This review, with profiles of 51 available writing/language usage tests from most major test publishing companies, provides technical information on the tests, the evolution of test characteristics, the tests' role as writing samples, and issues in psychometric quality. Published objective writing tests are changing in important and positive ways.…

Reviews the Test of Practical Knowledge, a multiple choice test of "functional competency," noting that the test's task requirements are confounded by such factors as intelligence, achievement, social knowledge, and reading ability. (HOD)

The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) is the most widely used instrument of its type in existence. The inventory is individually administered and can be used with high school students, college students, and adults. It is typically used in vocational counseling. The new 1994 version resembles the original published in 1927 both in the construction of…

An overview of listening tests and a description of the Watson-Barker Listening Test are presented in this paper. Topics covered include the readability and validity of listening tests; listening test administration; listening test criteria; creation of the Watson-Barker Listening Test; development, validation, and proper administration of this…

This article reviews the Basic Achievement Skills Individual Screener (BASIS), an individually administered achievement battery that consists of skills tests in reading, mathematics, and spelling as well as an optional writing exercise. BASIS is found to be an effective and efficient means of assessing basic skills. (Author/EGS)

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) is an individually administered test of intelligence for assessing children aged 6 through 16 years, 11 months. The WISC-III consists of several subtests, each classified into a verbal or performance scale. The child's performance on these measures is summarized in three…

Research on the standardization, reliability, validity, factor structure, and subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) (1945) and its revised version (1987) is reviewed. Much research relating to the WMS appears to be relevant to the revised version. Use of the instrument in Australia is discussed. (SLD)

The manual for the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-Revised (1986) is reviewed. The test measures a child's knowledge of relational concepts. The revised version, eliminating some imperfections of the original, will continue to be a useful test of verbal concept acquisition. Cautions necessary while using the test are discussed. (SLD)

Theoretical framework, instrument development, and psychometric qualities are reviewed for some measures of learning style currently in use with adults. Instruments reviewed include: (1) Kolb's Learning Style Inventory I; (2) Kolb's Learning Style Inventory II; (3) the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; (4) the Productivity Environmental Preferences…

The development and assessment of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test (WRMT) is described in this paper. The first section, after a brief description of the test, outlines the development of the test, including its purpose, how it was tested and calibrated, its administration and scoring, use and interpretation of scores obtained, and statistical…

Critiques the 1990 revision of the Slosson Intelligence Test. The SIT-R is an untimed, individually administered screening instrument that assesses the mental ability of children and adults. Many of the problems with the original version have been addressed in the revised version, but with varying success. (LKS)

The Singer-Loomis Inventory of Personality (SLIP) was developed by two Jungian analysts to allow examination of personality from the perspective of Jung's typology and to solve problems perceived with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, based on Jungian dichotomies. The SLIP is designed to clarify and describe the user's personality based on the…

The Values Scale (VS) is a self-report inventory of 106 scored items yielding 21 separate scales for the individual assessment of upper elementary school and middle school students as well as adult members of semi-skilled, skilled, clerical, managerial, and professional occupations. The VS, available in seven languages, measures several intrinsic…

The Career Interest Inventory is a paper-and-pencil, self-report career guidance instrument that is designed to assist students in grades 7 through 12 and adults with career decisions. It can be administered to individuals or groups and alone or in combination with the Differential Aptitude Test. It is available in machine-scored and hand-scorable…

The Middle Childhood HOME (MC-HOME) Inventory is designed to measure the quality and quantity of stimulation and support available to a child in the home environment. It is an interview/questionnaire that is individually administered to the primary caregiver while the target child is awake and present. The instrument is intended to be a sensitive…