The authors describe sources of information about tests. They note the existence of test publishers' manuals, Mental Measurement Yearbooks (including online updates), Tests in Print, and computerized databases of the Educational Resources Information Center and the Educational Testing Service. An annotated list of compendia of instruments and…

A team of technical experts should review the technical quality of proficiency examinations considered for assessing learning and granting college credit. The team should recommend approval or disapproval of the test; and if it is approved, recommend the level of test performance required in order to award credit. Information supplied by the test…

Describes and evaluates the Test of Early Written Language (TEWL), an instrument resulting in percentile or standard scores that reflect children's writing development at ages three to seven. Warns that it fails to tap important concepts at the lower age ranges, and violates several principles of children's authentic writing experiences. (MM)

Guidelines for evaluating criterion-referenced tests and test manuals are proposed and applied to a sample of popular commercially published tests. The well-known Test Standards published by a joint committee of professional societies is helpful, though not completely applicable, and was used together with other sources in the preparation of an…

This digest lists guides to non-commercial tests and compilations of such tests to help identify potentially useful non-commercial tests and assessment instruments to measure special characteristics of students. Reliability and validity information is frequently available. The guides reviewed include: (1) "Measures for Psychological…

Guidelines for use by school practitioners in assessing students' motivation to learn are presented. Most of the instruments reviewed and literature discussed pertain primarily to the academic motivation and achievement of students in kindergarten through grade 12. Most are paper-and-pencil, self-report, group-administered measures that can be…

Noting that the purpose of testing and test validity, reliability, norms, and usefulness should be primary considerations in choosing a reading test, this paper is intended to serve as a guide in test selection. The document provides a checklist for collecting the information necessary for selecting a test, and brief overviews of five reading…

Criteria are presented for vocational evaluators who use work samples as one means of determining the vocational potential of blind clients. Included are rationale for the use of work samples; specific steps for their administration, scoring, and use of norms; and criteria for modifying present work samples and developing new ones. A literature…

The bulk of this document consists of reviews of over 60 criterion-referenced tests, most of which are used to test elementary or secondary-level achievement in the basic skills. For each test review, the following information is given: description of test, price, field test data, administration, scoring, and other comments. The tests are rated…

Seven commercially available work evaluation systems are compared using a standardized outline: development, organization, work evaluation process, administration, scoring and norms, observation of clients, reporting utility, training in the system, technical considerations, reviewer's summary and comments, address, cost, and references. There are…

Four commercially available work evaluation systems are compared using a standardized outline: development, organization, work evaluation process, administration, scoring and norms, observation of clients, reporting utility, training in the system, technical considerations, reviewer's summary and comments, address, cost, and references. There are…

This resource book assists in selecting appropriate instruments to use in assessing preschool children suspected of having disabilities. For each of the 68 tests reviewed, the following information is provided: author, publisher, copyright date, price, purpose, description, range of children, testing time, scoring, examiner, standardization,…

Information necessary for informed use by practitioners of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) tests is presented. Assessment instruments that (1) have as a basic assumption that thinking skills can be taught; (2) provide information that can be useful for instructional planning related to complex thought processes; and (3) have content that is…

This publication is designed to help vocational evaluators wisely select and use tests within the context of the referral questions and the individualized evaluation plan. The first of two parts contains information on why tests are used in evaluation, problems with tests, and how to select tests. Part 2 contains a review of specific tests that…

Intended for use by early childhood practitioners who select and use early childhood assessment instruments, this guide provides information needed to judge instrument appropriateness and technical quality. The guide focuses mainly on standardized, broadly available instruments. Criteria for selecting instruments include publication after 1979,…