Current scoring procedures depend on unrealistic assumptions about subjects' performance on the rod-and-frame test. A procedure is presented which corrects for constant error, is sensitive to response strategy and consistency, and examines qualitative and quantitative aspects of performance and individual differences in laterality bias as defined…

Offers opposing views on the value of mass testing in English. (JL)

Reviews the literature concerning informal reading inventories and discusses a number of issues related to them, including question choice, scoring criteria, and allowable miscues. Offers guidelines for constructing and using the inventories. (FL)

Describes how the British use literature texts in the examination room. (HOD)

The attorney for the plaintiffs in Debra P. v. Turlington discusses the harmful effects and the arbitrary and unfair nature of minimum competency testing. (Author/WD)

An internal assessment scheme has replaced a practical examination, allowing teachers to make their own assessments of students' practical ability in advanced level biology. Discusses questions and problems teachers have with the scheme, including practicality, frequency/timing of assessment, how to assess, and teacher role. (Author/JN)

Multiple matrix sampling of items and examinees was applied to an 18-item rank order instrument administered to a randomly assigned group and compared to the ordering and ranking of all items by control subjects. High correlations between ranks suggest the methodology may viably reduce respondent effort on long rank ordering tasks. (Author/CM)

School psychologists must be aware of the influence of sociocultural and linguistic variables on the acquisition of reading skills when assessing reading problems in children from bilingual populations. Although the article deals primarily with Spanish speaking children, many of the considerations also apply to other minority language groups.…

Tested parochial school students with an examiner who wore a moderately proportioned gold cross, a gold Star of David, or no symbol. Results indicated scores varied as a function of the presence and type of symbol that was displayed. Discusses implications for practioners. (Author/JAC)

Three questions are discussed concerning this test: for what population is it appropriate; what is its purpose; and what are the qualifications required for proper administration and interpretation? It is concluded that it is a useful test, but caution is appropriate in answering the three questions. (CTM)

The author examines previous efforts to establish certifying examinations for high school students and their effects on curriculum and students, particularly minorities. Also, to introduce readers to the rest of this theme issue on testing, he briefly discusses test validity, cutoff scores, and effects on teachers. (SJL)

Standardized tests will continue to be useful tools in selective admissions, but auxiliary services of such agencies as the College Board, which allows persons to systematically plan, manage, and evaluate operations, may well be the means of survival in the 80s. (Author)

A defense is presented against the criticism that school psychologists who critically evaluate the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA) are biased (TM 504 174). (MH)

An item analysis profile sheet to accompany the Slosson Intelligence Test (SIT) is helpful in providing a functional test interpretation. The lack of recorded technical and statistical information is a serious concern. Without such information, a practitioner could not use the Item Analysis of SIT with confidence. (Author)

Contrary to expectations, none of the interactions was significant. Failure to replicate previous studies was attributed to control of examiner bias, superior statistical and experimental controls, and to differences in subject characteristics. The efficacy of modeling films was not conclusively demonstrated. (Author)