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

This article presents a model that can be used by local school districts for reanalyzing standardized test results to obtain a more valid assessment of local learning objectives can be used to identify strengths/weaknesses of existing programs as well as individual students. (EGS)

The interrelationships of a variety of student aptitude and achievement measures are examined in a sample of 88 Australian undergraduate students, and the critial role of the data analyst in examining the relationships is discussed. (MSE)

Indicates that the format and use of the informal reading inventory need to be modified in order to address recent research findings of schema theory, text analysis, and metacognition. (FL)

Describes a revised readability formula for Vietnamese that differentiates between Vietnamese and Sino-Vietnamese compound words and discusses its validity and reliability. (HOD)

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)

As schools move toward performance assessment, there is increasing discussion of using these assessments for accountability purposes. When used for making decisions, performance assessments must meet high standards of validity and reliability. One major source of unreliability in performance assessments is interrater disagreement. In this paper,…

The motor performance components of 11 tests measuring childhood motor development were analyzed with respect to five criteria listed in the American Psychological Association's Standards for Educational and Psychological Tests. Researchers concluded that the motor tests did not contribute to psychological constructs for early childhood testing.…

The need for improved accountability has led to more competency-based testing. This provides test makers with the opportunity to have greater impact on the curriculum. Several strategies are suggested for measurement-based instructional improvement. (Author/PN)

The fact that the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is susceptible to coaching does not mean it is a poor test. The abilities measured by it are acquired, apart from test-wiseness. Even though some uses of the scores in admissions may be discriminatory, the test itself is fair, uniform, and judiciously administered. (MSE)

Replicating previous findings that the inability to "shift" conceptual attitude on the Weigl is consistent with indices associated with cortical dysfunction, the Weigl is shown to possibly serve as a nonverbal instrument to assess cortical dysfunction where inability to "shift" appears to tap a dysfunction in symbolic rather…

Evaluation of the final examination should be part of the course evaluation and should include student perceptions of the exam's nature and the questions' quality. The final examination experience of two groups of undergraduate and graduate students are considered. (MSE)

Evaluated five intelligence test instruments for use with Malaysian children: Raven's Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), WISC-R, School Failure Tolerance (SFT), Scale for Rating Behavior Characteristics of Superior Students (SRBCSS), and Parent Checklists. Found that Raven's SPM was an effective screening test, and the WISC-R the best measure to…

Some 1,620 Australian high school students responded to 68 items that measure adolescent stressors. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop and test a model leading to the High School Stressors Scale. This scale, which has sound construct and predictive validity and adequate reliability, can be a useful instrument for studying…

Reviews risk assessment procedures and instruments used by child protection agencies. Discusses methodological deficiencies that limit the utility of instruments in predicting abusive behavior. Offers suggestions regarding the use of risk assessment in various decisions made during the course of child protection investigations. (BG)