In a series of exploratory studies to develop instruments for measuring field dependence in young children, 312 Japanese middle class children, ages 5 to 6, served as Ss. (Author)

This article presents a non-mathematical introduction to latent trait test models and some of their features. Latent trait models are compared to classical test models. Two promising applications of latent trait models and available computer programs are discussed. (Author/JKS)

This article explains the Rasch model for sample-free item analysis and test-free person measurement. It shows how to estimate model parameters from data and how to evaluate the statistical fit of these estimates to the data. Attention is paid to practical considerations. (Author/JKS)

This paper summarizes three studies that illustrate how application of the three-parameter logistic test model helped solve three relatively intractable testing problems. The three problems are: designing a multi-purpose test, evaluating an multi-level test, and equating a test on the basis of pretest statistics. (Author/JKS)

The article examines the concept of educational self-direction in teacher education, an educational environment that encourages the use of initiative, thought, and independent judgement in learning, through consideration of relevant theory and research and empirical investigation involving the development of a questionnaire to assess educational…

The Health Waiver Test was developed for students as a means of waiving a senior high school level health education course. This article describes test revision procedures to 1981, test administration in 1981, and results of the first three years of the test. Results are presented. (DF)

Reviews test construction strategies used in the development of many current questionnaire measures of temperament and critiques these measures. Shows the selection of coefficient alpha as sole criterion for inferring unidimensionality to be insufficient, and suggests improvements for construction of temperament measures. (SKC)

Study determines that solutions derived by multiple group analysis and item-total correlation analysis were generally most interpretable from a psychological perspective. It was concluded that their application to test construction is preferred over Procrustean or confirmatory maximum likelihood approaches. (RB)

Reviewed court cases to assess implications of latest professional and legal guidelines for court deliberations regarding the criterion-related validity of tests with adverse impact. Among the findings were the heavy reliance placed on test development procedures and the reluctance of judges to accept recent reseach findings, which are…

Argues that none of the conventional methods for assessing attachment meet all criteria. Describes development of a 100-item sort for assessing secure attachment in toddlers, closely tied to Bowlby's control systems model of attachment. Evaluates the Q-sort in terms of criteria for valid thoery-based assessments that have applicability beyond this…

The author states that by neglecting to give essay tests, teachers not only eliminate the motivation to read and write but also fail to test for a deep understanding of the material. The author presents guidelines for designing essay questions. (CT)

Evaluated hopelessness, depression, and self-esteem among depressed elderly people (N=78) and developed a Geriatric Hopelessness Scale (GHS). As predicted, elderly subjects who scored high on the GHS showed significantly higher depression and lower self-esteem scores. (JAC)

Hypothesizes that children may misunderstand the task required by Piaget's test and that researchers may therefore underestimate the children's cognitive capacities. Tests the hypothesis by dividing 48 children of both sexes into two groups, those taking the standard tests and those taking a test restructured to limit ambiguity. (BE)

Teacher-made tests can be adapted for learning disabled students during the process of test construction (incorporating aspects of directions, individual items, and test design) or during test administration. (CL)

Suggests that when a students' response style is greatly skewed, the occupational scales reflect the pattern of the test construction. Correlating that pattern with students' actual profiles showed the common variance may average 35 percent when a predominance of one response reaches 60 percent. (JAC)