The relationship among writing assessment strategies which may be applicable to competency based testing was examined in a study involving 128 high school students in six English classes in grades 11 and 12. Each student wrote two essays of at least 200 words on topics designed to test expository, or explanatory writing, and completed an objective…

Census data were used to predict average district scores on standardized achievement tests for grades one, two, three, six, and twelve, in 716 California school districts. The following census variables were used: education, income, college, poverty (families); poverty (children); professional occupations; housing; Spanish surnames; and Black.…

The Number Test of the ACER Mathematics Profile Series, contains 30 items, for each of three suggested grade levels: 7-8, 8-9, and 9-10. Raw scores on all tests in the ACER Mathematics Profile Series (Number, Operations, Space and Measurement) are converted to a common scale called MAPS, a major feature of the Series. Based on the Rasch Model,…

The differences in types of information-processing skills developed by different instructional backgrounds affect, negatively or positively, the learning of further advanced instructional materials. If prior and subsequent instructional methods are different, a proactive inhibition effect produces low achievement scores on a post test. This poses…

Twelve common errors which can invalidate an otherwise sound evaluation are identified, and ways to avoid them are presented. The hazards are: (1) grade-equivalent scores; (2) inappropriate statistical adjustments with nonequivalent control groups; (3) administering norm-referenced tests at inappropriate times of the school year; (4) inappropriate…

This manual is designed to help classroom teachers, instructional designers and test developers, construct sound, challenging and sophisticated paper and pencil exercises that simulate the data-gathering and decision process involved in diagnosing and resolving a problem. It is based on the authors' extensive experience in conducting training…

Detailed materials for the assessment of language use in a responsive environment are provided for teachers and teaching assistants. Part A consists of a manual and guide for language assessment. A brief account of the responsive model's approach to language instruction is given. Additional sections introduce and describe the observation and…

The optimal test length, using predictive validity as a criterion, depends on two major conditions: the appropriate item-difficulty rather than the total number of items, and the method used in scoring the test. These conclusions were reached when responses to a 100-item multi-level test of reading comprehension from 136 non-native speakers of…

This is the second of two volumes developed by Project CONNECT in order to enable local program personnel to determine the appropriateness of a test for a particular child. For 71 preschool tests the following information is presented, when available: title, whether the test is for screening or verification, bibliographic information, descriptive…

This study endeavored to determine (1) the reliability with which selected individual tests of language, visual and auditory perception, and auditory-visual perceptual integration can be administered through group testing; (2) the decrease in administration and scoring time by using these instruments in a group manner, and (3) the relationships…

This manual for examiners administering the Primary Test of Economic Understanding (PTEU) describes the purpose, development, and validity of the test which is designed to provide a measure of students' growth and a means to assess the effectiveness of existing materials, teaching strategies, and pre-service and in-service economics education…

This annotated bibliography describes instruments pertaining to smoking attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, and correlates. Information concerns test purpose, intended groups, test subdivisions, administration, scoring, interpretation, and standardization. (MS)

In order to develop tools for use in the selection and vocational-educational guidance of U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen, three empirically-based scales, designed using the Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB), were developed to predict three criteria: (1) disenrollment for academic reasons, (2) disenrollment for motivational reasons, and (3)…

In developing countries, for the most part, traditional methods of selecting students for secondary schools, technical and vocational institutions, teacher training colleges, and universities are unable to ensure that the most capable applicants receive the limited opportunities available. To remedy this situation, the author has assembled and…

Describes design of an item bank for use with lower ability mathematics students in Scottish secondary schools. Aspects of bank usage discussed include raw score translation to measures on validated scales, test design for various purposes, and ways of recording and analyzing results. Test examples with corresponding outputs are given. (Author/MBR)