Raw scores on most standardized educational and psychological assessment instruments acquire meaning only when referenced to a set of norms. Test publishers should clearly describe their norming procedures, including the target population and the sample on which the norms are based. The primary purpose of this report is to illustrate some of the…

National data was obtained from 9-year-old, 13-year-old, 17-year-old, and 26 through 35-year-old populations in order to determine academic achievement in nine subject areas. For each age population, group data was calculated and reported by region, sex, color, parents' educational level, and size and type of community. The application of singular…

A strategy for comparing two sets of results (one based upon early childhood recollections (ECR) and another upon video taped (VT) group behavior) from the Perceptual Characteristics Rating Scale was developed. The null distribution of the mean deviation was estimated by randomly matching an ECR response vector with a VT response vector. To…

This report examines and summarizes the needs in mathematics of the Fresno City school system. The study is one in a series of needs assessment reports for PROJECT DESIGN, an ESEA Title III project administered by the Fresno City Unified School District. Theoretical concepts, rather than computational drill, would be emphasized in the proposed…

A two-year investigation into the development of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for the improvement of undergraduate training in statistics was undertaken. The first year was largely devoted to designing PLANIT (Programming LANguage for Interactive Teaching) which reduces, or completely eliminates, the need an author of CAI lessons would…

This set of 11 teacher-prepared Learning Activity Packages (LAPs) in intermediate algebra covers number systems; exponents and radicals; polynomials and factoring; rational expressions; coordinate geometry; relations, functions, and inequalities; quadratic equations and inequalities; Quadratic functions; systems of equations and inequalities;…

A Bayesian prediction strategy is outlined in which antecedent measures are divided into two subgroups. One subgroup is used to discriminate among criterion groups, the second to provide normal linear predictions for each group. Individualized regression constants are subsequently obtained by computing probabilities of group membership from the…

Some stochastic approximation procedures are considered in relation to the problem of choosing a sequence of test questions to accurately estimate a given examinee's standing on a psychological dimension. Illustrations are given evaluating certain procedures in a specific context. (Author/CK)

Selection of items for analogy tests according to the Rasch item probability of "goodness of fit" to the model is compared with three commonly used item selection criteria: item discrimination, item difficulty, and item-ability correlation. Word, picture, symbol and number analogies in multiple choice format were administered to several…

Reviews for three software packages are given. Those packages are: Linear Algebra Computer Companion; Probability and Statistics Demonstrations and Tutorials; and Math Utilities: CURVES, SURFS, AND DIFFS. (PK)

A study of the effect of reading a recent clinical study on pediatricians', pediatric residents', and family practitioners' decisions concerning treatment of a common, potentially serious problem revealed a considerable influence but physician difficulty in using probability data and reliance on intuition rather than calculation. (MSE)

Some specific uses of microcomputers in mathematics instruction are presented. Included are examples for generating data and patterns, checking, practice of various types, developing understanding, comparing results, simulation of experiments, introducing new ideas, solving problems, and extending into new areas. Brief computer programs are given.…

Topics concerning latent trait theory are addressed: (1) dimensionality of latent space, local independence, and item characteristic curves; (2) models--equations, parameter estimation, testing assumptions, and goodness of fit, (3) applications test developments, item bias, tailored testing and equating; and (4) advantages over classical…

The accuracy of estimation of the subjects' latent ability maintained by tailoring for each testee the order of item presentation and the border of item dichotomization was compared to the information provided by the original graded test items. (RC)

Asserts that traditional approaches to multivariate analysis, including standard linear regression techniques, ignore the special character of count data. Explicates three suitable alternatives to standard regression techniques, a simple Poisson regression, a modified Poisson regression, and a negative binomial model. (MJP)