This paper presents a study on the generation of mathematics test items using algorithmic methods. The history of this approach is briefly reviewed and is followed by a survey of the research to date on the statistical parallelism of algorithmically generated mathematics items. Results are presented for 8 parallel test forms generated using 16…

This monograph is written for teachers of students in grades seven to nine to heighten awareness of the skills in the measurement and geometry cluster of the New Jersey High School Proficiency test (HSPT) and to suggest strategies for teaching them. Eleven skills in the HSPT measurement and geometry cluster are grouped according to type of…

The Michigan Mathematics Early Placement Test (MMEPT) is an assessment instrument that gives 11th-grade students an appraisal of their mathematical skills in relation to college expectations. Students who take the test receive a report letter that tells them, based upon their test results, approximately where they would be placed in mathematics if…

This review of the relevant literature in the area of numerical facility attempts to clarify the construct of numerical facility and provide guidance for items tapping this ability. The review is presented in five parts. The first section introduces two approaches that can be used to investigate numerical facility, including factor analysis.…

A description is presented of the mathematics curricula in four different school types in the Netherlands, based on empirical data from the Second International Mathematics Study. It was shown that there were big differences within and between school types. (LMO)

An approximation procedure is proposed for the posterior means and standard deviation of the ability parameter in an item response model. The method is illustrated for the two-parameter logistic model using data from a 39-item American College Testing mathematics test. The effect of sample size is considered. (SLD)

Second and third graders from six Dutch elementary schools (N = 168) solved two sets of almost identical addition and subtraction sums at a two-week interval. Inconsistency in strategies, which characterized half the subjects, was related to unfamiliar sums and resulted in misinterpreted errors. (TJH)

Arizona State University uses the Computer-Administered Mathematics Examination to identify preservice teachers who need mathematics remediation. Reported are the results of the testing of several groups of students. Some of the students were retested after remediation. (RH)

Describes interviews with four primary age children. Uses the results of the interviews to support a shift from the assessment of performance to the assessment of understanding. (PK)

Girls get higher average grades than boys in both high school and college, but their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores average 57 points lower. What this means in terms of college admissions, why it occurs, and what can be done are discussed. (MT)

A mental multiplication test, containing items written in Dutch, Spanish, and Roman numerals was administered to 286 Dutch students. Further instruction was given in either Spanish or Roman, and a subtest combining languages was given. The iterative logit method was found to be useful in detecting biased test items. (GDC)

Methods of estimating the standard error at different ability levels were compared. Overall, it was found that at a given ability level the standard errors calculated using different formulas are not appreciably different. Further, for most situations the traditional method of calculating a standard error probably provides sufficient precision.…

This study investigated the effects of past computer experience on the computerized aptitude test performance of college students. Subjects were 92 undergraduates who completed an arithmetic reasoning test by computer and a Computer Experience Questionnaire. Past computer experience did account for a significant amount of variance on the…

Meta-analysis of research on a topic may exclude reports that do not present their results in a statistical form amendable to summarizing procedures used. This article illustrates how researchers can consider this aspect in computing statistics from their data. An illustration of how that can sometimes be done is presented. (Author/JAZ)

The effects of teacher behaviors comprising lesson organization on student achievement were investigated in undergraduate students. Two instructional conditions were proper versus manipulated sequence and explicit organization behaviors present versus absent. Explicit organization had a significant effect on achievement. No significant…