Investigates the reliability and validity of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Presents evidence illustrating the potential for considerable inequity: LSAT scores appear to be influenced both by the version of the exam taken and by the presence or absence of short-term coaching. (SK)

Examines the test results of the Spanish McCarthy and the Spanish SESAT for two groups (50 children in Puerto Rico and 50 Puerto Rican children in Lancaster, PA) in order to determine if the Spanish version of the McCarthy provides a reliable and valid measure of the abilities of Spanish-speaking children. (EKN)

The psychometric properties of a revised version of Holland's Vocational Preference Inventory were assessed using federal government employees. Factor analyses, interscale correlations, measures of internal consistency, and criterion group profiles are presented. Evidence was supportive of the validity of the revised form. (Author/BW)

A 75-item instrument was developed to assess high school students' attitudes toward work. Fifteen scales were derived. Analysis of responses from 1,035 students showed high reliabilities. Group differences based on age, sex, previous work experiences, and vocational ambitions lent support to the validity of the scales. (Author/CM)

Validation studies of the initial group inventory for finding interests (GIFFI) I and II were carried out with 1,024 students (grades 6-12). Internal consistency, reliability, and validity of the scales, which measure personality and biographical characteristics associated with creativity were substantiated. (CL)

Corman and Escalona's scales for Object Permanence and Spatial Relationships were administered to 98 severely and profoundly retarded children on three occasions, with intervals of six months between successive administrations. The findings demonstrated the high stability of the scales when environmental conditions are themselves highly stable.…

To determine if the observed correlation between two variables can be "explained" by a third variable, a significance test on the partial correlation coefficient is often used. This can be misleading when the third variable is measured with error. This article shows how the problem can be partially overcome. (Author/BW)

The Test of Logical Thinking was designed to measure five modes of formal reasoning: controlling variables, proportional reasoning, combinatorial reasoning, probabilistic reasoning, and correlational reasoning. Analysis of data from students, grades 6-16 indicated high test reliability and confirmed that the test measures one underlying dimension,…

Results indicated that the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale demonstrates both convergent and discriminant validity in an assessment of a relatively stable and internally consistent construct. (Author/BW)

The Serlin-Kaiser procedure is used to complete a principal components solution for scoring weights for all options of a given item. Coefficient alpha is maximized for a given multiple choice test. (Author/GK)

The Nonsexist Personal Attribute Inventory for Children (NPAIC) was administered along with the Piers-Harris scale to children in fifth through eighth grade. A correlation of .49 was found between the two scales. The NPAIC was found to be a reliable, valid self-concept scale for females and males. (Author/GK)

Found good to excellent stability for the eight most used scales of the Pleasant Events Schedule across time periods of one, two, and three months. Analyses showed that the items and scales generally possess acceptable levels of reliability and concurrent, predictive, and construct validity. (Author/RC)

The reliability and validity of chance-level scores should be investigated. Only a careful examination of such scores can suggest whether they are likely to reflect random responding or to represent a reasonable estimate of an examinee's ability. (Author/RL)

Students who meet with repeated failure at the beginning of a test are likely to lose motivation to continue to interact with each item. Therefore, it seems better to recommend testing out-of-level for those students scoring at or below the chance score mean. (RL)

When a test is made to separate a group into two distinct subgroups, as well as to provide an estimate of the mean performance of one subgroup (or both of them), such estimates will be biased due to the unreliability of the test. Suggestions for corrective procedures are presented. (RL)