The effects of test content reflecting black or white culture, on the performance of college-bound students of both races was examined. Eighty-five culture-specific items were developed for use in the English Usage and Social Studies Reading subtests of the ACT (American College Testing) Assessment Program. Items were administered as four separate…

The criterion-oriented problem of test bias and fairness in selection is compared to the construct-oriented problem of comparability of test scores in cross-cultural research. These problems are shown to have important similarities, and their studies may supplement each other. In a formulation of psychometric criteria for the comparability of test…

This symposium consists of five papers and presents some recent developments in adaptive testing which have applications to several military testing problems. The overview, by James R. McBride, defines adaptive testing and discusses some of its item selection and scoring strategies. Item response theory, or item characteristic curve theory, is…

Intelligence quotient (IQ) scores are widely accepted as measures of academic potential. However, both hereditary and environmental factors also play a role in performance. The limitations of IQ tests require that they be handled differently when administered to students from backgrounds other than the dominant cultural group. In addition,…

As part of Project IMPACT's effort to identify and develop procedures for complying with the impact requirements of Public Law 94-482, a field study was conducted to identify and validate variables and their order of importance in predicting and evaluating impact of research and development (R&D) projects in vocational and technical education.…

This guide is designed to assist users in collecting evaluation/follow-up data primarily from supervisors of former vocational-technical school students. The guidelines, presented in five parts, provide a step-by-step checklist for implementing the system and acquiring measurable/reliable data applicable to individual or overall school programs.…

The previously validated Employability Skills Series was systematically translated into Spanish, and field tests were conducted, using criterion referenced measures, to establish if the materials were effective with Hispanic students. Data were collected on the achievement of 484 students on thirty-nine knowledge and twenty-five performance…

The computer-based System of Interactive Guidance and Information (SIGI) was field tested and evaluated at five community colleges and one university. Developed by Educational Testing Service, SIGI assists students in the process of informed and rational career decision making. Interacting at a cathode-ray tube terminal with a computer, students…

The conference is divided into three sections: (1) constructing examinations so that they will be valid measures of important functions; (2) defining the nature of the verbal factor as used in aptitude test batteries; and (3) establishing the type of norms most useful and important for the interpretation of achievement test scores. Papers are…

The Statewide Testing Program assessed the achievement of South Carolina students in grades 3, 6, and 11. The Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills, Form S (CTBS/S) were used to measure achievement in reading, language, mathematics, reference skills, science, and social studies. Over 126,000 students, representing 91 of South Carolina's 92 school…

Before a bilingual program can be set up, students who are potential candidates for such a program must be identified. A study was made to investigate the interrelationships of three commonly used measures of "language dominance": the Language Facility Test (LFT), the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate (HBUE), and the Teacher Judgment Questionnaire…

To determine if tryout samples typically used for item selection contribute to test bias against minority groups, item analyses were made of the California Achievement Tests using seven subgroups of the standardization sample: Northern White Suburban, Northern Black Urban, Southern White Suburban, Southern Black Rural, Southern White Rural,…

This textbook is intended for use in an introductory course in the use of tests in schools and colleges. The book is divided into five parts: (1) history and philosophy--educational measurement, historical perspectives; Measurement and the process of education; (2) classroom test development--what should achievement tests measure?; How should…

Two issues in the controversy over the use, interpretation, validity, and relevance of student ratings are explored here: the definition of preferred teacher behavior in terms of the rating instrument used, and the relationship between the student's expected grade, grade point average, and the ratings recorded. The objectives of the present…

The concern with the negative impact on blacks of the national trend toward assessing aptitude achievement and intelligence almost solely through test instruction whose validity and/or administration method is often suspect is reflected in this document. It reports the conference proceedings of the National Association for the Advancement of…