From some simple and schematic assumptions about information processing, a stochastic differential equation is derived for the motion of a student through a computer-assisted elementary mathematics curriculum. The mathematics strands curriculum of the Institute for Mathematical Studies in the Social Sciences is used to test: (1) the theory and (2)…

A number of criticisms have been made of currently available standardized pre-reading test materials in terms of their appropriateness for administration to urban children, their standardization, their content, and their required testing procedures. This new pre-reading skills battery has been designed as an urban oriented testing instrument to…

Research procedures used in the development and validation of R/EAL (Reading/Everyday Activities in Life), a new test to overcome problems in assessing functional literacy among adolescents and adults, are described. Specific objectives of the study were to: (1) provide information about the design and development of R/EAL, including determination…

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the American College Test (ACT) in predicting academic achievement of students from an area which is culturally, economically, and educationally depressed. The population, chosen from 6 community colleges serving the Appalachian region of Kentucky, consisted of 1,127 full time (12 or more…

This investigation was designed to identify scales indicative of the development of problem-solving behavior in young children, and to discover whether children of different backgrounds exhibit similarities in the order of development and levels of achievement of problem-solving behaviors. Items from twenty-two tests were selected for use.…

Differential prediction of grade point average for black and white freshman students was empirically investigated at 13 integrated institutions by comparison of regression planes. Particular attention was given to the possibility that prediction procedures that are appropriate for white (majority) students would under-predict the performance of…

Performance tests are considered significant instruments in facilitating the accurate assessment of an individual's overall competency. The importance of measuring performance and the advantages of using performance tests are discussed. Developing the test involves identifying the objectives to be measured, the task to be performed, and the time…

The development of a Student Rating Form to be used by faculty in systematically describing college students is outlined in this first of a series of reports concerned with faculty characterizations of students. The treatment is primarily historical, providing a basis for subsequent technical reports of analyses of faculty definitions of desirable…

The purpose of this study was to attempt to identify those factors that influence a high school student's success on the Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations by examining and comparing the variables contained in the high school records of former AP participants. A total of 248 high school students participated in the research. The criterion for…

The purpose of this study was to construct an instrument to be used in the collection and evaluation of data upon which to base decisions regarding the scope and character of vocational programs in individual high schools. Following a review of pertinent literature, a list of categories of information needed was drafted and organized under four…

This paper is concerned with the accusations made by such groups as the Association of Black Psychologists in their call for a moratorium on testing, that standardized tests are biased. A biased test measures one trait in one group of people but a different trait in a second group. Evidence about the amount of bias in tests is thin. Bias must be…

This manual contains instructions which formed the basis for the training of observers to collect data on the Personal Record of School Experience (PROSE) form for a 1969-1970 longitudinal study of disadvantaged children. (CK)

The "Griggs vs. Duke Power" decision of the Supreme Court specifies that job relatedness is the only lawful reason for using tests for the purpose of selection when their use results in the disproportionate exclusion of minority group members. One of the main implications of the "Griggs" decision for the test producer and user…

An experimental examination was conducted using a multiple-choice test for the purpose of constructing an examination in mathematics. Some 1,125 secondary school students from various school districts were chosen as candidates. The test consisted of twenty mathematical situations requiring five true or false answers for each test item. No time…

In addition to a review of the Differential Aptitude Tests (DAT), a number of other aptitude tests are examined. They are: (1) Flanagan Aptitude Classification Tests, (2) Holzinger-Crowder Uni-Factor Tests, (3) Employee Aptitude Survey, (4) Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test, (5) Minnesota Clerical Test, and (6) Turse Clerical Aptitudes Test.…