H. W. Marsh's monograph (1987) on students' evaluations of teaching effectiveness in higher education is summarized. The research, which emphasized the construct validity approach, led to the development of the Students' Evaluations of Educational Quality (SEEQ) instrument. Factor analysis resulted in identification of nine SEEQ factors--learning…

Classical measurement theory was used to investigate the measurement (psychometric) characteristics of both parts of the Finding Embedded Figures Test (FEFT) administered in either a "no guessing" supply format or a multiple-choice selection format to undergraduate college students or to middle school students. Three issues were…

The College Outcome Measures Program (COMP) and the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) examinations were evaluated as measures of the effectiveness of the general education program of the University of Tennessee (Knoxville). The criteria used to evaluate these examinations focused on their construct validity. The data were…

The Vocational Interest Survey (VIS) is a set of six questionnaire scales for measuring vocational interest. It is designed for Australian users and is consistent with Holland's theory that there are six basic career categories. This paper discusses the development of the VIS and presents some technical data on the questionnaires. Items were…

An instrument was developed to assess principal leadership. Two studies were then conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and utility of the instrument. Leadership style is the relative intensity of the presence of four modes of authority (traditional, charismatic, legal, and expert authority) and four modes of power (moral, psychological,…

The psychometric integrity of a measure of ecological stress in families with children who are handicapped was investigated using bootstrap factor analytic logic and the FACSTRAP program. The instrument is known as the Questionnaire on Resources and Stress--Friedrich short form. Subjects included both parents (N=132) in each of 66 intact families.…

Four major problem areas inhibit the standardized assessment of critical thinking (CT): (1) content validity; (2) construct validity; (3) technical jargon; and (4) background knowledge. Practical examples of framing multiple-choice items for assessment are suggested. In the area of content validity, new agreement about the definition of CT now…

The authors describe various methods of measuring a principal's leadership behavior. They have developed a new survey instrument that can be used to analyze the leadership behavior/style of a principal. The instrument consists of 49 positive and negative behaviors that measure how a principal interacts with staff in the following five leadership…

This study investigated the comparability of SAT Verbal and Mathematical scores for nonhandicapped examinees taking standard administrations and handicapped populations taking extended-time, special administrations. Results showed the two common-factor model to provide a reasonable fit in all populations with the mathematical factor fitting…

The present study contributes to knowledge of the construct validity of the short form of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (and by extension, given their similar content and psychometric properties, to the long form). The authors' research involves: (1) examining the psychometric properties of the TSES on a large sample of elementary, middle,…

The process of designing and validating a test of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) speaking skills is described. The study examined: (1) whether nine traits (pronunciation, grammar, discourse, fluency, content, vocabulary, comprehensibility, interactional competence, sociolinguistic competence) are relevant and separable parts of speaking…

The construct validity of 290 preadolescent children's responses to 3 instruments claiming to measure dimensions of self-concept was studied. Instruments administered to the fifth graders include the Self-Description Questionnaire; the Perceived Competence Scale; and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scales. (SLD)

Two studies developed and initially validated an instrument for measuring perceptions of teaching autonomy. Teachers at all grade levels were surveyed on teaching autonomy, then 20 refined items were administered to other teachers. Results yielded two factors that were internally consistent: general teaching autonomy and curricular autonomy. (SM)

Analyzed and validated revised versions of the 2000 Word Level and the University Word Level of Nation's Vocabulary Levels Test, which can be administered for course planning and placement in language programs. Japanese high school and university students (n=496) completed four forms of the 2000 Word Test, and 464 completed four forms of the…

The "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) Act has made schools accountable for assuring adequate yearly progress of students. Therefore, it has become critical to identify school-level variables that can be controlled to affect student achievement, especially given that, thus far, most school reform efforts have failed to significantly affect…