Reports on the work of the International Language Testing Association's (ILTA) Task Force on Testing Standards, which has compiled 109 bibliographic records from 24 countries on existing standards documents and solicits feedback for the development of an ILTA code of practice. (MDM)

Reports on two studies that indicate Role Category Questionnaire-based indicators do not reflect differences in construct system development. Shows that respondents reported their actions were intentional, goal- and other-directed, and communication. Reveals a substantial correlation between verbal efficiency and number of abstract descriptors,…

The validity of the subtests and composites of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) for grades in 150 military technical schools was investigated with 88,724 Air Force recruits. Across all jobs, arithmetic reasoning was the most valid subtest, and the electronics composite was the most valid composite. (SLD)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill medical school uses an objective structured clinical examination as the final exam in physical diagnosis. Since 1987, students and evaluators have shown overwhelming acceptance and support of the test, partly because it is structured for teaching as well as assessment. (Author/MSE)

Six interest measures and 15 ability measures were administered to 2,101 high school seniors in 19 vocational-technical schools. Computer-based score interpretation would have referred approximately 80 percent of satisfied/successful students to job cluster containing vocational program they completed. Results indicated that computer-based…

Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) were administered in counterbalanced order to 35 referred students. Although K-BIT intelligence quotient (IQ) Composite correlated significantly with WISC-R Full Scale IQ scores, mean scores differed significantly. Results provide moderate support…

Describes a revision of the Names Test, an easy-to-administer phonics assessment. Describes what was done to increase the test's category reliability, to further examine the test's validity, and to enhance its usability. (SR)

Notes that the methods used to set standards for National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) tests suggest recommendations for state-level policymakers. Explains the national assessment, basic assumptions in setting performance standards on NAEP, selection of judges, standard-setting methodology for NAEP, and measurement issues in setting…

Describes the development of the Ontario Assessment Instrument Pool (OAIP), a curriculum-based item bank for use in Ontario schools. The nearly $10,000,000 project, lacking implementation and evaluation activities, resulted in limited classroom use. The objective-based assessment also contradicted a child-centered educational philosophy. (KS)

Major changes in the content and format, standard-setting procedures, and score reporting policies in the National Board of Medical Examiners' comprehensive Part I examination are described. The phase-in of the United States Medical Licensing Examination and implications for score use are also discussed. (Author/MSE)

Research relating to the factor structure of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) and the Clinical Analysis Questionnaire is reviewed. Different opinions about the factors measured by the 16PF are discussed. Focusing on the second-order factor level could eliminate problems with the instruments' reliability. (SLD)

A review of public demand for accountability uncovers three types of educational assessment problems: demand for valid reading measures, need for a broader range of assessments, and value of assessments for various audiences. Integration of the various types of assessments is recommended. (SK)

Summarizes article written in 1972 which concluded that most counselors were not using standardized tests well, because of intrinsic limitations of the tests and insufficient technical competence among counselors. Discusses methods to remedy situation that could be taken by both test developers and counselors. (NB)

Considers teachers' research into adult/pupil dialog. Questions the way teachers converse with students. Asks how teachers listen to what children say and how teachers reciprocate. Studies language facility as an age-related phenomenon and considers whether conversation is led and developed in linguistic context by the adult. (HB)

This book is a collection of nine commissioned papers that consider the educational reform represented by performance assessments, their advantages and disadvantages, and the challenges of successful implementation. Both theoretical and practical issues are addressed. (SLD)