Assessment lies at the centre of PhD degree quality standards, with quality assurance relying on independent external examiners. This study investigates the role of the viva and the selection of external examiners from within the accounting and finance discipline across UK institutions. A questionnaire survey and follow-up interviews with…

Issues related to the two-stage college entrance examinations used in Turkey are explored. Focus is on the first stage, the selection phase of the examination, rather than on the second stage, the placement phase. Further study is needed of the dimensionality of the test and sources of item bias. (SLD)

This "toolbox" offers suggestions about how and when to create objective tests. Such tests are sometimes a quick way to find out how students are doing, and sometimes they help students focus on what they are doing in class or help teachers define the content that is worth knowing. The following suggestions are offered for developing objective…

Because applicant populations for many jobs and educational opportunities are becoming increasingly multicultural, the whole issue of fairness in testing has become highly salient. In South Africa, a main reason for the poor performance of the economy is the failure to make optimal use of all manpower, one of the crippling legacies of the…

Investigated the validity of the Swedish model for selection to higher education, using S. Messick's (1989) four-faceted model of validity and grade-point-average and admissions test data for 314 college students. Results challenges the unidimensional use of the selection instruments. (SLD)

Because intelligence and culture are inextricably intertwined, the measurement of ability is difficult. Test material inevitably reflects the culture of the test developer. As a consequence of this culture-boundedness, a test might not measure the same thing in another culture, and scores might not be comparable across cultures. There are three…

The Rasch model was applied to selection of items for an Arabic version of the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test using a sample of 599 male and female Kuwaiti secondary school and university students. Results indicated that the test is suitable for the range of ability intended to be measured. (SLD)

The growth of educational testing in the Netherlands is reviewed, and the way tests are used in elementary and secondary education is described. Educational testing in the Netherlands has been strongly connected to the existence of the National Institute for Educational Measurement (CITO). (SLD)

If entrance to tertiary education in South Africa is restricted to successful school final-examination scores, blacks may be underrepresented for many years. Difficulties in ridding South African education of racism and alternative strategies for conditional enrollment in higher education are discussed. (SLD)

A study was conducted to examine and compare, in 10 selected countries, the interaction between current conceptions and theories of assessment and assessment practices. Of particular interest was the nature of changing practice and theory in assessing the learning achievements of students in elementary and secondary education, as well as the…

The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSAT) has been in use as a selection instrument for higher education since spring 1977. One of the greatest problems with the SweSAT is the gender difference in results. A number of studies have been performed in order to clarify where and why these differences are found. This paper summarizes these studies…

Findings are summarized from a comparative analysis of education-examination practices in selected European and Asian countries. The review of testing practices in other countries reveals that these practices are in transition in most countries. A central lesson is that changing teaching can lead to changes in testing. (SLD)

A hierarchical modeling approach is used in studying the predictive validity of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination, a key aid in selecting students for secondary education. Results from 51 schools indicated a modest predictive validity for the examination, with school and student characteristics influencing results. (SLD)

A brief description is presented of the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSAT), its content, and its use. The SweSAT has been used for college admission in Sweden since 1977. Some related research activities, including studies of sex differences, dimensionality, and effects of test coaching, are described. (SLD)