A new type of multiple-choice test was developed and used in the teaching and assessment of knowledge of medical biology at a university in Hungary. The test includes experimental data and requires students to interpret data and to draw conclusions from results. A description of the test, experiences with the test, and one test are included. (RH)

The mnemonic keyword study of Johnson, Adams, and Bruning (1985) on effectiveness of the keyword method for second-language vocabulary acquisition is critiqued. Of particular concern are literature currency vis-a-vis the authors' stated rationale for conducting the study, and methodological issues associated with the study's implementation.…

Interactive effects of item difficulty, test anxiety, and failure feedback are examined in a study using multiple choice verbal aptitude items. Results indicate that ability estimates can be affected by the examinee's improved performance, especially for students given an easy test. (Author/DWH)

A latent class model for handling the items in Birenbaum and Tatsuoka's study is described. A method to derive the optimal scoring rule when multiple choice test items are used is illustrated. Remedial training begins after a determination is made as to which of several erroneous algorithms is being used. (Author/DWH)

Compares multiple choice testing with free response formats in terms of the cognitive operations each type demands. (HOD)

Three types of test were compared: a completion test, a matching test, and a multiple-choice test. The completion test was more reliable than the matching test, and the matching test was more reliable than the multiple-choice test. (Author/BW)

The relation between incorrect option choice and estimated ability level was examined for two widely used aptitude tests, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, and the Graduate Record Examination. Incorrect option choice was found to be related to estimated ability for many items. Implications of these findings are briefly discussed. (Author)

In an experiment with 14-year-old biology students, the presence of pictures enhanced pupils' scoring chances on a criterion-referenced, multiple choice recognition test. However, the pictures had little effect upon pupils' ability to comprehend the topic as measured by a cloze test. (GC)

This paper first provides a summary and overview of what is already known and what is needed to learn about item types for future assessments by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). In essence, the question addressed is whether constructed response items provide more information about what students are capable of doing than that…

One challenge associated with computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is the maintenance of test and item security while allowing for daily testing. An alternative to continually creating new pools containing an independent set of items would be to consider each CAT pool as a sample of items from a larger collection (referred to as a VAT) rather than…

Two new methods for improving the measurement precision of a general test factor are proposed and evaluated. One new method provides a multidimensional item response theory estimate obtained from conventional administrations of multiple-choice test items that span general and nuisance dimensions. The other method chooses items adaptively to…

North Carolina began implementing End of Course (EOC) tests in 1985-86, In 1998-99, student achievement for high school students was measured through results on the 10 required multiple choice EOC tests, the state's writing assessment, and the percentage of students who completed college preparatory courses of study. This report contains the…

Part of a special issue, "Materialien zur Rechtschreinbung und ihrer Reform" (Materials on Orthography and Its Reform). (DD)

Educator and examiner play similar roles in the education process. Biology examinations in England have undergone changes in recent years. Trends seem toward acceptance of internal assessments, de-emphasizing external practical examinations and replacing essay type examinations with multiple choice tests. (PS)

Two problems are investigated: (1) the fact that statistics from pretests sometimes vary widely from those for the actual test; (2) whether or not a correction factor should be applied for guessing. (DF)