This report presents a thematic summary of the AERA papers dealing with test development, interpretation, and use, presented at the 1971 meeting in New York City. Papers were grouped into the following categories: test development and validation; inventory development and validation; measurement of creativity; factors in test performance; use of…

Discusses the movement toward authentic assessment, also called direct or performance assessment, as an alternative to multiple-choice, standardized, norm-referenced testing. Authentic testing involves assessment tasks that are real instances of extended criterion performances rather than proxies of actual learning goals. Questions use of…

This study examines the relationship between an open-ended cloze test and its multiple-choice versions generated from three sources: (1) interlingual learner-generated distractors--distractors selected from one language group and administered to a different language group, (2) intralingual learner-generated distractors--distractors selected from…

This paper questions the purpose of testing in second language instruction. Comments are based on an examination of tests used by the Defense Language Institute for students of English as a second language. Two kinds of tests are used: the English Comprehension Level (ECL), used primarily as a basis for setting exit requirements, and "Book…

Writing encompasses a wide range of skills, from the mechanics of punctuation and spelling to the systematic or even creative development of ideas. The higher order skills of communication necessarily involve critical thinking and problem solving, and an assessment of the writing of advanced students will be able to encompass these other higher…

Legal issues associated with competency testing of teachers are reviewed, with an emphasis on the problem of bias against minority examinees taking standardized tests. The central legislative foci of legal activity in this area are Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII requires employers to show, with validation studies,…

Presented in this symposium reader are nine papers, four of which deal with the theory and impact of the Rasch model on language testing and five of which discuss final examinations in secondary schools in both general and specific terms. The papers are: "Introduction to Rasch Measurement: Some Implications for Language Testing" (J. J.…

This material provides a discussion of the construction and analysis of tests prepared for classroom use by teachers. The initial discussion is concerned with the purposes of evaluation and the specification of objectives. This is followed by an examination of theoretical and practical considerations in planning a test. The material on test item…

A comprehensive review was conducted of writing research literature and writing test program activities in a number of testing programs. The review was limited to writing assessments used for admission in higher education. Programs reviewed included ACT, Inc.'s ACT™ program, the California State Universities and Colleges (CSUC) testing program,…

The 40-item test measures fifth and sixth graders' ability to use inquiry skills in social studies. The test is unique in that it requires minimal prior knowledge of social studies and allows students to apply processes associated with higher cognitive thought. It can be used with any social studies program. The test has a multiple-choice format…

This textbook is intended for use in an introductory course in the use of tests in schools and colleges. The book is divided into five parts: (1) history and philosophy--educational measurement, historical perspectives; Measurement and the process of education; (2) classroom test development--what should achievement tests measure?; How should…

Statewide competency testing as a high school graduation requirement represents a threat to those who encourage broad notions of reading and writing, even when a number of testing innovations in reading and writing mean a step forward in education. In Alberta, Canada, the English exam comes in a non-academic and an academic version, and…

Following a practical approach, this book focuses on educational assessment as it is practiced today, in the actual world of classrooms, school systems, state departments, and national organizations. It first covers the basic concepts applicable to all types of assessment: statistical concepts, reliability, validity, and interpretive frameworks.…

The basic purposes of the Profile Examination for Physician Extenders (PEPE) project included: (1) development of a computerized test item bank from which Profile Examinations could be generated, (2) review and analysis of curricula for the allied health groups, and (3) assessment of the reliability and validity of the Profile Examinations. The…