An analysis of the skills necessary for performance on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) tends to support the view that there are important, although subtle, secondary dimensions present in the test. This research explored the feasibility of an item response theory (IRT) based method of modeling examinee performance on these…

Two recent simulation studies were conducted to aid in the diagnosis and interpretation of equating differences found between random and matched (nonrandom) samples for four commonly used equating procedures: (1) Tucker; (2) Levine equally reliable; (3) Chained equipercentile observed-score; and (4) three-parameter, item response theory true-score…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a congressionally mandated project of the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. It assesses what students in the United States should know and be able to do in geography, reading, writing, mathematics, science, U.S. history, the arts, civics, and other…

Two studies among U.S. college students (n=88 and n=329) examined the relationships between the order in which responses are offered on a questionnaire and the ranked importance of those responses. Study 1 included 36 males and 52 females, and Study 2 included 127 males and 202 females. Both studies found that approximately one-third (32 percent…

In many cross-cultural research studies, assessment instruments are translated or adapted for use in multiple languages. However, it cannot be assumed that different language versions of an assessment are equivalent across languages. A fundamental issue to be addressed is the comparability or equivalence of the construct measured by each language…

The Reading Framework for the 1992 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) contains the rationale for the aspects of reading assessed in 1992 and criteria for development of the assessment. Developed through a national consensus process as a part of an effort to move assessment forward, the framework presented in the booklet is more…

The decision of whether to use essay tests or multiple choice tests depends on several qualifiers related to the different characteristics of the tests and the needs of the situation. The most important qualifier involves matching the type of test to the instructional objectives being tested, with multiple choice tests being used to measure a…

A study was conducted to compare the results of three test formats in relation to assessing the depth of vocabulary knowledge of fourth-grade students. Students (117) were tested on their knowledge of the primary and secondary meanings of 44 multimeaning words using multiple-choice, yes/no, and interview formats. Information on the test-taking…

The fact sheet focuses on considerations when testing adaptations are needed, provides some facts about disability, and identifies a variety of adaptations of testing procedures which have been developed and successfully used in schools, vocational training programs, and on college campuses. Testing adaptations are discussed in terms of disability…

The present study involved the testing of two common multiple-choice item writing rules. A recent review of research revealed that much of the advice given for writing multiple-choice test items is based on experience and wisdom rather than on empirical research. The rules assessed in this study include: (1) the phrasing of the stem in the form of…

Preliminary findings concerning crib card examinations, in which students bring their own notes for use during testing, show that while crib card test results were similar to those from traditional examinations, students' anxiety was reduced, and testing time was saved, claims that the cards may enhance learning were not substantiated. (MSE)

Discusses design, development, and evaluation of scales used in counseling psychology research. Describes methods of scale construction including the Thurstone, Q-sort, rank-order methods, Likert, semantic differential, Guttman, Rasch, and external criterion methods. Presents ways of evaluating newly developed scales. Discusses measurement versus…

The effects of examination format and previous experience with microcomputers on the test scores of 96 undergraduate students were investigated. Results indicated no significant differences in the scores obtained on the two types of test administration (microcomputer and traditional paper and pencil). Computer experience was not an important…

Two tests were administered to 652 students to investigate the effect of structuring questions about the mole. A third test was administered to see whether each step/operation was intrinsically difficult or if it was only difficult when part of a series of steps/operations. Findings are reported and discussed. (JN)

Addresses the four questions raised by Yelon about use of pretests with instruction--should I pretest; on what should I pretest; how should I pretest; how should I adjust to results--and answers them from the perspective of instructional designers conducting formative evaluations to improve quality of instruction under development. (MBR)