This study was designed to examine the predictive significance of different types and degrees of precocity in preschool children and to assess the effects of participation in a model preschool-kindergarten program operated in conjunction with the study. Extraordinary precocity is defined for this study as performance at the norm for children twice…

The potential reliability and construct and predictive validity of a 30-item Study Skills Questionnaire (SSQUES) was evaluated for its ability to: (1) predict student performance in a self-paced, individualized, or computer-managed instructional environment, and (2) identify students needing some type of study skills remediation. The study was…

It may be possible, using assessments of motor and perceptual skills which are largely independent of ethnic and educational background, to admit to the military individuals who would be rejected on the basis of their paper-and-pencil test scores, but who through their performance on non-verbal measures, can be identified as highly likely to…

This review summarizes the major criticisms of standardized tests and testing and attempts an evaluation of the validity of the criticisms. Viewed in the context of type of test, manner of its use, and assumptions regarding its validity, the paper discusses: (1) the imperfect-prediction problem, where predictions of performance are invalidated by…

The paper contains a discussion of the modification of Rotter's Internal External Scale into the three scales of Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance orientations. The tripartite, multidimensional view of locus of control was developed because the validity and usefulness of Rotter's lumping expectancies of fate, chance, and powerful others…

This publication, the first of two volumes, describes the cognitive, psychomotor, and socioemotional measures used in all years of the Head Start Planned Variation Evaluation. Part I discusses generally the issues involved in evaluating the quality of the data, and summarizes findings. Part II contains technical reports on 12 of the individual…

This research attempted to interrelate several methods of producing option weights (i.e., Guttman internal and external weights and judges' weights) and examined their effects on reliability and on concurrent, predictive, and face validity. It was concluded that option weighting offered limited, if any, improvement over unit weighting. (Author/CTM)

Summarizes some of the findings of recent study of tests designed to determine the English language proficiency of nonnative speakers. (CFM)

The Brigance K&1 test is a battery of 12 subtests widely used to identify entering kindergarten children in need of more comprehensive evaluation. To gather data on the reliability of the test, an analysis was conducted of results for 134 children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The children were administered both the Brigance K&1…

A study was conducted at Pima Community College to determine the relationship between the final grade received by students in an introductory, algebra-based physics course (PHY 121) and their scores on the reading, writing, and mathematics portions of the college's nonmandatory assessment test. Between 1983 and 1988, 639 students obtained a final…

Survey results have suggested that, while teachers like to have test information available, most do not have great skill or consistency in interpreting test score data. Teachers who consider a certain type of test very valuable or useful are less likely to question the accuracy of the scores than are teachers who consider a test to be of little…

To improve vocational rehabilitation programs for schizophrenic persons, a project sought to design an effective assessment strategy. Inactive records of schizophrenic clients at New Jersey sheltered workshops were examined to determine validity and reliability of assessment instruments being used. General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) profiles of…

Describes a study of the validity and reliability of a writing skills assessment test taken by 4,284 2-year college students in 1986-87. Assesses interrater reliability, influences of nonperformance factors (e.g., gender, native language, and form of test), predictive validity of test for future performance, and implications of findings. (DMM)

Introduction: For postgraduate training of doctors there is a need for valid and reliable instruments to assess their daily performance. Various instruments have been suggested, some of which use incognito simulated patients (SPs). These methods are resource intensive. Computerised Case-based testing (CCT) is logistically simpler and may still…

The Turkish edition of the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI-T) was accomplished in three stages, each stage constituting an independent study with new samples. In the first study, using bilingual Turkish high school and college students, the transliteral equivalence between the Turkish and English TAI items were achieved. The second study, using a…