Investigation into the most effective use of a kindergarten screening battery to predict second-grade reading and mathematics achievement found that a combination of 10 readiness subtests resulted in the same degree of accuracy as that obtained using the entire battery. However, neither version was accurate enough to be useful. (Author/CB)

Issues concerning equating test scores are discussed in an introduction, four papers, and two commentaries. Equating methods research, sampling errors, linear equating, population differences, sources of equating errors, and a circular equating paradigm are considered. (SLD)

A methodology for developing clinical/research assessment tools, training interviewers, and continuously assessing interrater reliability is discussed. Data from a multisite national evaluation of long-term health care programs (i.e., the Social/Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) for elderly clients) are used. Focus is on providing research…

Rating scales that were potentially useful for evaluating clinical performance were identified and were pretested for content and construct validity as well as interrater reliability. The range of interrater reliabilities was determined, and the construct and predictive validity of the rating using three classes of dental students was tested. (MLW)

Investigated internal consistency and split-half reliability of Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) based on data provided by 3,478 teachers. Data indicated for both the strength and frequency dimensions that the TSI was highly reliable in terms of both its regular and short-form length, and that the two short forms were highly correlated with each…

Describes development of Sexual Experiences Questionnaire to assess sexual harassment. Reports on results of psychometric analyses, application of inventory to two large public universities, and development of second form of the inventory designed for working women. Discusses results for large sample of academic, professional and semiprofessional,…

Author-supplied item labels for two common speech discrimination tests were compared with those given spontaneously by 40 children (median age 5:5). Agreement between subjects' and authors' labels was 76.3 percent on the Word Intelligibility by Picture Identification test and 75 percent on the Northwestern University Children's Perception of…

Investigation of non-native English speakers' ratings of other non-native English learners' oral proficiency. Results indicate that the judges' ratings significantly differed, and the average of three judges' ratings was a better appraisal of the testee's true ability than that of any single rating or pair of ratings. (Author/CB)

Special education, basic, and honors ninth-grade students (n=60) rated the severity of stress for each of the life events on the Source of Stress Inventory (Chandler, 1981). There was a significant positive relationship between the Chandler rankings (teachers and mental health workers) and the student rankings. (Author/NB)

Test Pac, a test scoring and analysis computer program for moderate-sized sample designs using dichotomous response items, performs comprehensive item analyses and multiple reliability estimates. It also performs single-facet generalizability analysis of variance, single-parameter item response theory analyses, test score reporting, and computer…

Examined Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status for reliability and validity among 467 secondary school students. Results were supportive of appropriateness of all measures for the subjects. Analysis of reliability, validity, demographic characteristics, and psychosocial maturity yielded results which parallel theoretical framework and…

Investigated reliability and dimensionality of Bales's Interpersonal Rating Forms (IRF) using volunteer subjects (N=266) enrolled in undergraduate communications course. Results documented shortcomings of IRF as a measuring instrument finding the subscales neither reliable nor dimensionally structured; only 2 of 18 items in each subscale are…

The characteristics of three threshold loss agreement indices which reflect the agreement or consistency in assignment to mastery-nonmastery status are reviewed. These are proportion of agreement, coefficient kappa, and modified kappa. (Author/MT)

Evaluates one of the first operational computerized-adaptive English-as-a-second-language tests in the United States, showing an overwhelmingly positive student reaction to the tests and higher effectiveness than conventional paper-and-pencil tests. (Author/CB)

Summarizes reliability and validity studies reported about the Student Developmental Task Inventory, second edition (SDTI-2), an objective assessment instrument based on Chickering's theory of psychosocial development described in Education and Identity. Outlines other findings related to differences in psychosocial development. (Author/ABB)