Issues involved in standard setting along with methods for standard setting are reviewed, with specific reference to their relevance for criterion referenced testing. Definitions are given of continuum and state models, and traditional and normative standard setting procedures. Since continuum models are considered more appropriate for criterion…

A complex freestanding optical mark recognition (OMR) scanner is one which is not on-line to an external processor; it has intelligence stemming from an internal processor located within the unit or system. The advantages and disadvantages of a complex OMR can best be assessed after identifying the scanning needs and constraints of the potential…

The pure Rasch model was compared with four modifications of the model in a number of different simulations in order to ascertain the comparative efficiencies of the parameter estimations of these modifications. Because there is always noise in test score data, some individuals may have response patterns that do not fit the model and their…

To help school districts comply with basic skills legislation, the California State Department of Education developed sample writing exercises and scoring guides. The exercises were modeled after Kinneavy's three categories of discourse: expressive--writer oriented; explanatory--subject oriented; and persuasive--audience oriented. The minimum…

The proceedings of a one-day training seminar on the assessment of writing proficiency are presented. The seminar was designed to bring educators up to date on newly developed assessment methods and to help them see the developmental directions of the future. The program was divided into two parts: large-group presentations and small-group…

A new scoring procedure for multiple choice tests attempts to assess partial knowledge and to restrict guessing. It is a variant of Coombs' elimination scoring method, adapted for use with the carbon-shield answer sheets commonly used with answer-until-correct scoring. Examinees are directed to erase the carbon shields of choices they are certain…

With no previous training in data processing, a teacher can set up a computer scoring program for objective test materials that will save many hours of manual work in test correction, scoring, ranking, and item analysis. Teachers, school administrators, and counselors can employ statistical information contained in computer printout sheets to plan…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation in programed instruction between creativity, response mode, and familiarity of the material to the subject. Creativity was defined by scores on the Remote Associations Test. The two response modes were constructing responses and simply reading them. The material, drawn from a long program…

Until data is obtained concerning the regression of job-performance on test-performance, the setting of passing scores on professional licensing and certification examinations will contain some degree of arbitrariness. Data from performance domains suggests that some tests have differential validity and an adverse impact on minority groups,…

The proctorial system of instruction requires the administration of frequent quizzes that measure the student's readiness to proceed to the next unit of instruction. With the support of Project C-BE, a computer program was written which permits students to take quizzes using on-line conversational commands, or to answer the questions at another…

Based on the writings of Donald R. and William M. Hammerman, this inventory is divided into 3 parts. The first attempts to determine how well a teacher understands the term "outdoor education." The second asks the teacher's opinions, impressions, and attitudes toward outdoor education. Part three asks the teacher which objectives of an…

The development of a test to measure Locus of Control (IE) in preschool is described. The test is administered individually to a child, who is preferably alone. The set of 40 questions of which the test is comprised posit the occurrence of some reinforcement, and ask the child what the contingencies for the occurrence of the reinforcement are. The…

This paper presents the development of scoring functions for use in conjunction with standard multiple-choice items. In addition to the usual indication of the correct alternative, the examinee is to indicate his personal probability of the correctness of his response. Both linear and quadratic polynomial scoring functions are examined for…

Because previous reports have suggested that the lowered validity of tests scored with empirical option weights might be explained by a capitalization of the keying procedures on omitting tendencies, a procedure was devised to key options empirically with a "correction-for-guessing" constraint. Use of the new procedure with Graduate…

Factor loadings, used directly or as the basis of binary values, are not appropriate as weights to produce component scores from a rotated solution. A series of examples showing the results of an incorrect measurement of components is given. Several correlation matrices were taken from books on factor analysis and multivariate analysis. Each…