The effects of racism and sexism can be seen in the various elements of research methods including the selection of topics, design, sampling, measurement, and the generation of conclusions. In selecting topics, potential sources of bias such as funding sources and publishing patterns are covered. How knowledge of appropriate literature, selection…

This brief paper provides an outline for a discussion about the legality of Florida's functional literacy testing program. It defines relevant terms, explains relevant laws, and sets forth the legal basis for the suit and the remedies sought. The discussion is intended to provide a legal and historical framework within which the developments in…

The Soviet position on vocabulary and the relationships among intelligence, language, and culture holds that thoughts and words have different developmental roots and that there are more differences than likenesses between them. In this United States study, 105 students grouped by their having parents in three different employment categories were…

This paper provides a general perspective for evaluating interest inventories and simulations and outlines some activities to stimulate the development of more useful inventories. Previous evaluations have been primarily instrument-specific; have relied generally on opinion rather than evidence; and have focused only on possible sex, age, race, or…

Comparisons of majority and minority group regression lines for purposes of assessing test bias may, under certain conditions, be viewed as comparisons of conditional bivariate distributions. Where these conditions hold, findings should reveal parallel regression lines except for a special case. Given the conditions described, one implication is…

The problem of test bias has been a growing concern in recent years. Of the several available methods for determining test bias, probably the most effective means involves collecting criterion information. This data collection process often provides a considerable barrier to the researcher, especially for the small test user and for someone who…

Models proposed by Cleary, Thorndike, Cole, Einhorn and Bass, and Darlington for analyzing bias in the use of tests in a selection strategy are surveyed. Six additional models for test bias are also introduced. The purpose is to describe, compare, contrast, and evaluate these models while, at the same time, extracting such useful ideas as may be…

Examines the possible effects of cultural and epistemological factors, such as mythicomagical and empiricoscientific thought, on conservation task performance. (BD)

The definition of test bias--the inventory of the ways in which the term is used--has many widely disparate aspects frequently stemming from entirely different universes of discourse. This article attempts a review of the status of each of these. (Author)

Urry's procedure for approximating latent trait test models is shown to tend to underestimate item discriminatory power and overestimate item difficulty. A method for correcting these biases is provided, and implications of the procedures are discussed. (Author/JKS)

Available from: National Center for Law and the Handicapped, Inc., 1235 North Eddy Street, South Bend, Indiana 46617. Reviewed are the legal and social arguments involved in Mattie T. v. Holladay, a suit in which lawyers for 26 handicapped Mississippi children claim the plaintiffs have been denied educational services. (CL)

Issues related to validity and bias in psychological tests in general and specifically to the Stanford Achievement Test--Special Edition for Hearing Impaired Students (SAT-HI) are discussed. Questions regarding content validity and the lack of criterion-related data on the SAT-HI are raised. (Author/DB)

Summarizes the findings of a symposium on identifying and developing programs for gifted minority children. The school is the major agency for preparing the gifted minority for productive citizenship, and the key element is the teacher's ability to recognize and support the student's potential. (KH)

Investigated the criterion-related validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), predicting reading comprehension, arithmetic, and general achievement, for large samples of blacks and whites tested during the standardization of the battery. The Sequential and Mental Processing Composite scales tended to overpredict black…

Updates previous literature reviews by reporting recent findings about the Wechsler Intelligence scales and other performance tests with American Indians. Discusses test bias and the unwitting role of clinical psychologists in preserving the American Indian status quo through testing. Suggests ways to increase awareness of responsible and ethical…