This article lists a series of ten defects that account for most of the inaccuracies in achievement tests. (Author/AM)

A method of estimating item characteristic functions is proposed, in which a set of test items, whose operating characteristics are known and which give a constant test information function for a wide range of ability, are used. The method is based on maximum likelihood estimation procedures. (Author/JKS)

Described in the follow up report of the Preschool Behavioral Classification Project (PBCP) is the development of the PBCP instrument, a measure designed to evaluate dimensions of behavior exhibited by children with emotional difficulties. (SBH)

Explores the testing technique of practical extemporaneous speech finals for students enrolled in the fundamentals course and emphasizes the objectives, procedures and evaluation criteria for such an approach. (MH)

Takahiro Sato, a Japanese engineer, has developed a method to study the composition of an objective test by finding out how individual students are responding to the test's items and by summarizing this information in a single index. The Student-Problem Chart is discussed. (MLW)

Training in tests and measures and attitudes toward testing were related to teacher's use of tests. Results support the contention that teacher's use tests extensively, but that they do not produce high quality tests. Results are discussed in terms of curriculum changes. (RB)

Opportunity to Learn (OTL) is a composite variable investigated in an international study of achievement in mathematics. OTL was measured by the teachers' perception of their students' opportunity to learn the specific math concepts on the test used in the study. (RB)

Drew from the occupational prestige literature in describing the development of prestige estimates for occupations contained in the Minnesota Occupational Classification System III (MOCS III). Results provided estimates for 60 occupations and a comparison of prestige scores for eight benchmark occupations. Devised equation for estimating…

A test on child development and parenting knowledge (with accompanying cassette) was developed and field tested with mildly mentally handicapped secondary students. (CL)

Describes the Waring Intimacy Questionnaire (WIQ) a 90-item, true-false questionnaire developed to measure the quantity and quality of marital intimacy. Eight facets of intimacy are measured: affection, cohesion, conflict resolution, compatability, expressiveness, sexuality, autonomy, and identity. Reliability and validity data are presented. (JAC)

Six guidelines for designing an instrument to measure creativity are presented with a focus on the psychometric and definitional concerns. The Detroit Public School Creative Product Scales is described as a possible approach for measuring creativity. (Author)

Discusses the developmental and testing of an instrument to evaluate secondary school reading programs. Presents the instrument. (FL)

The maximum incorporation of computer coding into an instrument is recommended to reduce errors in coding information from questionnaires. Specific suggestions for guiding the precoding process for response options, numeric identifiers, and assignment of card columns are proposed for mainframe computer data entry. (BS)

Chemical engineering students were required to create an open-book final examination and to include questions reflecting analytical, synthetic (creative), and evaluative skills. Rationale for the assignment, sample student responses, and how the technique might be profitably adapted to any course on any subject are discussed. (JN)

Numerous short forms of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory have been proposed in the last 15 years. In each case, the initial enthusiasm has been replaced by the questions about the clinical utility of the abbreviated version. Argues that the statistical properties of the test and reduced reliability due to shortening the scales…