Psychologist Andrea diSessa coined the term "phenomenological primitives", or p-prims, to talk about nonexperts' reasoning about physical situations. P-prims are primitive in the sense that they stand without significant explanatory substructure or explanation. Examples are "Heavy objects fall faster than light objects" and "Continuing force is…

Global achievement tests are best used for broad purposes (program evaluation) or purposes such as screening which will be followed up with more precise instruments. (SB)

Illustrates how microcomputers can assist the instructor in scoring and analyzing classroom tests. Describes a BASIC language program adapted to several commonly available microcomputers that can be used in scoring and analyzing test results. (JOW)

Explanations of and guidelines for using the Stanford Achievement Test for Hearing Impaired (SAT-HI) children are given. Types of scores from the test (raw scores, grade equivalent scores, scaled scores, and percentile rankings) are described. Limitations on test interpretations are suggested as well as reminders on using achievement test scores…

This book provides guidance into the use of storytelling techniques as an approach to personality assessment and explains how to administer, score, and interpret such tests. The tests discussed include the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), the Roberts Apperception Test for Children, and the TEMAS (Tell-Me-a-Story). Each chapter contains callout…

Students with severe/profound mental retardation performed functional tasks under training or probe conditions. Analysis of nine students' records indicated that students do not react to probe conditions as if they were extinction conditions; training data do not consistently reflect performance under probe conditions; and data collected under…

Guidelines for test developers and users are provided to insure that construction and selection of test instruments are conducted fairly. In addition to development and selection, issues of interpretation of scores; provision of information to test takers; and prevention of test bias based on race, gender, or ethnicity are addressed. Twenty-one…

A survey of 97 school psychologists found that the majority felt they needed additional training in administering, scoring, and interpreting the fourth edition of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Thirty-four percent were using the fourth edition. Rank ordering of instruments of choice was: Wechsler scales, Kaufman Scale, old Stanford-Binet,…

This paper focuses on challenges to psychologists and psychology graduate students who are blind or visually impaired in the administration and scoring of various psychological tests. Organized by specific tests, the paper highlights those aspects of testing which pose particular difficulty to testers with visual impairments and also describes…

This manual describes development and use of the revised "Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students" (SRBCSS-R), a teacher judgment instrument appropriate for use as one measure in the identification of gifted students. Part 1 explains the judgmental and empirical procedures used to revise the items on the original…

The article reviews concerns related to the selection and administration of career interest inventories for handicapped secondary students, discusses utilization of the results within an educational setting and considers the importance of cooperative efforts. Useful instruments for students in grades 9-12 are listed and administration procedures…

Reviews procedures followed in developing a set of science items for Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geology content areas and examines the items' construct validity in relation to a specific technique of evaluation. Analysis supported the items' construct validity and viability for testing certain science skills at the secondary level. (ML)

Analyzes how the testing and evaluation of social studies students can contribute to the development of participatory citizenship. Suggests that testing and other kinds of evaluation can help teachers weigh the appropriateness and effectiveness of the social studies curriculum. Includes recommendations for evaluation instruments, student…

These language testing guidelines--grouped according to the five categories of the oral language interview: grammar, comprehension, pronunciation, vocabulary, and language utilization (communicative competence)--are presented for the language proficiency examiner. Brief guidelines for assessment are given for each of five levels of proficiency,…

This document presents a self-instructional guide to train individuals in the use of the Procedures for Identifying Problem Drinkers (PIPD), a screening and assessment package designed to determine the existence and degree of a drinking problem. The guide was developed for use in pre-sentence investigations, but is easily adaptable to other…