The 72-item Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory (EPSI) was factor analyzed for a group of 534 university freshmen and sophomore students. Seven factors emerged, which were labeled Initiative, Industry, Identity, Friendship, Dating, Goal Clarity, and Self-Confidence. Item's representing Erikson's factors, Trust and Autonomy, were dispersed across…

Lists the dangers of readability formulas and concludes that while they may be a necessary evil, they should not be used as the underlying structure of a reading program. (FL)

Reviews selected research, widely-used commercial tests, and recent literature on critical thinking. States that evaluation of critical thinking processes should encompass more than simple tests. Concludes with six guidelines for evaluating critical thinking. (JDH)

The Slosson Intelligence Test (revised norms) (SIT) and the WISC-R (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised) were compared. Results provide a moderate degree of support for the concurrent validity of the revised SIT norms, using the WISC-R as the criterion. However, the intelligence quotients on the two tests may not be interchangeable.…

Ways of attempting to ensure competence in teaching reading have changed dramatically over the past 60 years. By comparing tests designed to be administered to 1923 and 1983 teacher candidates, this article illustrates the ways in which they are qualitatively different and considers the implications of those differences. (MT)

Surveys the development of language tests toward authenticity and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of indirect and direct (authentic) language tests. Discusses the difficulty of applying appropriate psychometric measures to tests using real-life language, and the large number of tests variables which interfere with the authenticity of…

Higher elementary student scores on standardized tests do not mean educational improvement. Scores can be affected by teaching "to" the test, coaching on test taking, and skewed norms. Test scores have been declining at the secondary level. Included is a discussion of secondary tests. (MD)

Examines and contests the claim that all language tests are in reality testing the same underlying ability which is very similar to the Spearman g-factor for intelligence. Conclusions indicate that the argument for the existence of a g-factor in language tests is not tenable on statistical grounds. (SL)

Examines the case for performative testing of communication skills for purposes of academic study. Also, the merits and limitations of performance tests and communicative tests are considered in relation to reinforcing teaching and learning and selecting and recommending students for future courses of study. (SL)

Examines the CUNY-WAT program and questions many aspects of it, especially the choice and phrasing of topics. (FL)

Instructional validity of the Florida graduation test and the degree to which students were given proper preparation to pass it were studied. The Florida model illustrates procedures are available to demonstrate to the court that required skills are being taught to prepare students for success on competency tests. (DWH)

Two tests of critical thinking (the Cornell Critical Thinking Test and the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal) were evaluated by a panel of psychologists relative to the validity, reliability, and error of measurement standards stated in the "Standards for Educational and Psychological Tests," 1974. (PN)

In an attempt to restore the symmetry and balance between the study of person and item variation, this paper presents a novel methodology construct specification equations, which allows one to ascertain from the lawful behavior of items what an instrument is measuring. (Author/PN)

The uses of a well-made standardized test are identified: as an assessment tool to help students identify their strengths, to improve learning programs, to help colleges select students, to gauge the learning of academic skills, and as an early warning system. (MLW)

Explores the potential for using computers in the diagnosis of learning disabilities. Describes a prototype computer based system designed to assist teachers in the assessment of reading difficulties. (FL)