Whether the internal consistency reliability of a test changes as the quality of the scoring of the test changes was studied with data from reading and mathematics short-answer and extended-response assessments administered in grades 3 to 8 in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. There were about 9,000 students in each grade, with data…

Judgmental standard setting methods, such as the Angoff method (W. Angoff, 1971), use item performance estimates as the basis for determining the minimum passing score (MPS). Therefore the accuracy of these item performance estimates is crucial to the validity of the resulting MPS. Recent researchers (L. Shepard, 1994; J. Impara, 1997) have called…

The standards outlined in this book have been developed to provide criteria for the evaluation of tests, testing practices, and the effects of test use. The "Standards" provides a frame of reference to ensure that relevant issues are addressed. The first part of the book, "Test Construction, Evaluation, and Documentation,"…

The purpose of "Considering Consistency" is to provide conceptual and procedural guidance regarding reliability within the context of a local assessment system. Some of this document's contents echo "Measured Measures." For instance, methods for estimating the reliability of individual assessments, particularly as appropriate for…

Teachers must evaluate, judge, and award grades but all too often they evaluate students merely to submit that time-honored course grade. The use of measurement instruments, their reliability and validity, and the role of instructional objectives are presented in the light of their use in educational evaluation. (DS)

Repeated ratings of therapeutic facilitativeness in each recorded session revealed (a) that while high and low-facilitative therapists generally tended to function at high and low levels, respectively, both groups were variable in their functioning across sessions and particularly within sessions with their patients; and (b) that therapeutic…

The authors of this article contend that the Guinan and Foulds study was inadequately designed and executed, and the results indicate little of the "usefulness" of the test, much less illuminate the important hypothesis central to the investigation. Specific suggestions for further research in marathon group evaluation are made. (Author)

Criticizes the Ring and Novak article in terms of factor identification, conclusion validity, and random nature of fact retention. Indicates that their reported evidence is insufficient to support the conclusions. (CC)

Discusses the assessment scheme used in evaluating student projects in the Scottish Certificate of Sixth Year Studies. Included are the results from two tests of the assessment reliablilty and a description of teachers' views on the acceptability of assessment techniques. (CC)

The purpose of the present report was to evaluate, through a critical review of the relevant literature, the technical characteristics of intellective tests which were in frequent use in Alberta elementary schools. (Author)

An investigation of the ability of Faschingbauer's shorter form to predict standard MMPI scores in a college population obtained results showing close statistical correspondence and high comparability in identifying valid and invalid profiles. (Author/KM)

In this article, the author discusses the application of factor analysis as a technique in the investigation of multidimensional educational problems and presents the results of one such application. (Editor)

The Minnesota Job Requirements Questionnaire (MJRQ) was developed and administered to supervisors of 22 selected jobs who rated the ability requirements of the job they supervised. Comparison of mean ratings and variabilities of ratings by supervisors in a job showed construct validity for the MJRQ approach, as did intercorrelations of MJRQ…

There is more than one reasonable definition of test fairness and these definitions are in conflict; alternate formulations are discussed here. (JB)