Due to the high stakes that my be attached to placement decisions, it is imperative that the placement process be as solid and defensible as possible. An integral part of the placement process is the identification and use of cut scores, the point(s) on the score scale that classify students into adjacent categories for placement decisions. This…

A statistical comparison of Medical College Admission Test scores with National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Part I scores of one school's students supported simple averaging of subtest scores rather than weighting as a predictor of NBME Part I performance. Similar results were obtained using basic science course examination scores. (MSE)

A structured Delphi procedure was used to secure the informed judgments of three types of adult participants (n=170) on appropriate standards for the North Carolina High School Competency Tests in Reading and Mathematics. The feasibility of the method and the amount of agreement between groups are discussed. (Author/PN)

The development, administration, and scoring of a communicative test and its validation with tests of linguistic and sociolinguistic competence in English and Spanish are reported. Correlation with measures of home language use and school achievement are also presented, and issues of test validation for bilingual programs are discussed. (MSE)

Instructional programs organized according to modern educational technology are discussed within the purposes of criterion-referenced measurements used. The problems of criterion-referenced measurements include scoring and score interpretation, item and test analysis, and mastery testing. An overview of solutions and approaches to the problems and…

Papers from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement examine the theoretical considerations and cognitive processes of written composition, writing curriculum analysis, school writing domain specifications, the interrelationships of writing task specifications, and scoring of compositions. An analysis of writing…

Scores on a multiple-choice language test involving recognition of language errors were related to those on writing samples, scored atomistically for the same language errors and holistically for communicative effectiveness and correctness. Results suggest the need for clear limits in generalizing from one assessment to others. (Author/GK)

Discusses techniques that facilitate student learning, conserve instructor time, provide a rationale for course and materials design, and increase inter-rater reliability. Includes suggestions for providing for student differences, determining what to teach and when, and saving time in grading compositions. (PMJ)

The present study attempted to identify the factor structure of the Children's Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale by factor-analysis of the responses of 388 junior high, 389 high school and 449 elementary school students. (MS)

Describes an approach to teaching that involves the use of open-ended lab investigations and evaluates students using that same approach. Argues for the use of the rubric in evaluating student performance during experimentation. (DDR)

Describes a statewide project in Vermont in which teachers developed a scoring rubric containing criteria that promote a common understanding of what constitutes effective problem solving and the assessment of effective problem solving. (DDR)

Reviews current and developing technology uses that are relevant to language assessment and discusses examples of recent linguistic applications from the laboratory at the Educational Testing Service. The processes of language test development are described and the functions they serve from the perspective of a large testing organization are…

Offers a description of WebQuests, defining it as an activity that primarily uses Internet resources. Explains that WebQuests consist of five parts (Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion). Presents a WebQuest example used with elementary students studying ancient Egypt. Includes a list of Web sites and an example rubric. (CMK)

Ability estimates obtained from applying finite state score theory, item response models, and classical test theory to score multiple-choice items were compared using responses of 1,230 examinees. Scoring models provided essentially the same ranking of examinees, but ease of use and interpretation support the use of the classical test model. (SLD)