Knowledge of the nature of human population growth is necessary to understand the world as well as to manage population-related problems in health, education, and environmental protection. The Second International Science Study asked U.S. students to select the graph that best portrayed the nature of population increases in the past 1,000 years.…

This report describes the sequence of activities that took place as the Examination Division of the New Jersey Department of Civil Service introduced a word processing system for a test item bank and for production of camera-ready test copy. The equipment selection, installation and orientation procedures are discussed. Keyboard and CRT terminals,…

A study examined the nature of the questions contained in two major standardized reading comprehension tests in terms of their centrality to the text. It was hypothesized that the use of a discrimination index for item selection would tend to favor relatively trivial questions. Half the reading selections from the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test…

A study was undertaken to develop guidelines for the interpretation of the parameters of three multidimensional item response theory models and to determine the relationship between the parameters and traditional concepts of item difficulty and discrimination. The three models considered were multidimensional extensions of the one-, two-, and…

A common problem arises in scale transformation when independent estimates of item parameters from two separate data sets must be expressed in the same metric. These item parameter estimates will be different because the metric or scale defined by each independent calibration of the items is different. The problem is frequently confronted in…

The results of a survey questionnaire of all teaching faculty at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) were presented. The researchers were concerned with teacher-constructed classroom tests and the problems encountered in developing, administering, and grading them. The survey topics included: instructors' current test development…

The multilevel characteristics of test item data are considered as a method for examining the characteristics of standardized norm-referenced tests. A theoretical rationale for examining multilevel characteristics is presented. It can be used as an aid to understand why program and instructional effects on measures constructed from…

Following instructions provided in the teacher's manual, the SCOPE Mathematics Achievement Test booklet for grade 3 presents 11 mathematical concepts. Testing items include: skip counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's to 100, 3's to 30, and 4's to 40; writing number words to 20; identifying and naming 100's, 10's, and 1's in three-digit numerals; reading…

The SCOPE Mathematics Achievement Test booklet for grade 3-s contains the same testing items as the test booklet for grade 3. This booklet is more suitable for the more mature student; therefore, directions have been written to permit the student to take the test with little or no teacher direction. (ERB)

This document provides assistance to teachers who will present computer literacy courses established by the State Board of Education and required of all seventh and eight grade Texas students, beginning September 1, 1985, and to other educators responsible for teacher training. Designed to guide the teachers' training program, define the necessary…

An approach to improve the test-taking abilities of minority students, and especially college students, are discussed. The problem of lower performance of minorities on norm-referenced, standardized test is also considered. One approach to help improve students' scores on standardized tests is test-taking instruction and practice on simulated…

The test items in this booklet are sample life skill items representative of those found in the California Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Item Bank. The items are arranged in four sections--A, B, C, and D-- from easy to difficult. A four-digit coding system is used to define each item. The first digit represents the content area: consumer…

This document consists of test items which are applicable to biology courses throughout Australia (irrespective of course materials used); assess key concepts within course statement (for both core and optional studies); assess a wide range of cognitive processes; and are relevant to current biological concepts. These items are arranged under…

Intended for students taking the Grade 3 Language Arts Achievement Test in Alberta, Canada, this booklet contains the writing portion of the test, which requires the student to write an imaginative composition in response to a brief passage. The booklet contains space both for planning the composition and for writing the finished work. (EL)

A method for determining invariant item parameters is presented, along with a scheme for obtaining test scores which are interpretable in terms of a common metric. The method assumes a unidimensional latent trait and uses a three parameter normal ogive model. The assumptions of the model are explored, and the methods for calculating the proposed…