Examined the psychometric properties of a social competence scale for school-age children. Factor analyses identified two moderately correlated competence aspects, Prosocial Orientation and Social Initiative. Scale showed reliability across one year, and concurrent and predictive validity in interrater agreement; also corresponded with observed…

Three studies of college students (n=178, 129, and 96) evaluated the reliability and validity of the Assessment of Attributions for Career Decision-Making instrument. Factor analysis supported a three-factor structure. The instrument demonstrated adequate internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct, criterion, and incremental…

Advanced-level English and chemistry examinations in Britain were graded in several conditions: with or without examinees' names; with male or female names; and with "male" or "female" handwriting. No consistent evidence of gender bias was found in the marking. (SK)

The Delaware Performance Appraisal Process includes indicators that contain subjective terminology and are open to various interpretations, leading to concerns about interrater reliability and professional staff morale. The Lake Forest School District developed a two-pronged approach that retains the three-observation method while eliminating the…

Investigates the relationship between lesbian internalized homophobia and various psychosocial variables in a national sample of 157 women. Discusses development of the Lesbian Internalized Homophobia Scale and provides evidence in support of its reliability and construct validity. Highlights the importance of addressing internalized homophobia…

Studied the reliability and validity of Light's Retention Scale (LRS) (H. Light, 1986), an instrument to evaluate whether a student would benefit from retention, with 93 Canadian students who had repeated an elementary school grade. Findings suggest that the LRS is not a reliable or valid instrument. Selected scale items did not predict…

Pennsylvania adult literacy providers who responded to a survey (35 of 93) were generally satisfied with assessment tools for English as a Second Language. Problem areas included writing assessment for placement; measures of progress in reading, writing, and speaking; and diagnostic tools for grammar, pronunciation, and student interests and…

Responds to an article (1992) in which Cross and Saxe assert that polygraph testing is inaccurate and inappropriate in the area of child sexual abuse. Presents a summary of recent polygraph validity and reliability studies to refute their claims, and discusses current uses of polygraph testing in child sexual abuse cases. (JPS)

Describes a study that sought to test for the factorial validity of the French version of the Beck Depression Inventory separately for nonclinical adolescent French-speaking males and females; cross-validate findings across a second independent sample for each gender; and test for equivalent factorial structure across gender for that population.…

Presents conclusions of an independent measurement expert that the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) was constructed according to acceptable professional standards and tests curricular material considered by the Texas Board of Education important for graduates to have mastered. Also supports the validity and reliability of the TAAS and…

Used data from groups of 376 and 273 algebra teachers to study the reliability of the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (G. Hall and S. Loucks, 1978) and explore changing it to a five-stage questionnaire rather than the seven current stages. Results confirm a lack of reliability but do not support a change to five stages. (SLD)

States that inspection has been an increasingly important feature of central monitoring of education in the 1990s. Examines the technical reliability of inspection processes in initial teacher training drawing extensively on methodology and procedures adopted by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) between 1996 and 1998. (CMK)

Lecturers at a British university participated in two workshops to examine the consistency of assessments of undergraduates' work. Use of both analytical and global quality measures, when clearly understood by the raters, improved assessment practices. Ongoing discussion of evaluation criteria was recommended. (SK)

The Personal Growth Initiative Scale (PGIS) assesses intentionality in personal growth. Three studies were undertaken to (1) investigate the PGI construct; (2) describe the development and factor structure of the PGIS; and (3) test the internal consistency, temporal stability, and convergent and discriminant validity of scores on the PGIS. (EMK)

The stability of peer status of children (ages 9 to 12) with (N=38) and without learning disabilities (LD) was examined through sociometric measures twice in the same school year. Although test-retest reliability was good, children with LD were likely to lose peer status and be seen by peers in less favorable terms at Time 2 than Time 1. (Contains…