Analyzed the Matching Familiar Figures Test, which has been employed by researchers to determine conceptual tempo, for potential use as a tool for the clinician. Discusses the psychological factors inherent in impulsivity. Suggests the primary deficits are a lack of norms as well as an alternate form. (Author)

Examined the validity of an instrument designed to assess trainees' Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) skills. Results show graduate clinical psychology students with advanced MMPI expertise more accurately described a patient based on his MMPI than did undergraduates. A second experiment documented this sensitivity to changes in…

This report describes the design and field testing of a 50-item objective test designed to measure high school students' understanding of the state of Georgia's history, geography, government, econcomics, and culture. A copy of the test is included in the appendix. (AM)

Used the Children's Emotion Projection Instrument to investigate the emotional predispositions of children from divorce or disruption and children from intact families. Results indicated that children of divorce or disruption are not more hampered emotionally than children from intact families. Discusses implications for family therapists.…

Reported a self-report measure of adolescents' assertiveness. Items for the scale were presented to sixth-grade students. Factor analysis revealed factors of submissiveness, aggressiveness, and assertiveness. After the validational study, a small assertiveness training program indicated that training effects were obtained and could be generalized…

Reports on a study that was designed to develop a critical thinking/reading model based on professional opinion, to create a critical thinking/reading evaluation instrument for grades three through six, and to validate that instrument. (FL)

Three criteria for an interpretable validity study linking ratings to learning are discussed: section means, ability controls, and criterion adequacy. Validity coefficients predict 5-8 percent of criterion variance and may be moderated by situational factors and student characteristics. (Author/MLW)

Graduate students received course grades before filling out the end of course form, or filled out the evaluation form first and later received course grades. Results suggested that knowledge of final grade had no effect on evaluations of course and instructor. (Author/GDC)

This article describes the development and validation of an instrument to assess adults' orientations toward control versus autonomy in their interactions with children. The responses from 68 teachers had a good range and were internally consistent and temporally stable. Further, the measure was shown to be externally valid. (Author/BW)

A review of the research on item writing, item format, test instructions, and item readability indicated the importance of instrument structure in the interpretation of test data. The effect of failing to consider these areas on the content validity of achievement test scores is discussed. (Author/GK)

A survey devised to measure students' perceptions of their medical school was completed by undergraduates at two schools with radically different approaches to medical education. The survey was reliable in terms of its internal consistency, and exhibited strong validity for a construct of school learning environment. (Author/AL)

The variation of mean length of utterance, a linguistic measure, is explored among 50 normally developing three-, four-, and five-year-olds. It is suggested that mean length of utterance, as a measure of language status, is limited in differentiating language-impaired from normally developing children. (Author/SJL)

Answer-until-correct (AUC) is a procedure for providing feedback during a multiple-choice test, giving an increased range of scores. The performance of secondary students on a verbal ability test using AUC procedures was compared with a group using conventional instructions. AUC scores considerably enhanced reliability but not validity.…

Reports on the development and validation of a standardized test, entitled Competency Inventory on Vocational Education for the Handicapped, which was designed to measure the knowledge vocational education teachers possess about teaching handicapped students in regular vocational education programs. (CT)

A study on a survey of department heads in 25 major universities that examines what department heads perceive to be the component parts in making assignments to faculty is discussed. The importance of evaluating faculty based on effort required rather than on time devoted to given tasks is stressed. (Author/MLW)