Compiles information about technical properties from test reviews and manuals and presents information about the nature of test passages, questions, and comprehension skills. (FL)

Reports on a study designed (1) to modify one of the few existing standardized tests of conservation so that it can be used to assess the conservation of identity as well as the conservation of equivalence and (2) to use both versions of the test to gather additional evidence on the question of developmental priority among young children. (MP)

The author critiques the program design and educational aspects of the Shell Games, a program developed by Apple Computer, Inc., which can be used by the teacher to design objective tests for adaptation to specific assessment needs. (For related articles, see EC 142 959-962.) (Author)

An important relationship is given for two generalizations of coefficient alpha: (1) Rajaratnam, Cronbach, and Gleser's generalizability formula for stratified-parallel tests, and (2) Raju's coefficient beta. (Author/CTM)

A short speech perception test for severely and profoundly deaf children (4 to 19 years old) was developed which incorporates "distinctive feature" elements in a minimal contrast, forced choice, word-picture format. (Author)

The article describes a diagnostic procedure for assessing children's mental images and knowledge of cardinal numbers, 0 through 9. The diagnostic procedure includes the assessment of a child's visual memory, visual perception, symbol recognition, oral naming of numerals, and symbol-set linkage. (Author/SBH)

Some practical guidelines for developing multiple choice tests are offered. Included are three steps: (1) test design; (2) proper construction of test items; and (3) item analysis and evaluation. (JMF)

Examines four factors involved in the determination of how many test items should be constructed or sampled for a set of objectives: (1) the type of decision to be made with results, (2) importance of objectives, (3) number of objectives, and (4) practical constraints. Specific guidelines that teachers and evaluators can use and an illustrative…

K. May and W. A. Nicewander recently concluded (1994) that percentile ranks are inferior or raw scores as indicators of latent ability. It is argued that their conclusions are incorrect, and an error in their derivation is identified. The incorrect equation results in an incorrect conclusion, as work by F. M. Lord (1980) also indicates.…

Dato de Gruijter is correct in the recent conclusion that one equation derived by the present authors should be changed to reflect that it is an approximation, but it is still argued that percentile ranks for difficult tests can have substantially lower reliability and information relative to their number correct scores holds. (SLD)

Differential item functioning (DIF) assessment procedures for items with more than two ordered score categories, referred to as polytomous items, were evaluated. Three descriptive statistics (standardized mean difference and two procedures based on the SIBTEST computer program) and five inferential procedures were used. Conditions under which the…

It has often been asserted that the reliability of a measure places an upper limit on its validity. This article demonstrates in theory that validity can rise when reliability declines, even when validity evidence is a correlation with an acceptable criterion. Whether empirical examples can actually be found is an open question. (SLD)

A simulation study was conducted to evaluate the dependability of the "T" index of unidimensionality developed by W. F. Stout and used in his DIMTEST procedure. DIMTEST was found to provide dependable indications of unidimensionality, to be reasonably robust, and to allow for practical demarcation between one and many dimensions. (SLD)

A quadratic curve test equating method for equating different test forms under a random-groups data collection design is proposed that equates the first three central moments of the test forms. When applied to real test data, the method performs as well as other equating methods. Procedures from implementing the test are described. (SLD)

Created an adaptation of the Digit Symbol subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Digit Symbol Rotation test, and evaluated its "g" loading with 54 adults. Results suggest the Digit Symbol Rotation test has more factorial validity than Digit Symbol, but remains equally easy to administer and score. (SLD)