The convention for selecting starting points (that is, initial items) on a computerized adaptive test (CAT) is to choose as starting points items of medium difficulty for all examinees. Selecting a starting point based on prior information about an individual's ability was first suggested many years ago, but has been believed unimportant provided…

A study was conducted to develop a theoretically and statistically sound measure of neighborhood affiliation for use with low-income urban youth. The aim was to develop a measure that can be used in future studies to predict community violence exposure among adolescents from inner-city neighborhoods. Participants were 167 adolescents from a public…

This book explains writing effective multiple-choice test items and studying responses to items to evaluate and improve them, two topics that are very important in the development of many cognitive tests. The chapters are: (1) "Providing a Context for Multiple-Choice Testing"; (2) "Constructed-Response and Multiple-Choice Item Formats"; (3)…

This handbook explains how to do Rasch measurement. The emphasis is on practice, but theoretical explanations are also provided. The Forward contains an introduction to the topic of Rasch measurement. Chapters 2, 4, 5, and 7 use a small problem to illustrate the application of Rasch measurement in detail, and methodological issues are considered…

This study investigated the practice of weighting a type of test item, such as constructed response, more than other types of items, such as selected response, to compute student scores for a mixed-item type of test. The study used data from statewide writing field tests in grades 3, 5, and 8 and considered two contexts, that in which a single…

In this paper we provide a rationale and approach for articulating a conceptual framework and corresponding development resources to guide the design of science inquiry assessments. Important here is attention to how and why research on cognition and learning, advances in technological capability, and development of sophisticated methods and…

The purpose of this technical manual is to document the technical aspects of the 2002-2003 Maine Educational Assessment (MEA). In the fall of 2002, students in grades 4, 8, and 11 participated in the administration of the MEA in writing, reading, and health education. In the spring of 2003, students in grades 4, 8, and 11 were administered tests…

The rationale of an occupational-based competency examination and the testing of several designs at Wayne State University are described. The purpose of such a testing program would be to earn college/university credit and/or teacher certification. (DS)

Report discusses the construction of criterion- referenced tests and comments on future work with criterion-referenced tests. (Editor)

Tests developed for the evaluation of Control Technology, a basic engineering course of study in Great Britain, prove useful for the formative evaluation, but reflect the difficulty of assessing ability to solve technological problems. (Author/KM)

Evaluation procedures meeting the criterion of "facilitating student learning" are discussed. Qualitative reporting with written comments to students is advocated. Other suggestions include giving a quiz during the first week of the course, allowing for retesting, and use of an occasional oral test. Some suggestions for grading are given. (LS)

The Index is the result of an effort made to examine all components of vocational commitment and to translate this information into an instrument which could be used to assess the relationship of an individual to a vocation.. The predictive ability of the 74-item device requires further research. (Author/AG)

Several measures of effectance motivation were constructed; their validity was assessed by administering them to groups of subjects whose effectance motivation was assumed to differ: normal, noninstitutionalized retarded, and institutionalized children matched on mental age. (CS)