This study presents an investigation of information literacy as defined by the ETS iSkills™ assessment and by the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Information Literacy Scale (ILS). As two related but distinct measures, both iSkills and the ILS were used with undergraduate students at NJIT during the spring 2006 semester. Undergraduate…

This handbook is intended to help high school and college counselors effectively use and interpret ACT results. It contains four main sections: Section 1, "Components of the ACT," which contains general information about the ACT tests, probably will be of interest both to high school counselors and to college advisors and other staff. …

This action research study evaluates a classroom approach incorporating a reflective, metacognitive component within a second language process-oriented writing environment. Inspired by the literature and developed by the first author, this approach seeks to provide English language learners (ELLs) with a command of metalinguistic principles…

The goal of the current study was to examine the validity and topic generality of a writing performance test designed to place international students into appropriate ESL courses at a large mid-western university. Because for each test administration the test randomly rotates three academic topics integrated with listening and reading sources, it…

In 1999, things were dismal at Lebanon, Pennsylvania's Harding Elementary School. Many kids in this former coal town started at a disadvantage and never seemed to catch up. They were bored with books about "frogs on logs," says then-new principal Cheryl Champion. Since they were not engaged, they acted out. Harding's classroom…

Objective: To compare simulator-based teaching with traditional instruction among clinical medical students. Methods: Randomized controlled trial with written pre-post testing. Third-year medical students (n = 38) received either a myocardial infarction (MI) simulation followed by a reactive airways disease (RAD) lecture, or a RAD simulation…

This booklet presents a sentence dictation test designed to find which of the most commonly used words students need to learn how to spell. The 34 sentences that comprise the test in the booklet can be used for systematic spelling instruction in first or second grade and in upper-grade remedial classes. The test in the booklet can also be used to…

This report examines the feasibility of scoring essays using computer-based techniques. Essays have been incorporated into many of the standardized testing programs. Issues of validity and reliability must be addressed to deploy automated approaches to scoring fully. Two approaches that have been used to classify documents, surface- and word-based…

This document contains samples and explanations from Colorado's state reading and writing comprehension test for Grade 4, hereby released to the public (parents, teachers, and any other interested parties). It presents one reading comprehension item, the scoring guide for that item, and 6 different student responses, with the scores they received.…

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…

Comments on the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), a new component of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Examines the AWA's historical significance and addresses questions regarding the relevance of the writing test for management education. Finds that the AWA is of limited value as a writing assessment and will meet only some of…

Presents a method that uses computers for writing placement exams, a "structured decision system." Argues that it is more economical and efficient than the process that uses real people as readers. (SR)

Asserts that competency testing as part of a writing program does not have to be a liability to the writing center. Describes the situation at Boise State University, where the writing center helps the students to prepare for the competency exams. Discusses each exam and the process of helping the students. (PRA)

Examines the intersection of classroom inquiry and educational policy by asking the question: "Can teacher-research become a vehicle for creating just and politically sensitive accounts of how educational policies affect real lives?" Shares classroom research conducted with students receiving special assistance to pass a state-mandated writing…

The Colorado Process Analysis of the Written Language of Hearing-Impaired Children assesses the semantic characteristics of expressive written language narratives prepared by beginning writers. The validity of the instrument was examined with 284 children (ages 7-21), indicating that the model does identify characteristics that are critical to the…