Short-form development is an important topic in psychometric research, which requires researchers to face methodological choices at different steps. The statistical techniques traditionally used for shortening tests, which belong to the so-called exploratory model, make assumptions not always verified in psychological data. This article proposes a…

This study analyzed the results of applying two different methods of likert-scale construction (single-column and discrepancy-column formats). The findings indicated that the discrepancy format provides stronger discrimination for purposes of measuring need. (Author/BW)

First-year college students (n=506) completed Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (J. Raven, J. Court, and J. Raven, 1988). Data were used to contribute to the normative database for American college students. A short form developed from 12 items of the original 36 was found to possess acceptable psychometric properties. (SLD)

A brief version of the instrument developed by S. Schwartz (1992, 1994) to measure the structure and content of human values was developed. Studies with 199 adults and 420 adults support the reliability of scores produced by the brief inventory's four three-item scales. Uses of the brief form are discussed. (SLD)

Studied the relationship between test mode (paper and pencil or computerized with and without editorial control) and computer familiarity for 222 undergraduates. Results emphasize the importance of evaluating time constraints when converting exams from paper to computer delivery. (SLD)

A meta-analysis of the difficulty and discrimination of the "none-of-the-above" (NOTA) test option was conducted with 12 articles (20 effect sizes) for difficulty and 7 studies (11 effect sizes) for discrimination. Findings indicate that using the NOTA option does not result in items of lesser quality. (SLD)

When determining criterion-referenced test length, problems of guessing are shown to be more serious than expected. A new method of scoring is presented that corrects for guessing without assuming that guessing is random. Empirical investigations of the procedure are examined. Test length can be substantially reduced. (Author/CM)

Achievement test reliability and validity as a function of ability were determined for multiple sections of a large undergraduate French class. Results did not support previous arguments that decreasing the number of options results in a more efficient test for high-level examinees, but less efficient for low-level examinees. (Author/GK)

Two-option multiple-choice vocabulary test items are compared with comparably written true-false test items. Results from a study with 111 high school students suggest that multiple-choice items provide a significantly more reliable measure than the true-false format. (SLD)

Responses of 36 bilingual adults, 107 Puerto Ricans, and 247 Puerto Rican adolescents demonstrate the high degree of measurement equivalence between Spanish and English versions of the Psychological Acculturation Scale, developed to assess acculturation from a phenomenological perspective. (SLD)

Two studies examined the effect of making the correct answer of a multiple choice test item grammatically consistent with the item. American College Testing Assessment experimental items were constructed to investigate grammatical compliance to investigate grammatical compliance for plural-singular and vowel-consonant agreement. Results suggest…

A review of the research on item writing, item format, test instructions, and item readability indicated the importance of instrument structure in the interpretation of test data. The effect of failing to consider these areas on the content validity of achievement test scores is discussed. (Author/GK)

Determining the optimal number of choices on a multiple-choice test is explored analytically from an information theory perspective. The analysis revealed that, in general, three choices seem optimal. This finding is in agreement with previous statistical and psychometric research. (SLD)

The New Japanese version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was administered twice to 200 Japanese female college students to verify the equivalence of the computer- and booklet-administered formats. For four scales, scores from the computer version were statistically significantly higher than those from the booklet…

Three studies explored the effects of grouping versus randomized items in questionnaires on internal consistency and test-retest reliability with samples of 80, 80, and 100, respectively, university students and undergraduates. The 2 correlational and 1 experimental studies were reasonably consistent in demonstrating that neither format was…