In this study, the ability of test development staff to predict the difficulty of analogy items was explored. The nature of the item attributes that contributed to test writers' predictions of difficulty as well as actual item difficulty was also investigated. The two expert test writers studied were quite good at predicting item difficulty. Item…

The Adolescent Coping Scale (E. Frydenberg and R. Lewis, 1993) (ACS), developed in the Australian context, has been used widely since 1993 as an instrument to measure coping. Studies to date have published data highlighting the relationship between variables such as age, ethnicity, gender, attitudes and achievement, and coping. In doing so, they…

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…

This paper presents two general approaches to the assessment of knowledge structures, the first of which entails the building of empirical evidence to support cognitive theory. This type of assessment is concerned with attempting to prove the existence of various knowledge structures; that is, evidence that leads to the construct validity of these…

Examines construct validity from the perspectives of phenomenology and ethnographic research, critical theory, the interpretive analytics of Foucault, and the deconstructive criticism of Derrida. Concludes that construct validation is a pragmatic and critical activity. (FMW)

Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test Fiedler's contingency model of leader effectiveness, which characterizes leaders as either task-oriented or motivated by successful interpersonal relations. Results using undergraduate students had negative implications for the validity of the model and the Least Preferred Coworker Scale. (GDC)

A job satisfaction questionnaire was completed by 4,130 exempt and non-exempt employees of a computer company. Results supported test reliability and validity and suggested exempt employees were more satisfied. Satisfaction with the nature of work and satisfaction with pay and working conditions were the most important facets. (GDC)

Conducted meta-analysis with 23 studies to assess relationship between supervisory ratings and results-oriented measures of performance. Corrected mean correlation was higher when relative (versus absolute) rating format was used and when composite (versus overall) rating method was used. Differences did not account for all remaining variance…

This paper examines the validity of measures of teacher effectiveness from the Tennessee Value Added Assessment System (TVAAS). It considers the following claims regarding teacher effects: (1) they capture teachers' unique contributions to student learning adequately; (2) they reflect adequate standards of excellence for comparing teachers; (3)…

This follow up study is in response to Miller, Fleming, and Brown-Andersons (1998) study of ethnic differences between Caucasians and African-Americans where the authors suggested that the Spiritual Well-Being (SWB) Scale may need to be interpreted differently depending on ethnicity. In this study, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted for…

The purpose of this study was to validate the Louisiana SAM Instructional Staff Questionnaire, a key component of the Louisiana School Analysis Model. The model was designed as a comprehensive evaluation tool for schools. Principle axis factoring with oblique rotation was used to uncover the underlying structure of the SISQ. (Contains 1 table.)

Accurate personality assessment of youngsters is complex because thorough assessment involves much more than direct assessment of the child. To better understand this challenge, two omnibus instruments for child-personality assessment--the Tell-Me-A-Story (TEMAS) and the Behavior Assessment System for Children Self-Report of Personality (BASC…

Several analyses of the construct validity of the fourth-grade, eighth-grade, and commencement-level English and Mathematics examinations of New York state were performed. The analyses present construct and differential construct elaboration both across tests and within tests. Results show strong relationships among different question types,…

This paper describes the development and construct validation of a new instrument of teacher efficacy, the Sources of Self-Efficacy Inventory (SOSI), which was created to address shortcomings in previous measures that purported to measure this construct. Development of the SOSI was based on a model of teacher efficacy posited by M.…

Investigated the reliability- and criterion-related validity of 11 curriculum-based measures of early academic skills. Analysis of 30 first-grade students suggest that some measures displayed better reliability and validity than others. Discusses the measures' practical utility in light of their technical characteristics and the need for further…