The response of the magazine "U.S. News and World Report" to criticism of its college ranking methodology included changes in the determination of indicators and reporting of data. However, the research still relies on subjective information, and its conclusions, therefore, are questionable. (Author/MSE)

Describes development of Adolescent Drug Abuse Diagnosis (ADAD), a 150-item instrument with a structured interview format, which produces a comprehensive evaluation of the life problem areas pertinent to the needs of adolescent drug abuse clients. A series of validity and reliability tests are described, along with characteristics of the…

Results are reported from a study that investigated the correspondence between two methods used to assess differential item functioning (test item bias). The study also explored the influence of sample size on the two procedures. Although agreement between the two procedures was generally good, the Rasch procedure was more reliable. (IAH)

Describes process used in constructing Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory (SDTLI), instrument designed to measure certain aspects of Chickering's theory of psychosocial development of traditional-age college students. Summarizes reliability and validity studies. Discusses use of SDTLI. (NB)

The taxonomy developed by J. Klecan-Aker et al. to investigate the use of various speech acts in response to questions during a structured picture-description task was evaluated. Results indicated that the taxonomy was sufficient to handle the responses of a group of 12 language-impaired children, aged 7-11. (JDD)

Reviews the use of propositional analysis in library and information science research. Evidence that different analysts produce similar judgments about texts and use the method consistently over time is presented, and it is concluded that propositional analysis is a reliable and valid research method. An example of an analysis is appended. (32…

A study of the usefulness of a comprehensive placement examination for individualizing the experiential course sequence for pharmacy students and providing needed remediation in selected subject areas found that the test could not be supported for preclinical screening but might be useful for identifying students needing remediation. (MSE)

Applied linguistics and psychometrics have influenced language testing, providing additional tools for investigating factors affecting language test performance and assuring measurement reliability. An examination is presented of language testing, including the theoretical issues involved, the methodological advances, language test development,…

The Achievement Anxiety Test's dimensionality was assessed using data from 378 university students. Analyses suggest the viability of a unidimensional construct, whose ability to provide extreme subject groups showing differences on other characteristics of academic achievement was assessed. Such a scale has potential for separating…

Investigated long-term stability of vocational interests in 409 college freshmen tested with Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory as freshmen in 1974, four years later (N=204), and in 1986. Results revealed remarkable degree of interest stability over all three time intervals and individual differences in stability over time. (Author/NB)

Recent establishment of degree programs in quality and reliability at several leading American academic institutions provides evidence that quality is making ivory tower in-roads. One critical difference in the orientations of U.S. and Japanese firms is in the shouldering of responsibility for product/service quality and reliability. (MLW)

The study assessed the efficacy of a method of quantifying observations of blind clients made by orientation and mobility instructors. Client problems were observed for street crossings, bumps, stumbles, orientation, and drop-offs. (DB)

Test-retest reliability of the Q-Sort Inventory of Parenting Behaviors was obtained with a sample of 30 mothers of 3-year-olds. The within-subject correlation, with 2 weeks between test administrations, for sorting the test statements was 0.72. Reliable differences among the respondents were responsible for 35% of the variance. (SLD)

General/special education secondary teachers (N=183) and nonhandicapped and handicapped students (N=437) were surveyed on perceptions of the importance of social skills in relating to others, relating to adults, and relating to oneself. Discussed are the survey instrument's reliability, importance ratings for skills, and levels of agreement…

A taxonomy of 43 rules for writing multiple-choice test items is presented, based on a consensus of 46 textbooks. These guidelines are presented as complete and authoritative, with solid consensus apparent for 33 of the rules. Four rules lack consensus, and 5 rules were cited fewer than 10 times. (SLD)