Until 1982, achievement in A-level biology in Kenya was measured by an examination which consisted of four papers, three measuring theory work and one measuring practical skills. In 1982, a three paper examination was developed, the first two papers measuring theory and the third paper measuring practical skills. Based on the change in the test…

The absence of suitable instruments to measure scientific inquiry skills, and the inability of teachers to construct their own tests to measure mastery of science skills led the Peterborough County (Ontario) Board of Education to develop skill-oriented curriculum guidelines in response to changes in Ministry of Education priorities in science.…

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate two hierarchically related measures of concept generalizability. The two concepts were "Insect" and "Animal." The tests were organized in a novel format consisting of three degrees of stimulus complexity. The three degrees of complexity contained sets of pictures of each…

It is suggested that most standardized science tests do not adequately assess the majority of concepts taught as part of the very diversified middle school science curriculum. The 50-item Life Science Test constructed by Portland Public Schools, Maine, herein presented, aims to resolve this inadequacy. The 40-minute multiple choice test…

Instructors can use this inventory to prepare high school equivalency students for the reading skills test of the new form of the Test of General Educational Development (GED). It replaces the instrument previously recommended for that purpose, the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED). Fifty multiple choice questions test the ability to…

Determined if differences in performance on a posttest (in which sections differed in use of manipulative models to answer questions) were attributable to differences in reasoning levels of chemistry students (N=105). Results indicate that reasoning may affect performance under conditions of constant instruction. (JN)

Describes the development of the Nuffield chemistry curriculum materials by chemistry teachers and how these materials were received and used by a much larger and representative group of the profession. Includes comments on teaching Nuffield chemistry, the Nuffield examination, and on Nuffield chemistry outside of Great Britain. (JN)

The focus in this study was on science achievement measures and their relationships to three reasoning dimensions: basic knowledge and reasoning, spatial-mechanical reasoning, and quantitative science reasoning. Thirty multiple-choice items, 8 constructed response items, and 3 performance assessments, each nominally assigned to 1 of the reasoning…

Sex differences in performance of year-11 British students in science are being explored in an ongoing study. Some early results and tentative conclusions are reported. Double award science was introduced in England to improve scientific literacy, to reduce sex imbalances in later science pursuits by females, and to encourage generally greater…

The student variables associated with scoring above the international mean on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) were studied in a group of U.S. students who took advanced mathematics or advanced mathematics and physics. The total sample was 2,349, with 1,158 females and 1,191 males. Formal parent education level and…

This report examines the potential of adaptive testing, two?-stage testing in particular, for improving the data quality of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Following a discussion of the rationale for adaptive testing in assessment and a review of previous studies of two-?stage testing, this report describes a 1993 Ohio…

Describes a test item bank developed by the Association for Medical School Departments of Biochemistry (Texas). Programs (written in Pascal) allow self-evaluation by interactive student access to questions randomly selected from a chosen category. Potential users of the system (having student, manager, and instructor modes) are invited to contact…

The old Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and the New MCAT were compared by factor-analyzing the scores of a sample of 1,484 examinees who took both tests during 1976-77. Three common factors are interpreted: a general science quantitative factor, verbal ability, and interpretation skills. Variances are noted and implications of the data for…

The data suggest a pattern of overall improvement among students in the Southeast and notable improvements among Blacks in the Southeast in reading at ages 9 and 13 and in science at age 9. The article speculates on reasons for these improvements. (Author/IRT)

A simulated Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) was administered to 39 premedical students two weeks prior to the new MCAT. High correlations between simulated and active test scores were obtained in the biology, chemistry, physics, science problems, reading, and quantitative areas. (MH)