Provides psychometric information on the second edition of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) (A. Beck, R. Steer, and G. Brown, 1996) for internal consistency, factorial validity, and gender differences. Results indicate that the BDI-II is a stronger instrument than its predecessor in terms of factor structure. (SLD)

Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) list equivalency was examined using 24 listeners (ages 60 to 70) with sensorineural hearing impairments. Four speech conditions were tested, including a quiet condition and three noise conditions. Results found that for the three noise conditions, all lists were within 2dB of the means, indicating list equivalency.…

Considers four key decision points in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards' assessment-development process: development of content standards; development of tasks guiding candidates in providing evidence about their teaching; development of scoring rubrics and benchmarks; and determination of the performance standard that…

Examined the validity and reliability of the 1995-96 reading/language arts portfolio assessment developed in the Dallas (Texas) public schools for prekindergarten through second grade. Ratings by 42 teachers show that portfolio contents do not provide a valid sample of student work and the assessment reliability is low. (SLD)

Examines the psychometric properties of Psychological Sense of School Membership-Brief Questionnaire (PSSM-Brief). Middle school students (N=120) completed the PSSM-Brief. Results show high internal consistency and validity. Results were consistent with prior research pertaining to the PSSM. (Author/MKA)

A study involving 120 school-aged children that investigated the concurrent validity of measures of written language found that the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test Written Expression subtest correlates moderately with the Written Expression subtest of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test-Revised and the Spontaneous Writing Quotient of the…

This study examined the validity and reliability of the Pre-school Behaviour Checklist (PBCL) for Turkish nursery school children. Data were obtained from 902 children, 24 to 82 months old, attending state or private nursery schools. Findings suggested that the PBCL has psychometric properties comparable to the British sample and could be used…

Argues that social studies teachers should offer their students the necessary critical-thinking skills to help them navigate the Internet. Presents an overview of six criteria, with accompanying questions, to assist students in determining the reliability and usefulness of information sites and allowing them access to the valuable information…

Examined the validity and reliability of the Professional Development Inventory, an instrument used in assessment centers of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Results support the ease of use and high degree of validity and reliability of the instrument. (SLD)

Examines the reliability, validity, and sensitivity of experimental measures developed to assess three areas of early literacy: phonological awareness, vocabulary development, and fluency in letter naming. Results indicate which measures display adequate psychometric properties for kindergartners not yet reading. Experimental measures were less…

A study investigated the validity and reliability of a new instrument for assessing the wellness lifestyles of Upward Bound students. Subjects were 42 students from five high schools using the program. The study examined 14 variables, including total scores, 10 subscales, and three demographic variables (age, race, gender), and concluded that the…

A study investigated the effectiveness of a phenotypic checklist for identifying 110 males with fragile X syndrome and 79 controls, matched for age, level of cognitive development, and social adaptation. Results indicated that those boys who are likely to be diagnosed as having fragile X syndrome can be identified. (Contains references.)…

Assessed long-term predictive validity of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories: Words and Sentences (CDI:WS) for children's expressive and receptive vocabulary development. Sixty-one New Zealand children were assessed with a New Zealand version of the CDI, and with the Expressive Vocabulary Test and Peabody Picture Vocabulary…

Addresses the issue of the reliability of grammaticality judgment tests and explores what it is that they measure (i.e., their construct validity). Various methods of examining their reliability demonstrate that the grammaticality judgment tests used in this study had relatively low reliability. (Author/VWL)

Describes short-form versions of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) and their development, summarizes newly available normative data and psychometric properties of the instruments, and discusses research and clinical applications. (Author/VWL)