The comparability of examinations in different subjects has been a controversial topic for many years and a number of criticisms have been made of statistical approaches to estimating the "difficulties" of achieving particular grades in different subjects. This paper argues that if comparability is understood in terms of a linking…

Peer assessment has been studied in various situations and actively pursued as a means by which students are given more control over their learning and assessment achievement. This study investigated the reliability of staff and student assessments in two oral presentations with limited feedback for a school-based thesis course in engineering…

This research set out to compare the quality, length and nature of (1) exam responses in combined question and answer booklets, with (2) responses in separate answer booklets in order to inform choices about response format. Combined booklets are thought to support candidates by giving more information on what is expected of them. Anecdotal…

This paper explores gender differential performance in "gifted and talented" 9- and 13-year-olds in a mathematics assessment in England. Boys' and girls' attitudes to mathematics and their views about which gender is better at mathematics are also considered. The study employs the use of a matched sample of boys and girls so that school,…

According to a new study of Milwaukee public schools, student achievement has benefited from voucher-based school competition. A novel method, using geocoding, was proposed for measuring the degree of competition within the city of Milwaukee and, in turn, for determining whether such competition has increased or decreased the achievement of public…

The purpose of this study was to determine the retention rate of students who had received academic scholarships versus students who had not received academic scholarships but met the qualifications to receive the scholarships and the effects of emotional intelligence on these students. The data collection mechanisms for this study included the…

Grade earned and class attendance records were examined to determine if posting PowerPoint notes on a web-based course management system was related to enhanced performance or increased absences. There were no differences in either grades or absences between classes that had notes posted and those that did not. However, results indicated…

Administered year and month versions of the Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Interview (PERI). Found mean values and variances of scale scores consistently larger for the year than for the month time frame for all 14 symptom scales, and the covariance pattern different for four scales. Neither version was consistently better in distinguishing…

Analysis of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised protocols for identified gifted, high IQ, and average children (total N=599 and ages 5-16) identified a four-factor solution for the gifted sample (Perceptual Organization, Verbal Comprehension, Acquisition of Knowledge, and Spatial Memory). Results suggested gifted children process…

This study is a concurrent validation of Level II of the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R) using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ scores as criterion measures. Forty-five subjects were administered the WAIS-R and WRAT-R and their scores correlated. (Author/LMO)

An independent testing laboratory reveals the results of comparative studies done on vinyl flooring and the question of to wax or not to wax'' and which waxes work best with what flooring; and provides six evaluation tips on floor strippers. (EA)

Applied meta-analytic techniques to data derived from a collection of 26 studies relating to sex roles and mental health to find the average magnitude and direction of the correlation. Results indicated that masculine and androgynous subjects were associated with higher levels of mental health than feminine counterparts. (JAC)

In support of the construct validity of the revised scale, a high correlation was observed between the revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (CMAS) and the trait anxiety inventory, whereas there was no significant correlation with the state anxiety inventory. (Author)