This paper reports progress in the development of a new Psychosocial Maturity Inventory. The subscales assess Self-reliance, Work Orientation, and Identity--theoretically, aspects of Individual Adequacy; Communication Skills, Knowledge of Major Roles, and Enlightened Trust--conceptualized as aspects of Interpersonal Adequacy; and Social…

The nature and purpose of criterion-referenced testing is discussed in light of test design procedures. It is seen that the uses to which test results are put are the chief determiners of the appropriate measurement model. A distinction is made between cut-off scores, criterion scores, and mastery scores. The value of certain test construction…

The development and evaluation of an interactive computer-based administration and scoring program for the Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT) is discussed. A computer program successfully developed for administering and scoring the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale is cited to support the feasibility of developing this proposed SIT program. Testing,…

A flexilevel test is found to be inferior to a peaked conventional test for measuring examinees in the middle of the ability range, superior for examinees at the extremes. Throughout the entire range of ability, a flexilevel test is much superior to any conventional test that attempts to provide accurate measurement at both extremes. See also ED…

The adequacy of using a combination of criterion-scaled non-school variables to predict achievement score means of schools is discussed. Non-school data gathered on eighth-grade students were criterion-scaled, using the total score of the Metropolitan Achievement Test. Eight non-school category scores and actual achievement scores of selected…

These trial examinations in handicrafts for certification in secondary education in England are similar to previously published trial examinations in religious knowledge, experimental exams, and the place of the personal topic in history. Half of the booklet deals with (1) the trial examination's history and description, (2) details of the…

The Answer-Until-Correct (AUC) procedure has been proposed in order to increase the reliability of multiple-choice items. A model for examinees' behavior when they must respond to each item until they answer it correctly is presented. An expression for the reliability of AUC items, as a function of the characteristics of the item and the scoring…

The purpose of this study was to determine if correlations among student ratings items designed to be diagnostic could be lowered through use of special instructions to raters. The authors argue that the lowering of inter-item correlations is indicative of a reduction of the halo effect which leads to greater item diagnosticity. The experimental…

Instructors answered questions indicating personal warmth, professorial rank, years of teaching experience, sex, and class size. Students completed the Instructional Improvement Questionnaire. The classes which received high ratings were small in size, were taught by instructors who rated themselves as warm, and had students who expected high…

Under given conditions, conventional testing and computer-generated repeatable testing (CGRT) are equally effective for estimating examinee ability; CGRT is more effective for estimating the mean ability level of a group and less effective for estimating ability differences among individuals. These conclusion are drawn from domain-referenced test…

This article discusses the application of the Golden Rule procedure to items of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Using item response theory, the analyses indicate that the Golden Rule procedures are ineffective in detecting biased items and may undermine the reliability and validity of tests. (Author/JAZ)

An effort to operationalize the logic of confidence construct is described that uses item development, factor analysis, and reliability and validity tests. Data from public school and higher education teachers indicate correlations for teacher logic of confidence, status obeisance, professional zone of acceptance, and autonomy. (TJH)

Multiple-choice reading comprehension items from a conventional, norm-referenced reading comprehension test were successfully analyzed using a simple latent class model. Results support the use of latent class, state mastery models with more heterogenous item pools than has been previously advocated. (Author/PN)

While the total market in educational construction is static at 9.7 billion dollars, spending patterns changed during 1983, with more money spent on rehabilitating existing buildings than on new construction. Seven tables provide a regional breakdown of completed and ongoing construction expenditures. (TE)

Teacher-selected test level resulted in: (1) most Educable Mentally Retarded students tested responding above chance levels on all subtests of the Metropolitan Achievement Test, (2) reliability coefficients comparable to those of the standardization sample, and (3) moderate to high positive point-biserial correlations for all subtest-level…