Describes theoretically based structural family assessment procedure designed for use in evaluating therapy outcome. Explains how procedure involves evaluating family's interactional patterns on three tasks along six dimensions (structure, flexibility, resonance, developmental stage, identified patienthood, and conflict resolution). Presents…

Considers problems with use of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Presents brief history of MBTI and brief theory of type. Examines MBTI's statistical structure, reliability, and validity. Concludes that MBTI does not conform to many basic standards expected of psychological tests. (NB)

The alternate-forms reliability of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) (A. Fisher, 1997), where alternate forms means different pairs of AMPS tasks, was studied with 91 people who had performed four AMPS tasks. Results support use of the AMPS activities of daily-living motor and process scales. (SLD)

A self-report, paper-and-pencil version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Depression Inventory, was developed and tested with 140 depressed adults, 99 adults with anxiety disorders, and 118 nonreferred adults. Overall, data support the reliability and validity of the new measure. (SLD)

Data from research studies seem to support the validity of teacher judgments of student achievement; however, there are unresolved issues, including the focus of the judgment, the external validity or credibility of the assessment, and the process of the assessment itself. To achieve maximum benefits from this form of assessment/teaching…

A study evaluated the Michigan Test Battery as a placement tool and indicator of student performance at the college level for one continuing education intensive academic English program. Three issues were addressed: whether the test: (1) is being used correctly for program placement and exit; (2) is an accurate indicator of performance for…

The oral interview (OI) is a testing procedure that measures a wide range of speaking abilities in a foreign language. Although somewhat different versions are used in different testing situations, the OI always consists of a structured, face-to-face conversation on a variety of topics between a student and one or two testers. The resulting speech…

The United States Employment Service (USES) Specific Aptitude Test Battery (SATB) for Carpenter is evaluated from three points of view: (1) technical adequacy of the research; (2) fairness to minorities; and (3) usefulness of the battery to United States Employment Service staff and employers in selecting individuals for Carpenter positions.…

Three kinds of classificatory decisions that might be made using criterion-referenced tests (CRTs) are described, and methods to appraise the validity of each are subsequently discussed. Decisions that entail predictive, descriptive, and evaluative classifications comprised the three kinds of decisions described. Predictive classifications entail…

Describes the Knowledge of Child Development Inventory (KCDI), a multiple-choice test of knowledge of child development from birth to age three in the areas of emotional, cognitive, physical, and social development. Normative data, reliability, and validity statistics are given. (Author/BL)

Concludes that the lack of normative data, the suggestion that even one failure on the test (with approximately 111 items) makes a child suspect for "at risk" labelling, along with the brevity of directions and interpretation of data require that the test be used with great caution. (FL)

Offers a case study of how one teacher used readability formulas to select the most appropriate materials for her students. Presents 10 suggestions that the teacher followed to avoid being tyrannized by the formulas. (FL)

Discusses the uses and limitations of a test designed to identify that reading disabled subgroup whose principal deficit is in the ability to deal with visual stimuli holistically. (AEA)

This document describes the development of an instrument designed to assess the implementation of a professional learning community among school staff. It describes the growing need for such instruments as schools increasingly deviate from traditional approaches in education in their efforts to enhance student learning. An instrument that could be…

The history of the relation between achievement tests and curriculum programs is reviewed, and it is concluded that content specialists are best qualified as sources of curricular goals to specify content, kinds of attainment, and standards. The specification of instructional intents is also considered from the perspective of modern cognition…