Reviews studies focusing on practical assessment in science. Areas considered include what students are really doing in laboratories, how practical skills should be assessed, methods used to assess practical science (such as internal/external examinations and continuous assessment), methodological issues, and reasons for the failure of some…

The use of reporting final examinations in the Netherlands is described. Each October a public report is published by Cito, supplying information about the achieved level of education and describing observed psychometric qualities of the measurement instrument. General information needs are provided by the National Bureau of Statistics. (LMO)

Compares instructions for taking a ninth-grade achievement test to the reality of the conditions in which the test was actually taken. (NKA)

Evaluates the utility of the Bannatyne recategorization of WISC-R subtest scores for diagnosing and prescribing instruction for reading/learning disabled children. Concludes that the use of such scores is not warranted. (FL)

This study examines a score-difference model for the detection of cheating based on the difference between two scores for an examinee: one based on the appropriate scoring key and another based on an alternative, inappropriate key. It argues that the score-difference method could falsely accuse students as cheaters. (Author/JAZ)

Commenting on the Gesell Institute's response to his original article concerning the Gesell assessments, Dr. Meisels continues to maintain that the Gesell readiness tests lack sufficient proof of validity. (BB)

Reports a quasi-experimental study involving an objective test that was intentionally mis-scored on the copies of the exam returned to students. Results showed that not all perceived errors were reported and that the decision to report errors appeared dependent on whether reporting was to the benefit of the student. (Author/JDH)

Although formal assessment of children with severe disabilities raises many problems of measurement, evaluation by "standard rulers" is still essential. This article examines the role of the school psychologist in the measurement process and identifies issues related to the assessment of developmentally disabled children. (Author/EGS)

In many African countries tests used as a selection examination for entrance to secondary and higher levels of education do not have content validity. The practices and problems of test development in Africa are discussed. The advantages of domain-referenced tests are examined. (RM)

An ethnographic study indicates that not all children's understanding of tests matches that of their teachers and their schools. Some testing problems experienced by minority children appear to relate to their lack of understanding or acceptance of tests as devices for judging personal success or failure in the classroom. (Author/GC)

It is argued that the tendency to omit items is a deviant response characteristic. Three studies using a self-actualization measure are outlined. Persons who omitted items did so because of fatigue, confusion with some items, unpreparedness to disclose information, and/or because they may not trust the researcher with certain information.…

A number of studies have found that essays are scored higher when preceded by poor quality scripts than when preceded by good quality scripts. This study investigated the effects of scoring procedures designed to reduce the influence of context. Context effects were found irrespective of the scoring procedure used. (Author/PN)

Reviews the Spadafore Diagnostic Reading Test, which is used to determine decoding and reading comprehension levels and to give detailed diagnostic information. Concludes that it is not an improvement on similar inventories published previously. (HOD)

Argues that when tests equate proficiency, competency, and literacy with writing academic essays, they maintain a severely understated and mistaken notion of what it means to write well and usefully and vigorously. (FL)

The computer assisted testing (CAT) program at Florida State University's Assessment Resource Center is described. Three measurement issues (test quality, confidence in mastery decisions, and maintenance of test validity) and two instructional design issues (quality of instructional objectives and extended feedback following testing) important for…