In this paper 45 item-writing rules for multiple-choice tests presented in textbooks on educational measurement in a previous study are identified. The current study presents a quantitative review of the literature with respect to the empirical and theoretical evaluation of these principles of item-writing. Fifty-six studies that addressed at…

Researchers have attempted to develop paper and pencil Piagetian tests that yield results equivalent to manipulative Piagetian tasks and that can be administered in significantly less time. This study is an attempt to partially replicate and extend the findings of research by Paul Ankeny and Lyle Joyce who found significant positive correlations…

The manual was intended to provide instructions and technical data for using the Keystone Adaptive Behavior Profile, a measure of personal independence and social responsibility for handicapped students. Information on the selection and development of the scale is followed by detailed suggestions, in separate chapters, on administration and…

The study was designed to determine the reliability and criterion validity of a psychomotor performance test (the Fine Finger Dexterity Work Task Unit) with 40 partially or totally blind adults. Reliability was established by using the test-retest method. A supervisory rating was developed and the reliability established by using the split-half…

Noting that while the number of errors gives a general indication of spelling ability, it may represent an oversimplification of the spelling process, a study examined the spelling ability of 40 Canadian third grade students of average ability. Subjects were divided into low and high spelling ability groups on the basis of the Edmonton (Alberta)…

Data gathered in a 3-year study of nonpublic education are presented and discussed in this report. The nation's 20,000 nonpublic elementary and secondary schools were all asked to complete the Nonpublic School Survey in the school years 1976-77, 1977-78, and 1978-79. Items in the survey covered directory information (names and addresses), size of…

Noting that the attention of the speech communication discipline to listening skills does not mirror the apparent importance of such skills, this paper examines five listening assessment tests--focusing on the strengths, weaknesses, procedural problems, and conceptualizations of each--that potential users should be aware of before selecting any…

This report outlines the stages of development and validation of the Attitude Toward the Subject Science Scale (ATSSS). The instrument, developed in accordance with the Ajzen and Fishbein (1980) theory of attitude assessment, can be used by junior secondary science teachers or administrators to assess student attitudes toward the subject science…

Research involving Potkay and Allen's Adjective Generation Technique (AGT) is reviewed concerning the measurement of anxiety. In this paper, no distinction is made between state anxiety and trait anxiety. It is suggested that state and trait anxiety may be considered apart from behavioral consistency. The issue of dramaturgical quality is…

An alternative procedure is examined to compare test scores which does not require the utilization of computers and therefore, can be easily employed by classroom teachers. This technique is called the Average System: a simple way to score examinees using information obtained from a representative sample (or samples). Examinees are ranked on a…

Recently more attention has been focused on elder abuse, with laws enacted requiring reporting of this crime. Since service providers often do not recognize elder abuse, a validated screening tool for elder abuse is needed. A screening tool called the Hwalek-Sengstock Elder Abuse Screening Protocol has been developed and is currently being…

Psychometric research was conducted on the TEMAS (meaning "themes" in Spanish) Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Personality functioning is rated in terms of constructs such as delay of gratification, achievement motivation, reality testing, and self-concept. The TEMAS test was administered to 140 public and 140 private school students…

The paper reports findings of a study describing and analyzing the creative and social behavior of four highly original children in the context of 1 year's preschool experience. Videotape, interview, participant observation, and artifact data were collected to construct the descriptions. The study attempted to answer the following questions: (1)…

This one-page abstract summarizes "The Miller Assessment for Preschoolers: A Longitudinal and Predictive Study" by Lucy Miller, which examined the predictive validity of an early childhood screening instrument to identify children who have or are at risk of developing handicapping conditions. The Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP)…

The use of new extension of standard Item Response Theory (IRT) modeling of dichotomous items to include external variables is proposed. External variables may appear both as categorical grouping variables and as continuous variables; this requires the formulation of a model for the relationships between the external variables and the response…