An approximation formula for the standard error of measurement was recently proposed by Garvin. The properties of this approximation to the standard error of measurement are described in this paper and illustrated with hypothetical data. It is concluded that the approximation is a systematic overestimate of the standard error of measurement…

Some procedures for estimating internal consistency reliability may be superior mathematically to the more commonly used methods such as Coefficient Alpha. One problem is computational difficulty; the other is the possibility of overestimation due to capitalization on chance. (Author/CTM)

Different indices for the internal consistency, reproducibility, or homogeneity of a test are based upon highly similar conceptual frameworks. Illustrations are presented to demonstrate how the maximum and minimum values of KR20 are influenced by test difficulty and the shape of the distribution of test scores. (Author/CTM)

The Feldt-Gilmer congeneric reliability coefficients make it possible to estimate the reliability of a test composed of parts of unequal, unknown length. The approximate standard errors of the Feldt-Gilmer coefficients are derived via a method using the multivariate Taylor's expansion. Monte Carlo simulation is employed to corroborate the…

This paper considers, from a theoretical point of view, two measurement approaches used in measuring success and failure in skills tests in physical education. The first, "fixed length" (FL) testing, entails counting the number of successful performances in a fixed number of trials. The second, "trials-to-criterion" (TTC)…

For six tests, coefficient delta as an index for internal optimality is computed. Internal optimality is defined as the magnitude of risk of the decision procedure with respect to the true score. Results are compared with an alternative index (coefficient kappa) for assessing the consistency of decisions. (Author/JKS)

Procedures for determining cutting scores have been proposed by Angoff and by Nedelsky. Nedelsky's approach requires that a rater examine each distractor within a test item to determine the probability of a minimally competent examinee answering correctly; whereas Angoff uses a judgment based on the whole item, rather than each of its components.…

Eight different methods are reviewed for determining whether two or more tests are equivalent measures. These methods vary in restrictiveness from the Wilks-Votaw test of compound symmetry (which requires that all means, variances, and covariances are equal), to Joreskog's theory of congeneric tests (which requires only that the tests are measures…