Developmental psychologists have not traditionally documented the psychometric properties of their observational instruments, partly because such concepts as reliability and validity are associated mainly with paper-and-pencil tests. A multitrait-multimethod correlation matrix (MTMM) was presented as a useful method for the psychometric evaluation…

As the basis for developing a criterion referenced test (CRT) construction manual for the Army and for identifying potential research areas, a study was conducted which included a review of the technical and theoretical literature on criterion referenced testing and a survey of CRT applications at selected Army installations. It was found that the…

A computerized adaptive testing model was applied to a hierarchically arranged series of subtests within the instructional context of a technical education system. The model was a modification of Lord's flexilevel paradigm; however, it did not allow for individualized entry. Two achievement tests, each divided into five hierarchically related…

The practice of analyzing all available project children in as large a group as possible is considered not to be justifiable when distinct subgroups of pupils are represented. Instead, the approach suggested here determines the test score gain a pupil achieves from the beginning to the end of the year, with all of the pupil gain scores of a single…

Monte Carlo simulation procedures were used to study the psychometric characteristics of two two-stage adaptive tests and a conventional "peaked" ability test. Results showed that scores yielded by both two-stage tests better reflected the normal distribution of underlying ability. Ability estimates yielded by one of the two stage tests…

Each year all Georgia children and youth in the fourth, eighth and eleventh grades are tested; the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills is used in the fourth and eighth grades, the Tests of Academic Progress in the eleventh grade. Test scores which provide a wealth of information, may be used as a tool for the teacher, principal, curriculum specialist or…

Raw scores on most standardized educational and psychological assessment instruments acquire meaning only when referenced to a set of norms. Test publishers should clearly describe their norming procedures, including the target population and the sample on which the norms are based. The primary purpose of this report is to illustrate some of the…

In an effort to meet the needs of a wider range of abilities in sixth-form students in England, their major and minor studies were combined with a program of general studies in curriculum working toward a Certificate of Extended Education (CEE). In summer 1974, the CEE experimental testing program was offered to students in the sixth form,…

The study investigated the effects of exposure to computer-assisted testing (CAT) as an effective instructional method and its effects on attitudes toward computer-assisted instruction (CAI). Five computer quizzes consisting of 20 randomly drawn multiple-choice questions were individually administered on 10 teletype terminals. A feedback mechanism…

The method of using person vectors in regression analysis to test repeated measures hypotheses or questions is discussed. These hypotheses involve designs with pre and post scores with one group and with multiple groups. Based on these analyses with person vectors, there are two major focuses of the paper: a proposed solution to the problem of…

This paper repudiates Jensen's hypothesis that differences in IQ scores and scholastic achievement in Negro and white children are genetically based. Specifically, Jensen's identification of IQ scores as a measure of abstract reasoning and problem solving and of levels of ability, and his evaluation of the magnitude of the genetic component in IQ…

The parameters influencing the respiratory pattern at or near the threshold for hearing were studied in hearing impaired and normal hearing subjects. A semiautomatic system was designed to process the data. Results indicated that thresholds for pure tones could be estimated better on the inspiration phase of the breathing cycle and that duration…

A research program and the testing methods it developed are described, indicating the performance criteria of interior finishes for walls, ceilings and floors. Material exposure criteria are given with the probability of damage ratings for--(1) physical impact, (2) chemical damage, (3) biological, food and water damage. The relationship of…

An adaptation of a technique devised by Mischel (1958) was used in the longitudinal study to measure delay of gratification. Adaptations involved (1) asking the child to identify the larger of two pieces of candy to facilitate comprehension of the rewards, (2) specifying a standard time limit for receipt of the delayed reward which would be…

A discussion of performance contracting, defined as an agreement between a group offering instruction and a school needing the services, is presented. Four major hazards to direct measurement of specific learning are considered: poor statement of objectives; selection of the wrong tests; misinterpretation of test scores; and depersonalization of…