This study was undertaken (1) to assess the presence or absence of item bias in the Language Skills Examination (LSE), a 45-item reading comprehension test, for homogeneous groups of institutions within the University System of Georgia; (2) to identify which groups of schools, if any, were being discriminated against by the test items; and (3) to…

This study investigated the effect of a linguistically based coaching program (with special attention given to the syntactic and semantic requirements of standardized language arts achievement tests) on the performance of selected black high school students on objective tests. The five subjects, one male and four female, were high school juniors…

These guidelines deal specifically with the context in which the measurement of interests occurs and the interpretive materials which are made available to test users. They are classified and discussed in three categories: guidelines intended to inform the test user of possible factors influencing a sex-biased response on interest inventories;…

Several criteria for assessing bias in educational tests are presented and discussed. These criteria were developed in accordance with basic notions of fairness, equality, and expanded life options for women. In terms of prescriptions for test developers, the criteria are: (1) tests should be constructed of items which contain either no sex…

Four confusing issues that have delayed progress toward an awareness that testing is not a source of unfairness for minority students are discussed: (1) the assumptions underlying most of our psychometric manipulations are often not acknowledged or understood; (2) the extent of the objectivity of psychometrics is frequently exaggerated; (3) the…

Compared the "hybrid" Test of Understanding in College Economics (TUCE) with the four original TUCE versions and found that the hybrid version is 1) "broader,""thinner," and less technical in terms of content coverage; 2) more reliable with a generally superior item analysis structure; and 3) slightly "easier" for students who have taken economics…

The issue addressed in this paper deals with the extent to which the general use of tests by well-meaning counselors maybe harmful in its implications when applied to student populations who do not fit the mainstream cultural pattern. (Author)

The author reviews the accomplishments of American elementary and secondary education. Among the issues addressed are the government's role in education and the positive and negative aspects of different types of achievement tests. (GC)

Systematic procedures are outlined for testing the assumption made on the dependent variables in a variety of statistical techniques. Specifically, procedures are outlined for testing the assumption that the dependent variables are measuring the same constructs in the same metrics with equivalent reliabilities across all subgroups. (Author/JKS)

The author discusses the difficulties inherent in testing procedures when used for classifying children as handicapped, and procedures which could be used to insure that such tests are applied, evaluated, and interpreted in a nondiscriminatory manner. (MB)

Notes that the children who improved the most on re-test were also those who had the highest general academic standing, suggesting that a general compliance to instruction (rather than practice alone) is an important determinant of performance change on this test. (Author/AM)

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Content bias of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) was investigated with dominant English- and dominant Spanish-speaking Mexican American preschoolers. The identified item bias (mostly against the Spanish language group) is discussed in terms of information overload on memory as influenced by language differences in word length and…

Discusses aspects of psychological testing as a job screening tool. Examines sampling errors, cumulative effect of bad tests, measurement of specific personality traits, test standards, using tests correctly, test validity, cut-off policies, demographic questions, and practical tips for taking such tests. (CT)

This study demonstrated the use of confirmatory factor analysis to investigate the existence of item bias in an affective scale measuring self-concept. Data were collected from three ethnic groups in grade eight. A differential response pattern found across the three groups indicated potential bias in score interpretation. (Author/LMO)