Item components that might contribute to the difficulty of items on the Raven Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) and the Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM) were studied. Subjects providing responses to CPM items were 269 children aged 2 years 9 months to 11 years 8 months, most of whom were referred for testing as potentially gifted. A second…

The purpose of this paper is (1) to discuss a set of standards that can be used to evaluate potential assessment instruments; and (2) to use these standards to evaluate the American College Testing Program's College Outcomes Measures Program (ACT-COMP) and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Academic Profile. Using the work of S. Messick (1975,…

Responses to American College Test College Outcome Measures Program (ACT-COMP) items by 481 black and 9,237 white students at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) were analyzed using F. Samejima's graded model to determine the level of differential item functioning (DIF). Students had been tested using Form 8 of the ACT-COMP objective test…

The extent to which national performance on an achievement test battery changed over a 4-year period was studied, and the comparative performance of students in school districts taking the test series for the first time was compared with that of students in districts that had used the battery at least once in one or more grades. The seventh…

The effects of three methods of evaluation (norm-referenced, regulated criterion-referenced, and negotiated criterion-referenced) on academic self-concept (ASC), test anxiety, and aspiration of success were studied for 73 college students (71 females and 2 males) from a large midwestern research university. Students were given a limited amount of…

The effects of an experimental geometry course on gender differences in standardized test performance were studied. The experimental approach involved: (1) reading new concepts and materials followed by class discussion; (2) relating applications to real-life situations; and (3) conducting a spiraling review of concepts throughout the year.…

The test-retest reliability of the American Guidance Service (AGS) Early Screening Profiles (ESP)--a battery measuring development in the cognition/language, motor, and self-help/social areas--was examined. The ESP is a nationally normed screening battery for children ages 2 years 0 months through 6 years 11 months. In addition, parent and teacher…

Data from science and mathematics tests administered to 12th graders in Massachusetts were analyzed to compare the use of multiple-choice items with that of open-ended questions. Specifically, the study was designed to determine the statistical equivalence of the two types of test items, the information yielded by the items, and the grounds upon…

The differential performance of black and white college freshmen on a direct measure of writing skills, the essay portion of the American College Testing Program's Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP), was studied. The data consisted of responses of a sample of 998 black and 3,727 white examinees to two individual prompts for…

Two approaches to testing student achievement are discussed: (1) traditional standardized tests; and (2) testing achievement on an instructional unit. Content validity is a major problem with standardized achievement tests. Even though test publishers typically consider a number of curriculum guides and textbooks in producing a test which is…

The lack of a German language testing instrument for economic literacy has led to problems for researchers in German-speaking countries to establish the level of economic literacy in those countries. The translation of the 23rd edition (1987) of the Test of Economic Literacy (TEL) into a German version, known as the Wirtschalfliche Bildung Test…

Two different control groups were used to evaluate the use of pre- and post-test examination questions presented in the format of a Navy training film. The control group was given a paper-and-pencil pre- and post-test while the experimental group received the pre- and post-test questions within the context and format of the film. While no…

Group comparisons for male, female, majority, and minority students were conducted for the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE). Data for two academic years and from 18 different institutions were analyzed by pooling data across institutions within each of the academic years. Analyses of data from the first academic year focused on…

THIS DOCUMENT CONSISTS OF THE SUMMARY REPORT CONTAINED IN "IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF CHARACTERISTICS OF KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN THAT FORETELL EARLY LEARNING PROBLEMS." SEE ABSTRACT UNDER PS 000 918. (JS)

The results obtained by three test administration modes were examined with a focus upon systematic bias due to lack of standardization of test administration procedures. The My Class Inventory was administered to ninety classrooms of fifth grade students in a large suburban school district. The 45 items on the inventory are distributed over five…