Briefly reviews different methods to evaluate student laboratory work and describes the procedures followed in using laboratory performance tests at Mercer University. Cites five sample performance-test tasks and materials needed. (SK)

Examines the reasons behind and the effects of standardized and minimum competency tests. The authors conclude that the tests lead towards lower performance expectations for disadvantaged students, and increasingly rigid tracking along class, cultural, and racial lines. (AM)

Discusses the results of the 1975 Examination for General Chemistry, and summarizes descriptive statistics as well as ten different subsets of instructional topics. The major results and conclusions are reported in three separate profiles. (HM)

Described is the development of a test battery measuring nine enquiry skills in three general areas: using reference materials, interpreting and processing information, critical thinking in science. Validation data are reported from the administration to a large sample of junior high science students. (CS)

Since all commonly used latent trait models assume a unidimensional test, the applicability of the procedure to obviously multidimensional tests is questionable. This paper presents the results of the application of latent trait, traditional, and factor analyses to a series of actual and hypothetical tests that vary in factoral complexity.…

Three methods are presented for interpolating fall norms from data derived for tests administered in spring. One method used the midpoint between two spring administrations, the second adjusted for date of fall testing, while the third method used experimental data that showed slower growth rates during the summer months. (CTM)

This study investigated the relationship between the achievement of tenth graders on the Hawaii State Test of Essential Competencies (HSTEC) and such variables as student socioeconomic status, family structure, ethnicity, previous educational experiences, types of schools attended, elementary grades, achievement test scores, and rate of…

The author defines criterion-referenced (CRT) and norm-referenced (NRT) tests, considers current objections to each, and distinguishes their appropriate uses: CRTs for pupil diagnosis and instruction and NRTs for surveying achievement in a long-term evaluation context. Part of a theme issue on student assessment. (SJL)

Test analysis and instructional differentiation can help minorities. Minorities can survive and benefit by the testing craze if a systematic attempt is made to educate and to deal with attitudes in the home, the school, and the total community. (Author/MC)

Examines a sampling of current ESL reading instruction practices, addressing the concern that the lack of a generally accepted theory of L2 reading constitutes a major obstacle to teaching and testing ESL reading skills. Summarizes the results of two studies and discusses their implications for ESL teachers. (MES)

The development and testing of an information mapped programed text on critical path method for an MBA elective at a British business school is described. The results show that information mapping gave satisfactory learning results when used as a self-instructional method under these circumstances. Five references are listed. (Author/CHC)

Describes the two-day library orientation offered to all incoming sophomore English classes at Quincy High and Vocational Technical Schools in Milton, Massachusetts. Computer-scored pretests allow librarians to tailor the basic orientation package to the needs of each class. (SJL)

Challenges two assumptions of the Gerbner cultivation analysis: that commercial television content is uniform in its symbolic messages about society's values, and that television viewing is habitual (ritual) rather than selective. Overall, both assumptions are found flawed; discarding them, however, serves to strengthen rather than weaken the…

Looks at four sources for measuring national student performance: (1) the National Assessment of Educational Progress study of basic skills; (2) competency testing in reading, writing, and arithmetic; (3) college entrance examination scores; and (4) rates of educational attainment by sex, race, ability level, and socioeconomic status. (SK)

Describes a study undertaken to assess interference from two languages for learners of French. Suggests that susceptibility to interference is related to a number of factors, such as level of proficiency in the target language, and the degree and type of similarity between the target and the base language. (MES)