Presents modifications of the Pleasant and Unpleasant Events Schedules for use with an elderly population. Constructed two revised schedules by selecting only items that met endorsement criteria with an elderly sample. Both possessed excellent internal consistency and correlated well to the original schedules. (Author)

The test-item bias literature is summarized, emphasizing the conceptual basis for bias detection methods and the technical issues involved in choosing among methods. It describes both judgmental and statistical methods for identifying biased items, and discusses the reconciliation of these two types of evidence. (Author/BW)

In many personality and interest inventories, a score profile, rather than a single score, is attributed to each subject. Six applicable criteria are suggested for use in examining the adequacy of items in such inventories. These criteria relate to the items' response distributions, internal consistency, and discriminative value. (Author/BW)

Presents a table of discriminatory values for selecting test items based on mean differences in responses between upper and lower scorers in an normally distributed population. Provides a means for classifying items as poor, fair, or good. Describes a simple method for rank ordering accepted items. (Author/MJL)

This paper discusses how full model dummy variables can be used with partial correlation or multiple regression procedures to compute matrices of pooled within-group correlations. (Author/CTM)

Presents two exam questions dealing with: (1) Huckel orbitals and energies of cyclic phosphonitrillic halides; and (2) pressure and the exploding beverage container. (CS)

The influence of test format on retention of research concepts and procedures on a final examination was investigated. The test formats studied were multiple choice and short answer. (Author/JKS)

Concludes that inferential reading test questions are as likely to be passage dependent as factual test questions. (MKM)

Lists five objectives in creating an item bank for language proficiency test items and describes the design of an item bank card. Briefly discusses item analysis and population distribution in this system and points out the numerous advantages of the system and conditions for its success. (PMJ)

The rationale for use of instructional sensitivity in the empirical review of test items is examined, and the results of a study that distinguishes instructional sensitivity from other item concepts are presented. Research is reviewed which indicates the existence of instructional sensitivity as a unique criterion-referenced test item concept. (RL)

Discusses a study to evaluate how test design influences student performance in elementary psychology courses. Findings indicated that the order in which test items appeared on an exam was less significant with regard to student performance than the extent to which test items were well-written and contained some measure of content validity.…

Wilcox has described three probability models which characterize a single test item in terms of a population of examinees (ED 156 718). This note indicates indicates that similar models can be derived which characterize a single examinee in terms of an item domain. A numerical illustration is given. (Author/JKS)

A hypothesis testing and estimation procedure, Crossing SIBTEST, is presented for detecting crossing differential item functioning (DIF), which exists when the difference in probabilities of a correct answer for two examinee groups changes signs as ability level is varied. The procedure estimates the matching subtest score at which crossing…

Defines and demonstrates a framework for studying differential item functioning and differential test functioning for tests that are intended to be multidimensional. The procedure, which is illustrated with simulated data, is an extension of the unidimensional differential functioning of items and tests approach (N. Raju, W. van der Linden, and P.…

E. Roskam's (1985) conjecture that steeper item characteristic curve (ICC) "a" parameters (slopes) (and higher item total correlations in classical test theory) would be found with more concretely worded test items was tested with results from 925 young adults on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (H. Eysenck and S. Eysenck, 1975).…