnosed in clinical practice with a whole score. These procedures produce regression to the population mean which can affect accuracy and adequacy of part score interpretations. (Author/DWH)

Provides an expository presentation of multivariate analysis (MANOVA). Addresses several questions relating to why one should use MANOVA, its structure, how MANOVA test statistics and follow-up tests are obtained and interpreted, presentation of results, and alternatives to MANOVA. Uses an example data set to illustrate these points. (Author/KS)