This article describes an experimental system for administering multiple-choice math tests to students who are visually impaired or have other print disabilities. Using a new audio-tactile computer peripheral device called the Talking Tactile Tablet, a preliminary version of a self-voicing test was created for eight participants. (Contains…

Describes the "Golden Rule" test construction technique and its legal history. Focuses on the legal/measurement issues and considers alternative procedures for constructing racially "unbiased" tests. Concludes with an analysis of the probable reaction of the present Supreme Court to a constitutional/statutory challenge of the…

Investigates the effects on multiple choice test performance of altering the order and placement of questions and responses. Shows that changing the response pattern appears to alter significantly the apparent degree of difficulty. Response patterns become more dissimilar under certain types of response alterations. (LS)

Item response theory's (IRT) suitability for medical examination data was examined, using data on 2,000 candidates who took the 1980 and 1982 American Board of Internal Medicine Certifying Examinations. Focus was on determining whether the tests met IRT assumptions and applying one-parameter and three-parameter IRT models to the data. (TJH)

Fitting item response models to data from 2 Advanced Placement exams (18,462 and 82,842 students) demonstrates that constructed response items add little to information provided by multiple choice and that scoring on the basis of student item selection gives almost as much information as scoring on the basis of answers. (SLD)

On multiple-choice and translation tests, 87 Swedish-speaking learners of English avoided neither phrasal nor figurative verbs, regardless of whether the verbs were similar to, or different from their Swedish translation equivalence. (Author)

Identifies problems of definition affecting the assessment of writing skills. Considers the strengths and weaknesses of three methods of assessing writing: multiple-choice testing, essay testing, and portfolio assessment. Offers recommendations about what should and should not be done in assessing written communication skills. (DMM)

Figural response (FR) items in architecture were compared with multiple-choice (MC) counterparts for their ability to predict architectural problem-solving proficiency of 33 practicing architects, 34 architecture interns, and 53 architecture students. Although both FR and MC predicted verbal design problem solving, only FR scores predicted…

Describes the application of the Instruction Parsed Corpus as data in the Word Class Drills version 1.0 (WCD v1.0), a simple CALL program teaching word classes or grammatical parts of speech. The WCD v1.0 provides two modes of language learning activities, "viz.", the learning mode and the testing mode. (three references) (Author/CK)

Fifth graders completed multiple choice exams and measures of cognitive style to determine whether changing answers was more frequent and productive for field independent or field dependent, reflective or impulsive, students. Impulsive students changed more answers and gained more points. Field dependence/field independence did not relate to…

Although many studies have examined individual difference predictors of cheating, insufficient attention has been given to several important personality variables (the Big Five, perfectionism, and subclinical psychopathy). Moreover, insufficient use has been made of concrete indicators of naturalistic scholastic cheating. Using a computer-based…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Extension, and Evaluation (5E) learning cycle, conceptual change texts, and traditional instructions on 8th grade students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in plants. Students' understanding of photosynthesis and respiration in…

Questions used in course evaluations should mainly measure the quality of teaching, and students' answers to those questions should not be influenced by other factors. This paper investigates how seemingly neutral rating scales and multiple-choice questions might have an impact on the results of such evaluations. In several studies, it has been…

This study investigated whether second language (L2) proficiency affects pragmatic comprehension, namely the ability to comprehend implied meaning in spoken dialogues, in terms of accuracy and speed of comprehension. Participants included 46 native English speakers at a U.S. university and 160 Japanese students of English in a college in Japan who…

This study was carried out to examine students' responses to the use of on-line assessments that included feedback. First year BSc students taking a Cell Biology module undertook such an assessment and were then asked to evaluate the test by completing an anonymous questionnaire. Answers were analysed in light of the respondents' ethnicity and…