Describes four measures of test unreliability that quantify effects of question selection and guessing, both separately and together--three chosen for immediacy and one for greater mathematical elegance. Quantifies their dependence on test length and number of answer options per question. Concludes that many multiple choice tests are unreliable…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether multiple-tact training and receptive-discrimination training could be used to teach thematically related vocal intraverbals to typically developing preschool children. Multiple-tact training involved teaching a child to name both the item and the category to which the item belonged.…

This article describes pedagogic issues in setting objective tests in mechanics using Question Mark Perception, coupled with MathML mathematics mark-up and the Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) syntax for producing diagrams. The content of the questions (for a range of question types such as multi-choice, numerical input and variants such as…

In studies of function transformation, participants initially are taught to match stimuli in the presence of a contextual cue, X; the stimuli to be matched bear some formal relation to each other, for example, a relation of opposition or difference. In a second phase, the participants are taught to match arbitrary stimuli (say, A and B) in the…

Effects of blind guessing on the success of passing true-false and multiple-choice tests are investigated under a stochastic binomial model. Critical values of guessing are thresholds which signify when the effect of guessing is negligible. By checking a table of critical values assembled in this paper, one can make a decision with 95% confidence…

Many textbooks in educational measurement and classroom assessment have chapters devoted to specific item formats. There may be attempts to relate one item format to another, but the chapters and item formats are largely seem as distinct entities with only loose and uncertain connections. This paper synthesizes these discussions. An item format…

Following a discussion of the pros and cons of multiple choice tests, concludes that they are a valid means of determining literary knowledge. (RB)

Indices were constructed to measure individual differences in the effects of the automated testing format and repeated testing on Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) responses. Two types of instability measures were studied within a data set from the responses of 150 undergraduate students who took a computer-administered and…

Do choice-type tests (multiple-choice, true-false, etc.) measure the same abilities or traits as free response (essay, recall, completion, etc.) tests? A large number of studies conducted with several different methodologies and spanning a long period of time have addressed this question. In this review, attention will be focused almost…

Fifty profiles of published tests of writing proficiency are compiled alphabetically with a thorough guide to indirect assessment of writing skill. The profiles are designed to facilitate a general screening of available test options. The elements included in each profile are as follows: test name, publication date, publisher, administration time,…

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 evaluation materials presented may be used by instructors of nursing assistants as assignment sheets or as unit tests, whichever is deemed most advantageous for the students. The test items are presented in divisions which correspond to the 11 units of the related curriculum guide: orientation; human behavior; medical communication skills;…

This objective test for grades 4, 5, and 6 attempts to measure one facet of literature appreciation--interpretive response to imaginative prose and poetry--by asking students to react to a variety of short selections from children's literature. While some questions are designed to test comprehension of meaning, a large number are concerned with…

Certificates are awarded to adult candidates who satisfy the examiners that their standard of ability in everyday English is adequate for them to express themselves in writing and to take an active part in conversations about everyday topics. The examination, which makes use of the techniques of objective testing, is set by a central Examining…

Results of research conducted to ascertain the effect on test grades of changing answer choices are presented. The main questions that were examined were: (1) Does the changing of responses to test items (presumably based upon item reconsideration) result in better test scores?; (2) Is the amount of changes related to the score a person receives…