Issues related to ability testing and affirmative action are discussed, including the fair use of tests in academic and occupational selection, the effects of testing upon the tested individual, and implications of the issues for the major participants. Types and functions of ability tests, both aptitude and achievement, are described. Studies of…

The Oklahoma Educational Status Study was conducted to determine student achievement in reading and mathematics. A stratified random sampling of students in grades 3, 6, and 9, were administered the mathematics and reading subtests of the California Achievement Tests (CAT); twelfth grade students were administered only a criterion-referenced test,…

The first of two related documents, this volume reviews the state of the art of assessment in speaking and listening and recommends guidelines for evaluation and development of testing instruments. The first chapter recommends criteria for evaluating assessment instruments and practices; the second chapter reviews 71 published and unpublished…

The second of two related documents, this volume consists of four appendixes of data referred to in the first volume. Appendix A makes up the major portion of the report and contains abstracts and ratings of 71 test instruments categorized by skill area and educational level. Appendix B contains the results of the 1978-79 survey of the status of…

A classical model for achievement test development was influenced by: the educational tradition of selecting a sample of questions appropriate to a subject and counting the proportion of acceptable responses; the emphasis on obtaining a large and homogeneous sample of questions to insure reliability; and the tradition in psychological testing of…

The 35 papers presented at the 1965 International Conference on the Teaching of English, sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English of the United States and the National Association for the Teaching of English of Great Britain, are collected in this volume. In the first section, the aims and purposes of teaching English in the United…

The introduction of a listening comprehension component in the Israeli Matriculation examination of English as a Foreign Language has necessitated research into more effective methods of testing listening comprehension. Oral proficiency has been part of the examination for some time, but more reliable methods of evaluating the test are needed. An…

This paper reports on a pilot study conducted to determine the possible use of the cloze procedure as a substitute measure of achievement in a second-year Spanish culture and civilization class. Twenty students enrolled in a third-semester Spanish class at the University of Colorado were simultaneously given multiple choice tests and cloze tests…

Evaluation plays an important role in the academic career of students and instructors. It is a concept that is repeated throughout the academic year and one that determines future roles and placement of students. This report is a summary of the findings of the first two years of a five-year research study of evaluation conducted at Edinburgh…

The research project's objectives were: survey of the field, development of new approaches and techniques, investigation of factors in the employment of the trainable mentally retarded (TMR), development of objective measurement of work adjustment behaviors, selective application of new methods, and development of a model vocational evaluation…

The product of a professional workshop, 10 papers discuss brain damage. An introduction to clinical neuropsychology is presented by H. Carl Haywood. A section on neurological foundations includes papers on the organization of the central nervous system by Jack T. Tapp and Lance L. Simpson, on epilepsy by Angela T. Folsom, and on organic language…

Research in education has not been relevant because: 1) Decision makers have been making decisions without research findings and see no need for this kind of information now; 2) Research findings in the local schools are usually made available to the decision-maker or administrator after the decisions have been implemented; 3) Researchers feel the…

Two studies of the effects of "Sesame Street" are presented. In the first case, the study tested two hypotheses: (1) "Sesame Street" can prepare poverty children for first grade; and (2) "Sesame Street" can narrow the achievement gap between the poor and the middle-class child. Twenty-four pairs of poverty children…

General features of local and national programs for assessing achievements referencing the common instruction are discussed within a single mastery achievement testing framework. The envisioned programs differ only in informative detail. Most such differences are viewed as amenable to formalization and the basis for distinguishing between local…

Describes a field test of the "Diagnostic Test of Computational Skills." Examines whether or not a computer can efficiently analyze student answers, previously unidentified computational error patterns and errors related to student use of microcomputers. Concludes that this method can be useful for immediate and accurate diagnostic information.…