Describes a study to investigate problem-solving skills of science students. An analysis was made of the examination questions to determine what proportion of examination questions was associated with the skills needed for solving problems. (SK)

A study investigated the relationship between performance on basic science (BS) and clinical science (CS) national board examinations in optometry because many students do well on CS while failing on BS. Results indicated a high correlation between scores on the tests, underscoring the importance of the BS examination and the test's predictive…

Derives the current in the wire joining two points when n points are joined two by two by wires of equal resistance, and two of them are connected to the electrodes of a battery of electromotive force E and resistance R. (YP)

Asks whether the masses of a block of wood and a block of iron with the same weight are different. Discusses the buoyancy of air involved in the problem. (YP)

Asks the relationship between mass and skidding distance. Provides a problem with illustrations and an answer. (YP)

Presents a problem related to mass balances for checking the consistency of measured data from a process. Provides the solution to the problem with diagrams and calculation tables. (YP)

The Force Concept Inventory (FCI) is a 29-question, multiple-choice test designed to assess students' Newtonian and non-Newtonian conceptions of force. Presents an analysis of FCI results as one way to determine what the inventory actually measures. (LZ)

Describes the development of an authentic assessment model identifying 14 complex thinking processes. Two teachers designed a task allowing high school students to demonstrate their biotechnological knowledge and simultaneously deploy a complex thinking process (decision making). This model required students to synthesize and integrate what they…

In the grade 12 portion of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, Canadian students performed better than other participating G-8 countries. In fact, Canada scored consistently above the international mean for all three age groups tested. However, some educators and reformers have expressed dissatisfaction with these results. (MLH)

Finds that the time required to attempt all the test items of each question paper in a four-paper sample was inversely proportional to the percentage of students who attempted all the test items of that paper. Extrapolates results to give guidelines for determining the feasibility of newly-developed exam papers. (WRM)

The process used to identify the provisional locations of points that would inform the National Assessment Governing Board in setting achievement levels for the science National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is described. This process includes identification of panelists for achievement-level setting and the method for converting…

Analyzes 295 male and 194 female examinations from introductory atmospheric and oceanic science courses to determine whether or not there exist gender differences in the performance on multiple choice versus constructed response sections of the exams. (Author/SAH)

In international large-scale surveys, constructed response (CR) items are increasingly being used and multiple-choice (MC) items are being used less frequently. In this article the two item types will be compared in terms of any differences they have on national mean scores. TIMSS 1995 and TIMSS 1999 data have been used. Are there different…

A typical undergraduate biology curriculum covers a very large number of concepts and details. We describe the development of a Biology Concept Framework (BCF) as a possible way to organize this material to enhance teaching and learning. Our BCF is hierarchical, places details in context, nests related concepts, and articulates concepts that are…