Notes that essay responses allow students to display the broadest range of cognitive skills. Considers ways of improving essay exams and claims that evaluating essay questions necessitates maintaining the author's anonymity, predetermining the method of awarding points, and scoring papers in a random order. (MM)

A comparison of the actual final grade distribution with what the grade distributions would have been had only the true/false components or the short-answer components been used is presented. The responses to a course evaluation survey that asked students to compare the two types of questions are summarized. (MLW)

Defends the use of multiple-choice language tests against Pickering's criticism in a previous issue of this journal. (CHK)

Condensed from "Memo to the Faculty , no. 35 (June 1969), a publication of the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

A 100-item five-choice multiple choice (MC) biology final exam was converted to multiple choice true-false (MTF) form to yield two content-parallel test forms comprised of the two item types. Students found the MTF items easier and preferred MTF over MC; the MTF subtests were more reliable. (Author/GK)

Reviews techniques of evaluation in mathematics and discusses three testing issues and their implications: objective and subjective methods, behavioral objectives in test construction, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced measures. Recommendations on testing practices are also summarized. (HM)

A study of the Types of Preferred Examinations (TOPE) in secondary school science students was done according to school type and gender. Findings show students prefer written, open book, unlimited time examinations which, they perceive, stress understanding rather than rote learning and that teachers, aware of student preferences, continue to use…

Examined is the performance of men and women undergraduate students in mathematics using multiple-choice, relationship analysis, and true/false questions. Sex differences were reported. Implications of this research are suggested. (Author/YP)

Offers an account of three "waves" of writing assessment: objective tests, holistic scoring, and portfolios. Scrutinizes these modes of assessment for how they can serve needs beyond the institutional demands of sorting and selecting students, to discover what they can tell educators about writing, teaching, and courses and programs. (SR)

This publication on common roofing and waterproofing materials and equipment is one of a series of units of instruction for roofing apprenticeship classes. The workbook portion is divided into eight topics: production of bitumens and asphalt roofing materials, built-up materials and adhesives, asphalt products and rigid roofing materials,…

Much of what has developed in the testing of reading harkens back to the days of the "Cult of Efficiency" movement in education that can be largely attributed to Frederick Winslow Taylor. Taylor spent most of his productive years studying time and motion in an attempt to streamline industrial production so that people could work as…

This was a replicative study that was initiated with a journeyman level certification instrument for an international union, when industry monitors were observed suggesting to examinees to "go with your first response." The question arose whether this was a researched-based practice. If not, wouldn't this practice inject constant error…

Traditionally, matching test formats have been avoided in favor of multiple-choice items for several reasons, including item analysis properties and chance performance characteristics. In the light of research on test format and anxiety, this study postulates that, if a matching test could assess knowledge for a given topic as effectively as an…

This item bank was compiled by the Australian Council for Educational research (ACER) to help teachers at the secondary school level construct objective tests in arithmetic and algebra. The multiple-choice items were written by teachers who attended ACER writing workshops. The questions are classified according to their subject content and the…

A study sought to determine the feasibility of the COMP/ACT objective test, a competency battery, as a measure of ability to function effectively in adult roles. (Using stimulus materials from many different courses, such as broadcasts and television documentaries, the test measures six skill areas, including communicating, problem solving, and…