The author attacks not only the racism inherent in existing IQ tests, but the very concept of a standardized intelligence test, which, he asserts, lacks certain basic criteria of consistency and validity necessary to a scientific device. Part of a theme issue on intelligence. (SJL)

Investigates the psychometric properties of the Preschool and Primary Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale (PPNS-IE). The test was administered to first, second and third graders. (CM)

Results indicate that subjects scored better when tested by an experimenter of the opposite sex and also that there is some tendency for experimenters to receive scores from their subjects in accordance with their expectations of the subject's performance. (JD)

This article discusses the structure of a committee that evaluates assessments for students with visual impairments and the process by which the committee arrives at its recommendations to test developers and administrators. Concerns and preferred practices that have been revealed by the committee's two years of experience are discussed. (CR)

Draws from validity generalization research to summarize evidence disputing theories that objective employment tests are either biased against minorities or lack utility. Argues that group differences in test scores do not result from deficiencies in tests, but in skills they measure. Suggests that measurement-based research does not provide…

This discussion of college entrance examinations reviews differences between the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Test. It then focuses on the SAT, discussing numbers of students taking the tests, changes in test construction to recognize contributions of women and minorities, involvement of African Americans in…

Examines five themes in "Testing for Competence Rather than for "Intelligence" (D. C. McClelland, "American Psychologist," 1973), and reviews relevant literature. Despite wide acceptance of McClelland's views, other evidence that does not show that competency testing surpasses cognitive ability testing in predicting…

Historically, such testing programs as intelligence tests and Chapter I minimum competency testing have inadvertently perpetuated inequalities. An equitable national testing program must look beyond the mystique of testing technologies, clearly define purposes of assessment, recruit minorities into the testing field, and establish an independent…

The five chapters of this report provide resources that deal with the validity, generalizability, comparability, performance standards, and fairness, equity, and bias of performance assessments. The book is written for experienced educational measurement practitioners, although an extensive familiarity with performance assessment is not required.…

Problems in accountability assessment are examined from a unique perspective by considering the prices paid as a result of the use of secret tests (tests comprised of items drawn from non-publicly available item banks). This report is a compilation of the following articles: (1) "The Social, Intellectual, and Psychological Prices of…

A technique for detecting item bias that is responsive to attitudinal measurement considerations is a maximum likelihood factor analysis procedure comparing multivariate factor structures across various subpopulations, often referred to as SIFASP. The SIFASP technique allows for factorial model comparisons in the testing of various hypotheses…

Prior research indicates that language-handicapped children obtain higher test scores when tested by personally familiar examiners than when tested by personally unfamiliar examiners. The present investigation inquired whether this finding is due to examinees' actual differential performance across the two examiner conditions, or whether it is the…

This study examines item bias on Forms L and M of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) for 132 Anglo-American and Mexican-American children in grades one through four. Analyses of variance were employed to assess item bias as defined by items x ethnicity interactions. Follow-up analyses were performed using a Bonferroni-type…

Thirty-three counselors attending a workshop at the 1988 Annual Convention of the American Association for Counseling and Development were asked to rate six "critical incident" exercises on bias in test content and unfairness in test usage. About two-thirds of the subjects were female, and one-third were male. The subjects ranged in age…

Argues that the basic problem with standardized tests to test Mexican American students is that they lack "ethnic validity": they do not accurately or appropriately account for cultural, linguistic, or experiential ethnic differences. (Author/JM)