Eight cloze passages were analyzed for the text quantity required to cue closure and the linguistic category of the deleted word. The results indicate that standard fixed-ratio cloze procedures are not erratic in their selection of item types and are generally consistent in the ways they measure language knowledge and comprehension. (36…

Notes that the third edition of the Burns/Roe Informal Reading Inventory takes less time to administer. Reports an absence of data on the inventory's reliability. Concludes that if used to study, evaluate, or diagnose reading behaviors, the Burns and Roe IRI could be a popular and valuable tool. (RS)

Explains Subkoviak's method for estimating alternate-form reliability from one administration of a criterion-referenced test and describes computer program that handles tests for large number of examinees and allows application of Subkoviak's technique. Concludes that program is superior to other methods since user can directly check…

Reviews the fourth edition of the Analytic Reading Inventory (ARI). Notes the addition of suggestions for diagnostic interpretation and teacher interpretations. Finds the ARI to be a convenient yet reliable diagnostic tool. (RS)

From published data on the Wechsler subtest performance of mild and borderline mentally retarded persons, 4,304 protocols from 4,004 individuals were collated and their subtest patterns on other Wechsler instruments were compared. Results indicate that mildly retarded groups tend to score lower on subtests that better measure general intelligence.…

Examined temporal stability of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) for adolescents (N=155) identified as either educable mentally retarded (EMR) or learning disabled (LD). Found three major scales of WISC-R to be more stable over three-year period for LD than for EMR group, while subtest scales for EMR group showed greater…

Reliability and validity of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Scale, a measure developed for adults, were studied for adolescents using a sample of 223 adolescents ages 12 to 18, from community and clinical sources. Results demonstrate that the instrument is a reliable and valid measure of social phobia for adolescents. (SLD)

The accuracy of diagnosing hypothyroidism in 160 adults with Down syndrome was examined. A significant association between a clinical diagnosis of hypothyroidism and increasing age was found but no significant association was found between a clinical and a biochemical diagnosis. Regular biochemical screening is recommended. (Author/SW)

Describes the Yopp-Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation, which provides teachers with a tool for assessing children's phonemic awareness and identifying children who may experience difficulty in reading and spelling. Offers evidence of its reliability and validity, and discusses its use. (SR)

Thirty-two preschool children were administered the Cognitive Levels Test (CLT) to evaluate its temporal stability and concurrent validity. Results indicated good temporal stability for the CLT-Cognitive Index and high correlations between the CLT-Cognitive Index and the Stanford-Binet: Fourth Edition. (Author/JDD)

Conducted two studies to examine relationship commitment, considered as two constructs (personal dedication and constraint commitment). Developed Commitment Inventory and administered initial inventory to 141 subjects (Study 1) and revised inventory to 279 subjects (Study 2). Demonstrated that Commitment Inventory shows promise as reliable and…

Presents an overview of the CLUES (also known as the CL7) instrument. Discusses the instrument's reliability and validity and its application to organizational communication research. Suggests that the instrument demonstrates unidimensionality in low-context cultures, high reliability, and known validity in a wide array of relational types. (RS)

As the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator becomes increasingly popular as a management and training tool, criticisms of its reliability, validity, and effectiveness have arisen. Some critics see it as a way of giving people type-based excuses for substandard performance. Proponents claim it can match people with a congruent job better than any other…

Describes a dozen ways in which reading tests are at variance in their demands with the demands of reading as it occurs in everyday life. Suggests that these sources of variance render reading tests considerably less valid as measures of real world reading behavior than most people want to believe. (RS)

A Bayesian alternative to interpretations based on classical reliability theory is presented. Procedures are detailed for calculation of a posterior score and credible interval with joint consideration of item sample and occasion error. (Author/SLD)