The proposed activities of the Office of Research and Evaluation of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District in 1990-91 are outlined. Evaluations and other major projects focus on: (1) externally funded projects; (2) systemwide achievement testing; and (3) systemwide evaluation. Twelve evaluations will assess the impact of programs and…

The development and standardization of the third edition of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) are described. The existence of documented historical trends was a significant factor in the project to revise the WISC-R, which is the most widely used intelligence battery in North America. Development of the third edition…

A mapping procedure is presented for studying the construct validity of interest inventories that assess the six interest types defined by J. L. Holland. The 1989 revision of the American College Testing Program Interest Inventory (UNIACT) was used to assess the interests of 1,078 12th-grade students (497 males and 581 females) and 725 adults aged…

This study investigated the benefits of online research methods over manual methods for novice researchers. It was hypothesized that novice researchers who conduct online searches submit better research projects than those who use manual methods. Undergraduate students in two classes of a journalism course on "Law and Mass…

This report discusses a House of Representatives bill (H.R. 2435) to establish a National Council on Education Standards and Testing. The bill's title and purpose, and the congressional findings behind it are outlined first, followed by a summary of provisions concerning the Council's establishment, duties, reports, membership, director and staff,…

Extending the earlier work of B. M. Byrne and P. Baron (1990), the factorial invariance of the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was tested using 351 non-clinical adolescent males and 334 non-clinical adolescent females. All subjects were in grades 9 through 12 and attended the same secondary school in a large metropolitan area in central…

A study was conducted to determine the extent to which psychometric testing (the measurement of various aspects of human behavior, such as ability, personality, or interests, using psychological tests) is used in the recruitment practices of small businesses. The project also developed a course consisting of five modular units covering the process…

A simple curriculum is provided that is designed to allow any school to prepare its students for the Enhanced American College Testing Program Tests (Enhanced ACT). Components of this manual include: (1) introduce the test structure; (2) give the strategy lectures; (3) provide as much structured practice as possible; (4) administer a mock test…

The Chicago (Illinois) School Reform Act of 1988 (Public Act 85-1418) established the performance of students on a nationally normed, standardized test as a key measure of success. In the Chicago Public Schools, the tests used are the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) in the elementary grades and the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP) in…

This book approaches the theory and practice of assessment with an overview of the condition of American higher education, addressing its scope, objectives, and diversity. From that base, the book explores the challenges which society poses to campuses in terms of justification of expenditures and demonstration of tangible outcomes. It discusses…

Competency testing often refers to a system devised to assure successful performance on a specific test, in addition to other mandated criteria as a requisite to obtaining a high school diploma. Minimum competency testing is usually defined in one of two ways: as the acquisition of basic skills or as the demonstrated ability to apply basic skills…

Intended to help teachers, curriculum directors, school administrators, and school board members follow through on their commitment to teach students how to become better writers, the techniques and resources described in this booklet are arranged into seven chapters. The first chapter examines whether the "writing crisis" is fact or…

Sacramento City College's Assessment Center was created in response to growing numbers of students arriving at the college without basic verbal skills and a lack of uniform testing standards. Since its creation, the Center has undertaken research studies to provide objective evidence as to the nature of the student population to be served by the…

Many tests which attempt to produce intelligence quotient or mental age scores for children rely on time taken to complete the task for a valid result to be obtained. A number of tests were carried out with both Down's Syndrome and normal children (128 Down's Syndrome; 162 normal) in order to determine (1) relative abilities to complete the tasks…

In response to the 1978 amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, many states have developed curriculum and assessment procedures for listening skills. A review of several states' listening objectives, however, indicates a lack of any universally accepted definition of listening. One model of communication that divides a person's…