A study examined a paper-based method of testing in a clinical biochemistry course, part of a new modular, systems-oriented medical curriculum at the University of Otago (New Zealand). The method of assessment was found easy to administer, and students valued the quizzes as a stimulus to study and as feedback. (Author/MSE)

Compares science examination preferences of college students and faculty in Israel and the United States. Findings indicate that students prefer written exams in which time is unlimited and any materials are allowed. American students prefer traditional examinations more than their Israeli counterparts, and there exists significant differences…

Developed a method for evaluating cross-lingual equating and applied it to 12 forms of the Psychometric Entrance Test for admission to Israeli universities, a test translated from Hebrew into five languages. Discusses significance of the results and the differences between the two target-languages. (SLD)

Assessed predictive validity of telephone version of Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test in couples (N=120) who varied in marital happiness, social class, and other demographic characteristics. Found Locke-Wallace scores predictive of husband/wife marital adjustment scores and distressed/nondistressed marital status. (Author/CM)

Administered Peabody Mathematics Readiness Test to 325 students in kindergarten through second grade to investigate selected psychometric characteristics of the test. Found low item-to-item correlations; results did not support factor structure suggested by test's authors or proposed hierarchical structure. (Author/NB)

The retest stability of four Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) short forms (Kaufman, Ishikuma, and Kaufman-Packer; Reynolds, Wilson and Clark; Silverstein; Ward) was investigated with 61 subjects aged 75 to 87 years. Short form stability in each instance was comparable to that of the standard WAIS-R. (SLD)

Classically parallel, tau-equivalently parallel, and congenerically parallel models representing various degrees of part-test parallelism and their appropriateness for tests composed of multiple item formats are discussed. An appropriate reliability estimate for a test with multiple item formats is presented and illustrated. (SLD)

First-year college students (n=214) completed wellness instrument and were given number of physical tests including measures of body composition, cholesterol, blood pressure, and pulse rate. Found no significant relationships between specific paper-and-pencil physical scores and specific objective physiological indicators. When several wellness…

Developed interview-based Geriatric Depression Rating Scale (GDRS) and administered 35-item GDRS to 68 older adults with range of affective disturbance. Found scale to have internal consistency and split-half reliability comparable to those of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and Geriatric Depression Scale. Concurrent validity, construct…

Examined equivalence of mode of administration of the Career Decision-Making System, comparing paper-and-pencil version and computer-based version. Findings from 61 undergraduate students indicated that the computer-based version was significantly more reliable than paper-and-pencil version and was generally equivalent in other respects.…

Argues that multiple-choice tests can be effective only if the items are written in a format suitable for testing the mastery of specific instructional objectives. Proposes the use of nonrestrictive test items and cites examples of such items. (FL)

Two item-writing rules were tested: phrasing stems as questions versus partial sentences; and using the "none-of-the-above" option instead of a specific content option. Results with 228 college students do not support the use of either stem type and provide limited evidence to caution against the "none-of-the-above" option.…

The delta method was used to derive standard errors (SES) of the Levine observed score and Levine true score linear test equating methods using data from two test forms. SES derived without the normality assumption and bootstrap SES were very close. The situation with skewed score distributions is also discussed. (SLD)

The Satz-Mogel Abbreviation of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Revised (WAIS-R) was compared with a 7-subtest short form of 130 healthy and 40 neurologically impaired older adults. Both short forms were found similar for normal or impaired adults in comparison with the full WAIS-R. (SLD)

Suggests that performance tests as currently represented in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)-Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) may not adequately address the basic concerns brought about by the perceived shortcomings of academic second language programs. Supports this argument with a critical analysis of the ACTFL…