The Confidence in Interviewing Scale, developed to test medical students' interviewing confidence by asking for students' estimations of their ability to handle challenging situations, was tested at the University of Washington. Both reliability and validity were found, but comparison with an external observer's ratings is advocated. (MSE)

An experimental program in jury grading of freshman composition at Arkansas State University, abandoned after charges of racial bias and infringement on academic freedom, is described and evaluated based on comparison of jury grades and standardized test scores. The consensus of instructors is that the method was objective and consistent. (MSE)

The fact that the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is susceptible to coaching does not mean it is a poor test. The abilities measured by it are acquired, apart from test-wiseness. Even though some uses of the scores in admissions may be discriminatory, the test itself is fair, uniform, and judiciously administered. (MSE)

A test for measuring attitudes toward animal life (Fireman Test) was developed. The test was determined to be reliable, valid, free from social-response biases, easy to administer and score, and potentially useful in ascertaining whether changes in attitudes have occurred as a result of some planned intervention. (Author/JN)

Elementary school pupils judged their student teachers' performances in the areas of planning, instructional skill, evaluation, and behavior, and in classroom organization and control. Their evaluations were compared with adult observers' ratings. Results indicate that elementary school students can assess performance and discriminate among…

Argues that, in determining if a standardized test task and a classroom performance task are the same, educators should carefully analyze the tasks in terms of the input modality (stimulus) and the output modality (response). (FL)

To study the learning effect on the Group Embedded Figures Test, the relative frequency of success on its 18 tasks must be estimated. This note provides such baseline data, collected by Lusk and Wright and categorized according to Science and Engineering, Business Administration, and Liberal Arts curricula. (Author/CM)

Investigates an objective scoring system in terms of interrater reliabiltiy and test-retest reliability, using drawings from 50 elementary students. Results confirmed the reliability of the scoring system and suggest differences in drawings may be due to a child's mood changes rather than the instability of the instrument. (Author/JAC)

Examined the stability of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities for a sample of 42 English-speaking and 42 Spanish-speaking Mexican-American preschoolers. The subjects were retested after one year. Concluded that the McCarthy is a relatively stable instrument for English-speaking Mexican-American children. (Author)

The adequacy of equipercentile, linear, one-parameter (Rasch), and three-parameter logistic item-response theory procedures for equating 12 forms of five tests of general educational development were compared. Results indicated the equating method adequacy depends on a variety of factors such as test characteristics, equating design, and sample…

Administered the Hopelessness Scale to criminal psychiatric inpatients, general psychiatric inpatients, and college students. Both psychiatric groups endorsed significantly more items in the hopeless direction. Found the scale more reliable with the psychiatric patients. Item analysis of the Hopelessness Scale suggests that three items were not…

Describes the development of an approach to the measurement of the empathic quality of counselor behavior, featuring the division of the empathy construct into components tapping different aspects of empathic behavior, greater specification of the construct, and a focus on the empathic qualities of individual counselor responses. (Author)

Evaluation of the final examination should be part of the course evaluation and should include student perceptions of the exam's nature and the questions' quality. The final examination experience of two groups of undergraduate and graduate students are considered. (MSE)

Presents a new approach to attitude measuring that provides a comprehensive index of favorability and salience, the primary attributes relevant to the study of any attitudinal issue. The new technique effectively separates indifferent research subjects from those who are neutral toward attitudinal issues. Discusses methodological advantages and…

Compared the assessments of 18 judges asked to use an array of information to differentiate learning disabled students. Found judges extremely inaccurate and in little agreement with each other. Different judges emphasized different factors. Results cast doubt on the ability of school personnel to identify learning disabilities accurately.…