THE STUDY EMPIRICALLY DETERMINED THE EFFECTS OF NONNORMALITY UPON SOME SAMPLING DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE PRODUCT MOMENT CORRELATION COEFFICIENT (PMCC). SAMPLING DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE PMCC WERE OBTAINED BY DRAWING NUMEROUS SAMPLES FROM CONTROL AND EXPERIMENTAL POPULATIONS HAVING VARIOUS DEGREES OF NONNORMALITY AND BY CALCULATING CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS…

This paper offers the classroom teacher a positive answer for the test anxious student. The writer developed a group testing strategy which is concerned with ways students learn as well as subject matter testing. This evaluation strategy used successfully in high school and college classes is based on group work principles as applied in the…

A two-stage adaptive test and a conventional peaked test were constructed and administered on a time-shared computer system to students in undergraduate psychology courses. (The two-stage adaptive test consisted of a routing test followed by one of a series of measurement tests.) Comparison of the score distributions showed that the two-stage test…

The Colorado Evaluation Project was funded to field test the Common Status Measures concurrently with Colorado's pilot program in assessment and evaluation. The primary purpose is to determine Colorado's educational needs, and the secondary purpose is to test procedures for assessment which can be replicated or adapted by local school districts or…

Research to date on adaptive (sequential, branched, individualized, tailored, programmed, response-contingent) ability testing is reviewed and summarized, following a brief review of problems inherent in conventional individual and group approaches to ability measurement. Research reviewed includes empirical, simulation and theoretical studies of…

This study compares the relative power and robustness of the chi-square and Kolmogorov statistics with both the linear score scale and equal areas models. It is limited to the situation in which the mean and standard deviation are fixed by the hypothesis (a necessary constraint with the Kolmogorov tests). Two tables are presented which report the…

An algorithm for updating the means of variances of a norm group after each computer-assisted administration of a test is described. The algorithm does not require storage of the whole data set, and provides for unlimited, continuous expansion of the test norms. (Author)

The testlet, a bundle of test items, alleviates some problems associated with computerized adaptive testing: context effects, lack of robustness, and item difficulty ordering. While testlets may be linear or hierarchical, the most useful ones are four-level hierarchical units, containing 15 items and partitioning examinees into 16 classes. (GDC)

An experiment was conducted that contrasted a variant of computerized adaptive testing, self-adapted testing, with two traditional tests. Participants completed a self-report of text anxiety and were randomly assigned to take one of the three tests of verbal ability. Subjects generally chose more difficult items as the test progressed. (Author/LMO)

Describes a project at Chorleywood College (England) which examined the possibility of automating the transcription of braille examination responses for marking by examination boards. Discussion covers the braille code, requirements of the transcription system, an analysis of mock examination papers which led to system modification, and the final…

Discussed are 12 elementary level standardized science tests, their levels of questions, and problems relating to coordinating instruction and standardized tests. (SL)

Chapters in this book present the challenges and dilemmas faced by researchers as they created new computerized assessments, focusing on issues addressed in developing, scoring, and administering the assessments. Chapters are: (1) "Beyond Bells and Whistles; An Introduction to Computerized Assessment" (Julie B. Olson-Buchanan and Fritz Drasgow);…

The following issues in psychological testing in Australia are reviewed: (1) commercialization of testing; (2) test user qualifications; and (3) computerization of testing. Proposed solutions include development of user guidelines, accreditation standards, test standards, and a network of test data information; and regulation by a professional…

Person-fit research in the context of paper-and-pencil tests is reviewed, and some specific problems regarding person fit in the context of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) are discussed. Some new methods are proposed to investigate person fit in a CAT environment. These statistics are based on Statistical Process Control (SPC) theory. A…

Describes structure and operation of GCE Ordinary and Advanced Level examining boards. (RM)