Criteria for making decisions about eligibility and instruction assessment procedures are discussed. Key criteria for consideration include accuracy, efficiency, reliability and validity of eligibility criteria and methods. Factors in assessment strategies for instructional decisions include selection of general teaching methods, learning progress…

This study explored whether standard administration and scoring of conventional articulation tests accurately identified 20 children (ages 5-9) as phonologically disordered and whether test data established severity levels and programing needs. Tests correctly identified the phonological disorders but failed to reliably differentiate severity…

Ways to use standard-setting data to adjust cutoff scores on examinations are reviewed. Ten sources of information to be used in determining standards are listed. The decision to modify passing scores should be based on these types of information and consideration of adverse impact or rating process irregularities. (SLD)

Fourteen estimates were made of "g" (general cognitive ability) from the normative sample of a multiple-aptitude test battery with a weighted sample representing 25,409,193 men and women. The methods, which included principal components, unrotated principal factors, and hierarchical factor analysis, are equivalent for this test. (SLD)

The application of a newly developed instrument for the assessment of patient function in rehabilitation is discussed. The 18-item Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was used to rate 187 patients requiring inpatient rehabilitation. Practical uses of the FIM are discussed in view of its satisfactory reliability and validity. (SLD)

Five studies involving medical students over a four-year period were conducted to examine the reliability and validity of the Medical Helping Relationship Inventory (MHRI)--an instrument for evaluating medical communication skills. Evidence of the MHRI's construct validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity is discussed. (SLD)

Development of the Student Product Assessment Form to evaluate formally the products of students in gifted and talented education programs is described. Results from content validation procedures, reliability tests, scoring, and interrater agreement indicate that the assessment tool is both reliable and valid. (Author/JDD)

This study evaluated the Clarke modification of the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress with parents (n=367) of autistic, mentally retarded, learning-disabled, and asymptomatic children. Good internal consistency, split-half reliability, and coefficient of stability were obtained as well as acceptable construct and concurrent validities.…

Describes a study of Chinese undergraduate students at the Hong Kong Polytechnic that was conducted to examine the reliability and predictive validity of a short form of Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles Questionnaire. Correlations between learning style scores and preferences for different types of learning activities are discussed. (16…

Results of a reanalysis of previously published data (B. M. Byrne, 1989) support the correlated uniqueness model, diagnostic tests of the validity of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), multitrait multimethod (MTMM) solutions, inclusion of external validity in MTMM design, and application of factorial invariance to test stability of CFA-MTMM…

Describes a nontraditional technique for identifying gifted African American children. Defining giftedness from an African culture-centered perspective is discussed. The Gifted Children Locator for Parents and a version for teachers are presented as behavioral-observational interview rating scales. Studies with 64 and 284 children support validity…

Because assessment instruments of the future may well be composed of a combination of types of questions, a way to combine those scores effectively is discussed. Two new graphic tools are presented that show that it may not be practical to equalize the reliability of different components. (SLD)

Presents three studies on development of Scientist-Practitioner Inventory (SPI) designed to measure career specialty interests of psychology students. Reports factorial validity of scales, test-retest reliability, freedom from response-set biases, and construct validity; cross-validation evidence of second-order factor structure, internal…

The appropriateness of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) was investigated with 199 youngsters with dual diagnosis of mental retardation and psychiatric disturbance. With some cautions, the ABC is recommended, based on the robustness of its factor structure, clinically meaningfulness of the subscale scores, and internal consistency of the…

The Behavior Evaluation Scale-2 was designed to identify students in grades K-12 with behavior disorders/emotional disturbance. It measures five dimensions: learning problems, interpersonal difficulties, inappropriate behavior, unhappiness/depression, and physical symptoms/fears. This paper describes the instrument's administration, summation of…