An examination of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) subtests and intelligence quotients in a diagnostically heterogeneous sample of patients referred for psychological or neuropsychological evaluation found that reliabilities and standard errors of measurement approximated normative group reports. WAIS-R is a reliable…

It is suggested that error of measurement cannot be routinely incorporated into the "error term" in statistical tests, and that the reliability of test scores does not have the simple relationship to statistical inference that one might expect. (Author/GK)

Student self-selection in deciding to repeat a test was examined by contrasting the test performance of students taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) as juniors and again as seniors with the test performance of students taking the SAT only once as juniors. Results suggest there is self-selection in test repetition. (Author/GK)

The jackknife by groups and modifications of the jackknife by groups are used to estimate standard errors of rotated factor loadings for selected populations in common factor model maximum likelihood factor analysis. Simulations are performed in which t-statistics based upon these jackknife estimates of the standard errors are computed.…

The article discusses fallacious aggregation of educational research data about individuals and/or groups (i.e., one not representing an appropriate real group or real individuals). Examples of four types of research are presented--real groups fallaciously aggregated, fallacious aggregates treated as real groups, real groups treated fallaciously,…

A procedure for estimating the rates of false positive and false negative classification in a mastery testing situation is described. Formulas and tables are described for the computations of the standard errors. (Author/JKS)

Factorial invariance of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) when administered to deaf children who use sign language was studied with 110 children and the WISC-III standardization sample of 2,200 children. Path coefficients, error variances, and factor covariances were not invariant, indicating that test…

This book presents a comprehensive overview of univariate and multivariate generalizability theory, a psychometric model that provides a powerful approach to the analysis of errors of measurement through the use of random-effects and mixed-model analysis of variance. (SLD)

A nonmetric algorithm, pairwise partitioning, is developed to identify feature-based similarity structures. Presents theorems about the validity of the features identified by the algorithm, and reports results of Monte Carlo simulations that estimate the probabilities of identifying valid features for different feature structures and amounts of…

The reliability of a gain is determined by the reliabilities of the components, the correlation between them, and their standard deviations. Reliability is not inherently low, but the components of gains in many investigations make low reliability likely and require caution in the use of gain scores. (SLD)

The critiques by L. Collins and L. Humphreys in this issue illustrate problems with the use of gain scores. Collins' examples show that familiar formulas for the reliability of differences do not reflect the precision of measures of change. Additional examples demonstrate flaws in the conventional approach to reliability. (SLD)

Explores the consequence of failing to incorporate measurement error in the development of cut scores in criterion-referenced measures, using the example of Texas and the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills to illustrate the impact of measurement error on false negative decisions. Findings support those of W. Haney (2000). (SLD)

Offers standard errors of prediction and confidence intervals for Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) that help in deciding whether variation in obtained scores of scale administered to the same person more than once is a result of measurement error or whether it reflects actual change in examinee's functional level. Presented values were…

Measurement of physical activity patterns is discussed in terms of data obtained by attitude assessment, activity questionnaires, personal monitoring devices, and fitness assessment. Problems of each technique are described. Application of activity measures to the estimation of total dietary needs is discussed. (SK)

When performing a classification study, it is often useful to leave a residue of unclassified entities to be analyzed separately. Using an interactional paradigm, theoretical reasoning for this approach is outlined. A procedure--RESIDAN--for conducting a classification analysis using a residue is described, and empirical data are provided. (TJH)