A set of 150 experimental personality items was constructed for an alternate form of the word association personality worksample developed by the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation. The items were intended to possess several semantic properties hypothesized to facilitate discrimination between objective and subjective examinees. Specifically,…

In the area of large scale assessment, there is increasing interest in the measurement of students' written performance. At issue is whether the task demands in writing assessment can be simplified to involve the production of paragraph-length writing samples and/or multiple choice testing, rather than full-length essays. This study considers data…

In order to determine effects of different sequential placement of the expressive language sample during evaluation of young children referred for speech or languge handicap, 27 normal 3-year-olds were evaluated. Length, complexity, or spontaneity were not affected even when the sample was elicited immediately after formal tests requiring little…

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

The validity of spelling tests in several formats was investigated against the criterion of an estimate of spelling accuracy in ranked writing samples. The correlation between writing samples and spelling production was greater than with recognition of correct spelling. Variations in reliability and rankings were not responsible for the…

Attempted to cross-validate the Verbal Concept Attainment Test as a measure of potential value in neuropsychological assessment and to validate a booklet form of this test. Data provided evidence of the stability of this test across samples and the booklet form appeared to be an equally valid measure. (WAS)

Discusses methodological issues in paper-and-pencil measuring instruments applicable to the assessment of attitudes toward women, men and a variety of gender-related issues. Commonly used questionnaire formats are critiqued and the limitations of heterogeneous scales explored. Presents recommendations for the construction of scales that predict…

Describes an attempt to construct an ESL dictation test that would: (1) be appropriate for a wide range of ability, (2) be easy and fast to score, (3) consist of set items that would form both a unidimensional and cumulative scale, and (4) yield scores that would be directly interpretable with respect to specified levels of English proficiency.…

Compares direct and indirect writing assessment strategies and contrasts them in terms of the relationship each has to specific classroom decision-making situations, the components of writing assessed, practical testing matters, characteristics of test exercises, test scoring procedures, and procedures for determining test quality. (HOD)

Free response and machine-scorable versions of a test called Formulating Hypotheses were compared with respect to construct validity. Results indicate that the different forms involve different cognitive processes and measure different qualities. (Author/JKS)

Investigated measurement characteristics of both forms of Finding Embedded Figures Test (FEFT). College students (N=302) completed both forms of FEFT or one form of FEFT and Group Embedded Figures Test. Results suggest that FEFT forms provide reasonable reliable and valid data. (Author/NB)

Reports on an international test development project in which a revision team worked with experts in applied linguistics, and their varied opinions on language theory, test design and validation, and needs analyses, to identify the appropriate construct for the English Language Testing Service (ELTS) test. (52 references) (CB)

The alternate-forms reliability of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) (A. Fisher, 1997), where alternate forms means different pairs of AMPS tasks, was studied with 91 people who had performed four AMPS tasks. Results support use of the AMPS activities of daily-living motor and process scales. (SLD)

Data from 45 studies involving 9,149 people were used to develop a short form of the Spanish version of the Nottingham Health Profile through Rasch analysis. Results confirmed the validity of using the developed 22-item short form to measure different groups of people categorized by gender, clinical, and health status. (SLD)

The OMNI Personality Inventory (OMNI) is a self-report questionnaire designed for use with adolescents and adults between 18 and 74 years of age. The questionnaire is not based on a particular theory, consistent with current trends in test development, according to the author. An abbreviated form of the OMNI, the OMNI-IV Personality Disorder…