Most discriminant function analyses provide a table of hits and misses with respect to classifications. Cohen's kappa coefficient is shown to be applicable to these tables and useful for setting confidence limits for the accuracy of the discriminant prediction. (Author/JKS)

Critics of standardized testing are fighting back with lawsuits and legislation. Evaluates the Educational Testing Service's business policy and how it conflicts with quality testing. Also suggests actions that can be taken by concerned parents who wish to protect their children from unfair testing practice. (Editor/RK)

The person perception paradigm was used to address the effects of experimenters' ability to encode nonverbal cues and subjects' ability to decode nonverbal cues on magnitude of expectancy effects. Greater expectancy effects were obtained when experimenters were better encoders and subjects were better decoders of nonverbal cues. (Author)

Discusses the accuracy of the Fog Index and the SMOG grade (two readability formulas) as predicators of readability. (MAI)

The Model for Predicting Early Alienation was found to have validity: that is, it was found to be a useful, if not the ultimately perfect, tool for predicting alienation in ninth-grade students. (Author)

Decisions based on standardized tests are made everyday. It is not a question of whether tests should be used, but how. ( Author/MLF)

Reports a study examining the generality of findings in a previous study which had indicated that the prediction of academic achievement from intelligence scores may be significantly improved when certain classroom behaviors are added to the prediction formula. (BR)

Explores the potential usefulness of R.F. Bales' systematic method for the multiple level observation of groups (SYMLOG) by testing the predictive capability of the three SYMLOG dimensions and the amount of member dispersion on each dimension with the amounts of conflict, reported satisfaction, styles of conflict management, and quality of…

Analyses of college admissions aptitude test scores of 795 applicants for admission to major Northern Israeli university were undertaken to test for age bias in the predictive validity of scholastic aptitude test scores. Subjects were put into four age groups ranging from 18 to 49 years. Results support the differential predictive validity of…

Examined the ability of the Pain Assesment Index, determined from presurgery Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory scores, to predict outcome subsequent to lumbar laminectomy and discectomy. The PAI was found to have good ability to identify patients who were doing well after surgery, but low power in predicting which patients would have…

A new approach to partialling components is used. Like conventional partialling, this approach orthogonalizes variables by partitioning the scores or observations. Unlike conventional partialling, it yields a common component and two unique components. (Author/GDC)

The Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) was administered to 2569 children prior to starting kindergarten. At the end of the school year, teachers rated each child. Results suggest that because of its low sensitivity and modest predictive value, the DDST is relatively inefficient for a school entry screening program in a general population.…

Examined the efficacy of the McCarthy Screening Test (MST) and Metropolitan Readiness Test (MRT) to predict academic readiness after kindergarten and achievement at the end of first grade. The MST significantly predicted children's scores of the MRT and SFAT. Additionally, the MRT was a significant predictor of the SFAT. (JAC)

Analyzed intelligence and achievement test scores for 100 learning disabled boys to investigate the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) as a predictor of Woodcock Johnson reading, mathematics, and written language scores. WISC-R performance IQ predicted the greatest variance. (JAC)

The California Achievement Test and Degrees of Reading Power tests were administered to students to determine the relationship between the instruments as measures of reading. It was concluded that either test may be used to make valid predictions to the other by use of locally constructed conversion tables. (Author/DWH)