Methods of estimating the standard error at different ability levels were compared. Overall, it was found that at a given ability level the standard errors calculated using different formulas are not appreciably different. Further, for most situations the traditional method of calculating a standard error probably provides sufficient precision.…

Addresses issues of internal and external validity in the Miner et al. motivation to manage research. Discusses difficulties with the scoring manual, possible sex bias in the Miner Sentence Completion Scale, and the fact that Miner's thesis rests on comparisons with a single sample from a single university. (BH)

Reports a quasi-experimental study involving an objective test that was intentionally mis-scored on the copies of the exam returned to students. Results showed that not all perceived errors were reported and that the decision to report errors appeared dependent on whether reporting was to the benefit of the student. (Author/JDH)

Test development procedures and six methods for determining cut-off scores are briefly described. An alternate method, appropriate when the test developer also determines the cut-off score, is suggested. Unlike other methods, the standard is set during the test development stage. Its computations are intelligible to nonstatistically-oriented…

This study explores the relative merits of a potentially useful item response theory (IRT) linking design: using a single set of anchor items with fixed common item parameters (FCIP) during the calibration process. An empirical study was conducted to investigate the appropriateness of this linking design using 6 groups of students taking 6 forms…

Structural equation modeling (SEM) attempts to remove the negative influence of measurement error and allows for investigation of relationships at the level of the underlying constructs of interest. SEM has been regarded as a "large sample" technique since its inception. Recent developments in SEM, some of which are currently available…

The visual imagery of kindergarten, third, and sixth graders was tested via a continuous visual recognition test in which subjects were to identify repeated pictures of familiar and nonsense objects. (Editor)

Discusses the different strategies employed by three practical nonmetric multidimensional scaling algorithms using Monte Carlo techniques. (Author/RK)

Article concerns the criticism of an earlier article in this journal written by Professor Donald K. Darnell which focused on the direction the study of communication is taking. (RK)

This paper describes quantitative tests which show the sophisticated-guessing model to be better than the criterion bias model in its ability to predict the outcome of certain kinds of recognition experiments. (Author/RK)

Study compares the Rasch and the Guttman models of measurement and thus adds to the description of the characteristics of Rasch's logistic model. Such knowledge is of importance in making decisions as to which model and which statistics should be used in evaluations of tests. (Author/CB)

In this comment a recent attempt by Samuel A. Livingston to develop a theory of reliability for criterion-referenced measures is critiqued. For Livingston's rejoinder see TM 500 560. (Authors/MB)

The unique conceptual framework and language of generalizability theory are presented. While this chapter is relevant to any area in which generalizability theory is applicable, it emphasizes evaluation research, and most examples come from that area. (Author/PN)