Intelligence in everyday life requires a broader range of abilities than those measured by conventional tests of academic achievement. Creative and practical skills can be more important than analytic skills. The Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test, which measures all three abilities, helps teachers obtain more complete picture of child's…

A review of qualitative methods used in a predominantly quantitative evaluation indicates a variety of roles for such a mixing of methods, including framing and revising research questions, assessing the validity of measures and adaptations to program implementation, and gauging the degree of uncertainty and generalizability of conclusions.…

Reports the results of studies examining the test-retest reliability of the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT). Administered the test to 438 juvenile offenders. Results indicate that females have more potential problems as identified by the POSIT. The test appears effective in identifying potential problems of evaluated…

Reports a qualitative study of the incidence of Holland codes in three generations of one family over a 10-year time span. Results show that the stability of codes was high whether or not the codes were consistent. Compatibility indexes between family members and significant others were wide ranging. (RJM)

Investigated the reliability- and criterion-related validity of 11 curriculum-based measures of early academic skills. Analysis of 30 first-grade students suggest that some measures displayed better reliability and validity than others. Discusses the measures' practical utility in light of their technical characteristics and the need for further…

The factor structure of the Charles F. Kettering Climate Scale, a measure of educational environment, was studied with 351 junior high school students on 2 school campuses. Primary and secondary factor structures are reported, as are the Cronbach alpha reliability measures for scores on the second-order structures. (SLD)

The development and validation of an instrument to assess goal orientation for the work domain are reported. Results of exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and nomological network analysis of results from 556 undergraduates all support the conclusion that the instrument operationalizes the theorized…

Presents strategies for the culturally competent use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) when working with Chicanos (people of Mexican descent living in the United States). The strategies focus on administration and interpretation. Also presents a case study in which both the English- and Spanish-language MMPI-2 were…

Evidence is presented for the reliability and validity of the Talent Identification Instrument, an observation process in music and dance in which multiple judges rate students throughout a multisession audition. Strong agreement among raters and adequate stability estimates were found. Factor analysis and construct validity procedures provided…

A study of 83 people working in the field of autism evaluated the psychometric properties of the Autism Survey, an instrument to assess respondents' knowledge about autism. The survey was found to measure one factor, to be stable across time, and to have an internally consistent total score. (Author/CR)

An interjudge reliability test was conducted to evaluate questionnaires used in the surveillance of residential care institutions in Israel. Results from 32 institutions (evaluated by two surveyor teams--one social worker and 1 nurse per team) and the variance in reliability were used to improve the questionnaires and their administration. (SLD)

The Problem-Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) screens for multiple problems among adolescents at risk for substance use. A shortened version of the POSIT was developed, using factor analysis, and correlational and reliability analyses. The POSIT-SF shows potential for a reliable and cost-efficient screen for youth with substance…

Examines religious practices of Hindus in the United States and develops measures of their religious pathways. Four religious pathways were identified: devotion, ethical action, knowledge, and physical restraint/yoga. Results indicate that the measures of the religious pathways possessed adequate psychometric properties and were predictive of…

Describes a survey of science faculty and researchers at the University of Michigan that investigated their information needs as well as resource use and preferences in diverse research contexts. Discusses speed, convenience, familiarity, currency, authoritativeness, reliable availability, and barriers in information-seeking. (Author/LRW)

Discusses the concepts of accountability and quality assessment in higher education. Topics include performance indicators in academic libraries, including international standards; factors affecting the reliability and validity of data, including consistency, ease versus utility, and values; and recommendations for research libraries. (LRW)