Sample sentences in grammar books and in tests too frequently deal with cynicism and despair. (DD)

Describes a computer-managed instructional system used to formulate, print, and evaluate true-false questions for testing purposes. The design of the system and its application in medical and nuclear engineering courses in two Spanish institutions of higher learning are detailed. (RAO)

Latent partition analysis is shown to be useful in determining the conceptual homogeneity of an item population. Such item populations are useful for mastery testing. Applications of latent partition analysis in assessing content validity are suggested. (Author/JKS)

This research simulated responses of 75 subjects to 30 items under the Birnbaum model and attempted a fit to the data using the Rasch model. When item discriminations varied from a variance of .05 to .25, there was only a slight increase in lack of fit as the variances increased. (Author/CTM)

Based on a survey of examinations in drama, discusses principles, practices, and issues raised by the findings. (AA)

Comparisons are made between BILOG version 2.2 and LOGIST 5.0 version 2.5 in estimating the item parameters, traits, item characteristic functions, and test characteristic functions for the three-parameter logistic model. Speed and accuracy are reported for a number of 10, 20, and 40-item tests. (Author/GDC)

A Monte Carlo simulation was used to compare the Mahalanobis "D" Squared and the Comrey "Dk" methods of detecting outliers in data sets. Under the conditions investigated, the "D" Squared technique was preferable as an outlier removal statistic. (SLD)

Item response theory equating invariance was examined by simulating vertical equating of two sets of examinee ability data comparing Rasch, three-parameter, and equipercentile equating methods. All three were reasonably invariant, suggesting that multidimensionality is likely to be the cause of lack of invariance found in real data sets. (SLD)

This article organizes models for categorical item response data into three distinct classes. "Difference models" are appropriate for ordered responses, "divide-by-total" models for either ordered or nominal responses, and "left-side added" models for multiple-choice responses with guessing. Details of the taxonomy…

Presented are examples of problem-solving items from practical and written mathematics tests. These tests are part of an English survey designed to assess the mathematics achievement of students aged 11 and 15. (JN)

Classification according to Bloom's taxonomy of 518 tests items from one dental school's predoctoral written examination revealed almost 84 percent to be at the knowledge level and the remainder at the comprehension level, with none at any higher cognitive level (application, analysis, synthesis, or evaluation). (MSE)

Guttman implicational scaling techniques were used to identify a unidimensional set of English as a Second Language reading comprehension items. Data were analyzed from 202 students who sat for an institutional administration of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The examinees who contributed to the scalable set had significantly…

This report provides a description of the item types that have appeared on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) from the first administration of the test in February 1948 through 1994. Also included is information related to the General Background and Writing tests that were administered for some time in an afternoon session, but for which…

The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) was developed to operationalize the Five-Factor Model of Personality. Using correlational analysis and confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, the present study investigates the facet structure of the domain of Agreeableness of the NEO-PI-R at the facet and item level to assess which is a more…

Latent trait models introduced the concept of the latent trait, or ability, as distinct from the test score. There is a recent tendency to treat the test score as through it were a substitute for ability, largely because the test score is a convenient way to place individuals in order. F. Samejima (1969) has shown that, in general, the amount of…