The broad topic of preparing examinations for college-level courses is addressed in this guide. General suggestions include the following: devise a test that reinforces the objectives established for the course; decide upon the primary purpose of the test before constructing it; make the test as valid and reliable as possible; and standardize the…

The work of the United States Civil Service Commission's Personnel Research and Development Center to develop a basis for the written test portions of the Professional and Administrative Career Examination (PACE) is described. The objective was the identification of a construct-valid set of cognitive ability tests for entry level positions.…

The generalizability and concurrent validity of the FLOAT (Formal Lecture Observation Assessment Inventory) were studied. College instructors were rated, using the FLOAT, by their students and by trained observers who viewed videotapes of the classes. The teachers were also asked to evaluate themselves. A previous study of interrater reliability…

Three tests of daily living skills for retarded adolescents were developed and validated: making purchases, seeking jobs, and using banks. These three tests were adapted from three of the nine sections of the Social and Prevocational Information Battery (SPIB), a test made up mostly of true-false items. Each of the three tests were developed in…

The development of the English as a Second Language Assessment Battery (ESLAB) was based on needs indicated by achievement and placement statistics. The selection of the proficiency skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) was supported by changing views in language assessment and by legislation. Andrew D. Cohen's language model was…

Because individual teachers have ultimate control over the implementation of educational innovations, their feelings toward innovation are of interest to educational researchers. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model was based on research findings about educational dissemination and change. The model describes adoption of innovation as a growth…

The nature and common uses of standardized achievement tests are described and placed in context in order to evaluate claims and criticisms that are commonly made. Tests are described as samples of behavior and hence subject to sampling errors. Much of the debate is dominated by emotion and prejudices. There is very little empirical evidence about…

Two paper and pencil group tests were assessed for their ability to classify subjects as concrete or formal operational. The two group tests, Sheehan's (1970) version of Longeot's three subtests and set of three puzzles, were administered to 607 students from ninth- and tenth-grade science and mathematics classes. A subsample of 69 students was…

The potential reliability and construct and predictive validity of a 30-item Study Skills Questionnaire (SSQUES) was evaluated for its ability to: (1) predict student performance in a self-paced, individualized, or computer-managed instructional environment, and (2) identify students needing some type of study skills remediation. The study was…

THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE INITIAL VALIDATION OF PERFORMANCE TESTS OF TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS--USING PUPIL GAINS AS THE CRITERION OF EFFECTIVENESS--AND THE STEPS TAKEN IN RECOGNITION OF THE PROPRIETY OF SUCH MEASURES ONLY IF ALL TEACHERS ARE TEACHING FOR THE SAME OBJECTIVES. AS A FIRST STEP, IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT A VALID PERFORMANCE TEST OF…

THE NEED FOR A QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM IN A MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAM AND THE METHODS OF ESTABLISHING SUCH A UNIT ARE DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED IN THIS REPORT. THE PURPOSE OF QUALITY CONTROL IS TO INSURE A SATISFACTORY STANDARD OF COMPETENCE AMONG THE STUDENTS WHO GRADUATE, TO MAINTAIN THIS QUALITY BY A CONTINUOUS MONITORING PROCESS, AND TO IMPROVE…

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PILOT PROJECT WAS TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE TESTS TO ASSESS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN TWELFTH GRADE VOCATIONAL PRINTING PROGRAMS. THE OHIO PRINTING ACHIEVEMENT TEST AND A NEW TEST DEVELOPED BY THE PROJECT, THE OHIO PRINTING PERFORMANCE TEST, WERE ADMINISTERED TO A SAMPLE OF STUDENTS WHO WERE NEARING COMPLETION OF THE 4-YEAR…

A FIRST-YEAR EVALUATION WAS MADE OF SEVEN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, SET UP TO PROVIDE REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION IN BASIC EDUCATION AND IN METHODS OF SEEKING AND APPLYING FOR EMPLOYMENT, OFFERED UNDER THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT. PARTICIPANTS RANGED WIDELY IN AGE, (21-76) WITH A GREAT NUMBER IN THE ADVANCED AGE GROUP. THEIR…

The Profile of Real/Ideal Scholastic Motivation (PRISM) self-report instrument is included in the user's manual. PRISM is a set of 30 postulates which measures attitudes in an educational setting (i.e., educational self-theory). The instrument has a closed response format chosen on the grounds of reliability, validity, and reactivity. It is scaled…

A review of the basic information on intelligence testing as a schooling practice is presented, including a discussion of what intelligence is and three psychological approaches to studying intelligence (psychometric, behavioristic, and developmental). All intelligence tests derived from the psychometric approach are standardized and…