The purpose of this paper is to discuss ways in which developmental psychology suffers from the lack of an appropriate technology of measurement and statistical analysis. The paper begins by noting that developmental psychology is the study of change; that individuals develop through a succession of "stages" which are separated by…

In circumstances where judges are required to make ratings of performance, it is usually required to have two or more raters who are trained to agree on independent ratings of the same performance. It is suggested that such a requirement may produce the paradox of attenuation associated with item analysis, in which too high a correlation between…

Selected findings are presented from a study of classroom teachers' testing needs, testing proficiencies, testing practices, and testing resources in the public schools in Ohio. Focus was on determining how principals and supervisors can assist: (1) teachers in identifying and alleviating the most common test construction errors found on…

The commonly-occurring mismatch between second language student and course level, resulting in student boredom or intimidation, is due to overreliance on standardized language tests. These tests emphasize passive skills, such as recognition of grammatical structures and translation, and they ignore the element of communicative competence. As a…

Undoubtedly test anxiety is a troublesome condition found to be prevalent today among college students. Over the years various attempts have been made to explore how test anxiety influences academic achievement. This paper discusses the extent to which test anxiety affects academic achievement of college students, and the techniques found to be…

Social desirability responding and effort justification were each studied for their effect on response shift as seen in retrospective pretest-posttest responses. The first study used a bogus pipeline induction (half the subjects were told their self-reporting could later be validated) before the self-report pretest. After experimental or control…

The proponents of test disclosure argue that disclosure is a matter of fairness; the opponents argue that fairness is enhanced by score equating which is dependent on test security. This research simulated disclosure on a professional licensing examination by placing response keys to selected items in some examinees' records, and comparing their…

The sensitivity of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking with regard to an experimenter-induced response set was investigated. One hundred and ninety-eight subjects were divided into four groups. Before performing the Unusual Uses Activity (Verbal Form A), each group was given a unique set of instructions. Group I received standard instructions…

Research evidence relating to the utility of the RMC evaluation models of compensatory education employing non-normed tests is examined. The history and evolution of five early models into the current norm-referenced model utilizing a non-normed test (Model A2), non-normed versions of a comparison model (Model B2), and the regression model (Model…

Traditionally, matching test formats have been avoided in favor of multiple-choice items for several reasons, including item analysis properties and chance performance characteristics. In the light of research on test format and anxiety, this study postulates that, if a matching test could assess knowledge for a given topic as effectively as an…

The quality of mathematics multiple choice items and their susceptibility to test wiseness were examined. Test wiseness was defined as "a subject's capacity to utilize the characteristics and formats of the test and/or test taking situation to receive a high score." The study used results of the Graduate Record Examinations Aptitude Test (GRE) and…

Reviewed is research on the bilingual child with learning problems. The author notes that a disproportionately large number of non-English speaking children are placed in special education classes for the educable mentally retarded, and that this group is underrepresented in classes for the learning disabled. It is suggested that appropriate tools…

Test application and implementation of techniques and methods developed in the planning model, A Policy Information System for Vocational Education, are described in this report. (The computer planning model and policy information system designed for use in planning at the local level brings variables of student interest, manpower demand,…

The four papers in this collection were drawn from a symposium convened to review the state of the art in speaking and listening assessment at all educational levels and to suggest strategies for addressing the technical issues, particularly those relating to test bias and the use of rating scales, that speaking and listening assessors often face.…

This study evaluated the procedures and results of the identification of children with Perceptual-Communicative Disorders (PCD) in Colorado. The process of identification includes referral, assessment, staffing and placement. The number of children identified as PCD by current procedures is large and growing. Variations in the prevalence of PCD…