Educable mentally retarded (N=220) elementary and secondary students were administered Inventory of Basic Skills or the Inventory of Essential Skills (Brigance), The Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT), and the Wide Range Achieve Test (WRAT). Results suggested that the Brigance measures do not replace the PIAT and WRAT. (CL)

Describes the Psychological Screening Inventory, a relatively brief, easy to administer, and score screening instrument. A comprehensive review of the empirical literature suggests moderate reliability, generally stable factor structure, and adequate validity, particularly for use with college undergraduates, with reformatory and prison inmates,…

The Goodenough-Harris Draw-a-Person Test, if given at regular intervals during periods of remediation, may show clear evidence of improvement in behavior and attitude of learning disabled students. (CL)

The screening version of the Photo Articulation Test elicited significantly more correct initial picture identifications than either the Fisher-Logemann Test of Articulation Competence or the Templin-Darley Test of Articulation. Significant relationships between diagnostic decision and clinical judgments were obtained for both normal and…

This paper summarizes the literature regarding statistical significant testing with an emphasis on recent literature in various discipline and literature exploring why researchers have demonstrably failed to be influenced by the American Psychological Association publication manual's encouragement to report effect sizes. Also considered are…

Describing the types and uses of tests may seem to be an easy task, but it is not as straightforward as it may first appear. Tests vary on many different characteristics, are used in many different ways, cross the typical assessment categories, and in some cases are so unique as to from a category unto themselves. This chapter explores many…

Real and perceived misuses of educational tests, errors in test scoring and test use, and incidents of cheating on tests have been widely reported in local and national media. As educational tests take on additional importance for students, teachers, and schools, there is appropriate concern about the quality of assessments and the appropriate use…

The level of standardized effect sizes obtained by chance and the use of significance tests to guard against spuriously high standardized effect sizes were studied. The concept of the "protected effect size" is also introduced. Monte Carlo methods were used to generate data for the study using random normal deviates as the basis for sample means…

Suggests how administrators can understand the functions and relative merits of standardized tests. Notes that effective testing involves identifying criteria to be tested, techniques for testing these criteria, and standards for evaluation results. Urges principals to encourage the development and improvement of teachers' evaluation skills to…

It has often been asserted that the reliability of a measure places an upper limit on its validity. This article demonstrates in theory that validity can rise when reliability declines, even when validity evidence is a correlation with an acceptable criterion. Whether empirical examples can actually be found is an open question. (SLD)

Provides suggestions for ensuring that the benefits of using large-scale student assessments are achieved in the face of challenges to their effective use. Reviews fundamental concepts and concerns in making valid inferences from tests. (SLD)

Created an adaptation of the Digit Symbol subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Digit Symbol Rotation test, and evaluated its "g" loading with 54 adults. Results suggest the Digit Symbol Rotation test has more factorial validity than Digit Symbol, but remains equally easy to administer and score. (SLD)

Suggests that members of the educational measurement community are at least in part responsible for the fact that many U.S. children are receiving a reduced quality education because of the increasing misuse of educational tests. Assessment personnel have failed to speak out against the use of tests to assess school quality. (SLD)

Describes common mistakes made by young children taking standardized tests and suggests several teaching strategies that may be useful to teachers who are preparing a class to take standardized tests. Teachers need to be sure they don't add to the pressure of standardized testing by overreacting to small deeds of misbehavior or emphasizing the…

Considers ways to implement the International Guidelines for Test Use (International Test Commission, 2001) to maximize their intended impact . The process calls for customizing the guidelines for specific assessment contexts and needs and using the guidelines to generate competency standards. (SLD)