This is a user's guide to the Student-Problem Package (SPP), a software package for the IBM-PC that provides three sub-programs for analyzing item response patterns. These analyses are based on student-problem (S-P) curve theory. The SPP User's Guide provides: (1) a brief introduction to response pattern analysis; (2) an overview of the…

This directory represents the start of a research program directed towards the creation of a human abilities matrix which cross-references data on real world jobs, laboratory performance tasks, and human performance models. The matrix will use the "abilities requirements approach" as the unifying element among these three dimensions. The…

Computer programs have been developed to make Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition (DSM-III) diagnoses. Programs contain features that help to structure and shorten user interaction with the program, including screening questions and incorporation of DSM-III's decision trees for differential diagnosis. Discusses…

Low-functioning autistic children with age-matched normals, age-matched mentally disabled, and mentally age-matched normal toddlers were tested using a computerized electroencephalographic technique. Autistic Ss showed significantly more slow wave activity and less alpha, as well as less inter- and intrahemispheric asymmetry, than either normal or…

Discusses various aspects of computerized testing: advantages of immediate feedback, on-the-spot score reporting, retention of scores on disks, the computer's potential as a simulation device, expert tests, embedded tests, intelligent tests, and adaptive testing. (CT)

Psychological assessment, a subspecialty of psychology has served as one of the earliest proving grounds of automated technology. This Special Series highlights some of the advances in computerized psychological assessment methods and discusses some of the lingering issues and contemporary problems with automated psychological assessment…

A computer program in BASIC developed to assist in grading college English compositions is discussed and presented. The program allows rapid recording and printing of instructor comments, providing more praise and feedback than otherwise feasible. Teachers are encouraged to adapt the program to their own needs and preferences. (MSE)

Assessed the attitudes of 59 maternity patients toward the use of a computer for psychological testing. Results showed patients were almost unanimous in finding the computer acceptable and easy to use, and most would be willing to use the computer again. (JAC)

This paper presents an approach to item pool design that has the potential to improve on the quality of current item pools in educational and psychological testing and thus to increase both measurement precision and validity. The approach consists of the application of mathematical programming techniques to calculate optimal blueprints for item…

Several methods have been developed for use on constrained adaptive testing. Item pool partitioning, multistage testing, and testlet-based adaptive testing are methods that perform well for specific cases of adaptive testing. The weighted deviation model and the Shadow Test approach can be more generally applied. These methods are based on…

Preventing items in adaptive testing from being over- or underexposed is one of the main problems in computerized adaptive testing. Though the problem of overexposed items can be solved using a probabilistic item-exposure control method, such methods are unable to deal with the problem of underexposed items. Using a system of rotating item pools,…

The Microsoft Certification Program (MCP) includes many new computer-based item types, based on complex cases involving the Windows 2000 (registered) operating system. This Innovative Item Technology (IIT) has presented challenges beyond traditional psychometric considerations such as capturing and storing the relevant response data from…

Automated test assembly is a technology for producing multiple, equivalent test forms from an item pool. An important consideration for test security in automated test assembly is the inclusion of the same items on these multiple forms. Although it is possible to use item selection as a formal constraint in assembling forms, the number of…

This report contains a review of procedures for computerized assembly of linear, sequential, and adaptive tests. The common approach to these test assembly problems is to view them as instances of constrained combinatorial optimization. For each testing format, several potentially useful objective functions and types of constraints are discussed.…

Most large-scale testing programs facing computerized adaptive testing (CAT) must face the challenge of maintaining extensive content requirements, but content constraints in computerized adaptive testing (CAT) can compromise the precision and efficiency that could be achieved by a pure maximum information adaptive testing algorithm. This…