The relationship of multiple-choice and free-response items on the College Board's Advanced Placement Computer Science Examination was studied using confirmatory factor analysis. Results with 2 samples of 1,000 high school students suggested that the most parsimonious fit was achieved using a single factor. Implications for construct validity are…

The consistency of several item bias detection methods was studied across different test administrations of the same items using data from a mathematics test given to approximately 6,600 eighth grade students in all. The Mantel Haenszel and item-response-theory-based sum-of-squares methods were the most consistent. (SLD)

The effect of multiple-choice (MC) or open-ended (OE) response format on diagnostic assessment of algebra test performance was investigated with 231 eighth and ninth graders in Tel Aviv (Israel) using bug or rule space analysis. Both analyses indicated closer similarity between parallel OE subsets than between stem-equivalent OE and MC subsets.…

Differential item functioning on 6 forms of the Scholastic Aptitude Test was examined for 181,228 male and 198,668 female students focusing on the points tested, the test format, and subject matter in which items are embedded. Implications of the identifiable differences are discussed. (SLD)

Studied the effects of test consequences, response formats, gender, and ethnicity on the mathematics and science sections of the Michigan High School Proficiency Test. Results for more than 11,000 students show that students taking constructed response and multiple choice formats performed better under high stakes conditions. Discusses gender and…

The guide is intended for teachers who must construct language tests and for other professionals who may need to construct, evaluate, or use the results of language tests. Most examples are drawn from the field of English-as-a-Second-Language instruction in the United Kingdom, but the principles and practices described may be applied to the…

The feasibility of constructing test forms with practically equivalent cut scores using judges' estimates of item difficulty as target "statistical" specifications was investigated. Test forms with equivalent judgmental cut scores (based on judgments of item difficulty) were assembled using items from six operational forms of the…

The Montgomery County (Maryland) public school system has started using assessments other than multiple-choice tests because it is felt that this will provide school staff with better information about the success of the instructional program. One of the ways assessments can provide better information is by having teachers score student papers.…

At grades 8 and 12, the 1992 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading assessment contained a small number of 50-minute blocks in addition to the usual 25-minute blocks. To determine whether to incorporate the 50-minute blocks into the operational scaling, this study sought to determine whether the longer blocks measured a…

The Educational Testing Service is moving rapidly to computerize its tests for admissions to postsecondary education and occupational licensure/certification. Computerized tests offer important advantages, including immediate score reporting, the convenience of testing when the examinee wishes, and for adaptive tests, equal accuracy throughout the…

The instructional validity of computer administered tests was studied with a focus on whether differences in test scores and item behavior are a function of instructional mode (computer versus non-computer). In the first of 3 studies, performance test scores for approximately 400 high school students in 1990-91 for tasks accomplished with the…

The Early Screening Inventory-Revised (ESI-R) is a brief developmental screening instrument that is individually administered to children from 3 to 6 years of age. It is designed to identify children who may need special education services in order to perform successfully in school. The ESI-R is intended to assess the child's ability to acquire…

Problems in the testing of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) are examined, focusing on proficiency testing needs and test standardization. Particular attention is paid to listening and reading assessment. The first part of the discussion looks at specific problems with five existing proficiency tests, including such aspects as inadequacy of the…

Passages used in the Illinois Goal Assessment Program (IGAP) reading test are intact pieces of literature, stories, and essays that match classroom reading assignments and typical student reading experiences. There are 15 testlets, each containing 5 items, associated with each passage. Each testlet requires students to demonstrate various levels…

Rudman and colleagues (1980) deplored the paucity of descriptive information relative to teachers' test use patterns. The present study addresses the abundant prescriptive, and lack of descriptive information concerning teacher testing. A mailed survey procedure gathered testing practice information from elementary and secondary South Dakota…