One way of determining construct validity of vocabulary items in language tests is to interview subjects directly after taking the items to ascertain what is known about the target words in question. This approach was combined within the framework of lexical competency in a study of the behavior of lexical items on the Test of English as a Foreign…

Presents details on how students perform on particular types of mathematics questions from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Data are from three special studies conducted as part of the NAEP: (1) estimation skills; (2) problem-solving abilities (mathematics in context); and (3) students taking advanced courses in mathematics.…

The International English Language Testing System is described, including the test's underlying principles, design, administration, scoring, reliability, and interpretation. Some criticisms of the program are briefly discussed. (MSE)

The effect of different item formats (multiple choice and open) on gender differences in test performance was studied for the Swedish Diagrams, Tables, and Maps (DTM) test with 90 secondary school students. The change to open format resulted in no reduction in gender differences on the DTM. (SLD)

Two ways of using videotape recording to test law students are discussed: for development of reflective practice through feedback and self-observation, and to provide a more realistic final exam problem. The author's techniques are described, focusing on goals/objectives, methodology, and grading. It is argued that video, used most often for…

Two cause indicator models were formulated to link items of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment--Short Form to the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test--Revised. These models were tested with data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (506 and 345 children), and a final model was developed. (SLD)

An expanded version of the method of content evaluation proposed by S. G. Sireci and K. F. Giesinger (1992) was evaluated with respect to a national licensure examination and a nationally standardized social studies achievement test. Two groups of 15 subject-matter experts rated the similarity and content relevance of the items. (SLD)

Recounts the use of a computer-mediated proficiency test in an intensive international teaching assistant workshop. Both traditional raw score analyses and item response theory analyses done on the test data are described in detail. Indicated that the test was not suitable for making exemption and retention decisions with this particular group of…

This investigation considers the instructional effects of color as an over-arching context variable when learning from computer displays. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the posttest retrieval effects of color as a local, extra-item non-verbal lesson context variable for constructed-response versus multiple-choice posttest…

We report on a study of what happened when we recycled a conceptual examination question in a first-year university physics course. The question, which was used for three consecutive years, asked about an astronaut's experience of weighing in an orbiting space-craft. The original intention was to use a phenomenographic approach to look for…

The premise of a great deal of current research guiding policy development has been that accommodations are the catalyst for student performance differences. Rather than accepting this premise, two studies were conducted to investigate the influence of extended time and content knowledge on the performance of ninth-grade students who took a…

The appropriate analysis of students' responses to an assessment is an essential step in improving the quality of the assessment itself as well as staff teaching and student learning. Many academics are unfamiliar with the formal processes used to analyze assessment results; the standard statistical methods associated with analyzing the validity…

Within an evidentiary framework for operationally defining academic English language proficiency (AELP), linguistic analyses of standards, classroom discourse, and textbooks have led to specifications for assessment of AELP. The test development process described here is novel due to the emphasis on using linguistic profiles to inform the …

This study used principles underlying item generation theory to posit competing perspectives about which features of situational judgment tests might enhance or impede consistent measurement across repeat test administrations. This led to 3 alternate-form development approaches (random assignment, incident isomorphism, and item isomorphism). The…

For decades traditional methods of testing have been criticized for saying relatively little reliably about students' ability as well as causing anxiety, which can negatively affect students' recall of learned information. The reform movement with its innovative approaches focusing on learner-centered education perceives assessment as an…