Students' performance on the Final Examination at Bristol Medical School was compared to their performance as assessed by in-course assessment. The overall continuous assessment score has been a major predictor of failure by the students in the final examination. It is argued that in the light of these findings, a major final examination is…

The use of tests to promote learning, or elaboration, is discussed in the context of the medical school curriculum, and it is concluded that, although tests can facilitate or inhibit learning under some conditions, overall curriculum design is more influential in elaborated learning than the tests alone. (MSE)

Introduces the Interpersonal Network Questionnaire (INQ), an instrument designed to measure constructs of social networks such as social participation, confidant size, and frequency of contact. Discusses item generation, reliability, administration, and applications of the INQ. (Author/NB)

Discusses answer justification, a technique that allows students to convert multiple-choice items perceived to be "tricky" into short-answer essay questions. Convincing justifications earn students credit for missed items. The procedure is reported to be easy to administer and very popular among students. (Author/GEA)

Responds to three points Tomm (1986) makes: the heart of science is explanation, not measurement; Tomm's disagreement with Shields over the term "objectivity"; and Tomm's contention that the focus of research and theory building should be the interactional nature of therapy itself. (Author/ABB)

The author states that by neglecting to give essay tests, teachers not only eliminate the motivation to read and write but also fail to test for a deep understanding of the material. The author presents guidelines for designing essay questions. (CT)

Seventy-seven hearing students were tested to compare the original and revised forms of the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS), and 75 deaf and 27 hard-of-hearing students supplied test-retest data on the revised form. Good reliability was established as compared to the original, and reliability of the revised TSCS was demonstrated over time.…

Examined whether method of presentation (live vs. taped) affected scores on Blending and Memory for Sentences subtests of Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery in two age levels of 60 Black and 60 White children. Results indicated that live voice presentation benefitted all groups in their scores on both subtests. (NRB)

Students with learning disabilities can prepare for the SATs (Stanford Achievement Tests) by (1) counseling sessions to discuss college prerequisites and pre-admission tests; (2) taking more academic courses or procuring necessary remedial help; (3) school personnel identifying and correcting skill weaknesses; and (4) discussing abuses and uses of…

Teacher-made tests can be adapted for learning disabled students during the process of test construction (incorporating aspects of directions, individual items, and test design) or during test administration. (CL)

The Binghamton (New York) City School District uses test scores in an annual curriculum review to identify subjects in which students are academically weak and need improvement. (MD)

Analysis of questionnaires completed by 79 special education supervisors revealed that (1) schools are satisfied with appraisal services provided; (2) the majority of districts contract for appraisal services; (3) employed examiners are more involved in total assessment processes than contracted examiners; and (4) examiners do not participate in…

A study of the written language test performance of a grade four learning-disabled French Immersion student revealed notable qualitative improvement between pretest and posttest settings concurrent with either minimal or no quantitative improvement. These observations suggest that standardized test instruments may not be the most appropriate tool…

Former NCME presidents comment on 1985 NCME Presidential Address: (1) William E. Coffman suggests an NCME review panel on testing programs; (2) Thomas J. Fitzgibbon sees a need for formative evaluation; (3) Jason Millman believes validity in assessment depends on purpose; and (4) Lorrie A. Shepard believes that tests may be poor agents of reform.…

This article provides unbiased estimates of the proportion of items in an item domain that an examinee would answer correctly if every item were attempted, when a closed sequential testing procedure is used. (Author)