Assesses the effectiveness of using pop quizzes and rewards to improve student retention of the nitrogen cycle. Students able to diagram the N cycle on pop quizzes were rewarded with special cards that included the N cycle. These cards could then be used on subsequent tests in place of memory alone. Six of 11 students tested three months later…

Describes four chemical terms that students with well-considered reasons use in a way that is not accepted in chemistry. From 4300-7500 senior high school students completed a series of multiple choice tests while other groups of students participated in discussions about the problem situations. Contains 34 references. (DDR)

Described are the composition, design, administration, and evaluation of practical examinations. A table of the composition of biochemical unknowns for analysis in practical examinations is included. (CW)

The hypothesis that males will perform better on items containing masculine content and girls will score higher on feminine content items was tested with data from a training study intended to improve the ability of 11-year olds to design a controlled experiment. The findings provide weak support for the hypothesis. (Author/YP)

Describes writing assignments for increasing communication skills in a first-year chemistry course for science majors. Rationale for the assignments are discussed. Fourteen assignment topics for exercises and examinations are provided. (YP)

Establishes taxonomic subclasses of application test items in the special case of the application of biological principles to familiar and unfamiliar, and agro-biological problems, in the framework of applied science teaching. Reports on the complexity of an application situation as a major criterion in the taxonomic subclassification. (YP)

This article summarizes the examining syllabuses of the 1988 General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Physics papers. Some of the errors and uncertainties of the GCSE are discussed with examples. Lists five references. (YP)

Describes a course for discovering whether rapid technological development can be compatible with a set of traditional cultural values. Outlines the background, summary, assignments, and lessons used in the course. Provides a course syllabus, schedule of assignments, and sample essay examination questions. (YP)

This paper identifies predictor variables for physics achievement in Nigerian high schools. Nine student variables (age, gender, home language, word knowledge, interest in physics, study habits, attitude, mathematical ability, and test anxiety) accounted for 63 percent of the total variance. Mathematical ability appeared to be the best predictor.…

Presents a diagnostic test for measuring college biology students' understanding of diffusion. Three general steps were used: (1) defining the content boundaries; (2) collecting information on students' misconceptions; and (3) instrument development. The split half reliability was 0.74, difficulty indices ranged from 0.23 to 0.95, and the…

Describes how one instructor developed a biology questionnaire designed to get students interacting and thinking about biology course content on the first day of class. Discusses why student interest is captured, how the questions are made, and how the questionnaire results are used in class. Contains a 15-question true/false questionnaire. (LZ)

Argues that science educators often face the problem of abnormal distributions when conducting large-scale assessments or evaluating national curriculum projects that require complex sampling plans. Examines the precision of science test scores. (DDR)

Assesses sex and race differences in student science achievement in urban middle schools where teachers were involved with Ohio's statewide systemic initiative professional development. Contains 51 references. (DDR)

An analytic framework is presented for examining the properties and objectives of assessments and scoring systems piloted in a number of state and district testing programs. The article explores the application of this framework, which considers the cognitive components of competence described in studies of expertise, to the analysis of science…

Since many of the important energy-transferring pathways involve synthesis or degradation of biological macromolecules, observations of the enzymes responsible for starch breakdown provide a useful case study. Provides a short, one-step assay for the enzymes amylase and amyloglucosidase. Topics covered include goals, preparation, assay procedure,…