Examines the legal issues concerning (1) cultural bias in educational tests; (2) the validity of employment tests; and (3) the disclosure of test materials. Discusses the legal interpretations of psychometric concepts that have arisen from recent litigation. (Author/GC)

The present social and political climate is marked by an increasing appreciation of human diversity and of society's need to accommodate such diversity. The social context for testing is thus fundamentally different from that in which standardized testing developed. Testing should now be more concerned with facilitating equal opportunity.…

Evaluates three strategies for controlling input-level ability differences in research utilizing ability test performance for evaluating school effectiveness: (1) longitudinal, predetermined ability measures; (2) cross-sectional, endogenous ability measures; and (3) socioeconomic measures as proxies for ability. (Author/GC)

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) was administered to (N=72) elementary school children. Compared three methods of pretest rapport establishment for each of two age groups. Results found no significant differences on WISC-R scores as a result of the interaction of age and familiarity conditions. (Author)

Responds to the Nader report on the Educational Testing Service authored by Nairn. Major themes of the nine chapters of the report are addressed. The last sections provide comment on the responses of the Educational Testing Service. (RC)

Although agreeing that the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA) has an important purpose, the author questions some perceived weaknesses: test validity; medical model measures; sociocultural scales; estimated learning potential (ELP); and the incompleteness of SOMPA manauls for use in evaluating the system. (See also TM 504 174).…

Presents a critical overview of educational screening devices and the means by which they should be judged. Topics discussed include estimates regarding the extent to which school readiness tests are used, objectives of screening, effectiveness of educational screening, defining the at-risk population, measurement problems, and measures for…

Compares motor and cognitive skills of learning disabled and normal boys on the Modified Lincoln-Oberetsky Motor Development Scale and on the WISC-R Vocabulary and Block Design subtests. Suggests a common factor relating to perceptual-motor coordination and efficiency may be involved on the Lincoln-Oberetsky and Block Design subtest for young…

The advantages of interim tests in an undergraduate psychology course for diagnostic purposes are described. A discussion of assigning relative weight to interim test performance as compared with final examination performance is presented. (Author/DB)

The author gives several reasons for students' varying abilities to take tests, then discusses how to write tests of different forms--essay questions, true-false questions, matching questions, completion questions--noting that the teacher who spends time writing good items will save time and effort in scoring. (HD)

Levels of concept acquisition interms of attribute perception were examined for 20 different chemical concepts featuring in GCE O-level school chemistry courses. (Editor)

Describes a pencil-and-paper examination procedure that simulates the use of the computer for the evaluation of student performance in graduate research methods courses. Using this simulation, the examination can be administered in regular classrooms without the availability of computers. Includes a copy of the midterm examination. (Author/PEN)

The concept of consequential validity wrongly links the idea of the consequences of test use with the idea of validity, widely held to be rooted in the accuracy of inferences drawn from examinees' test performances. The reification of consequential validity can distract from a needed clarity about test use consequences. (SLD)

Calculated year-1 to year-2 stability of assessment data from 21 states and 2 Canadian provinces. The median stability coefficient was 0.78 in mathematics and reading, and lower in writing. A stability coefficient of 0.80 is recommended as the standard for large-scale assessments of student performance. (SLD)

Investigates the reading process as it pertains to readers taking the Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) assessment. Examines this process through analyses of readers' eye movements. Concludes that the DRP is not an accurate measure, or even a modest approximation of, the reading comprehension process. (SG)