Correctional officers (176 of 344 sampled) completed a task inventory that included 5 bogus tasks in a false reporting index. Degree of false report was related to the type of rating scale used. Overall, 45% indicated they performed tasks that were not part of the job. (SK)

Comprehensive academic achievement tests are routinely used by school psychologists in psycho-educational assessment batteries to identify learning disabled students. A variety of assessment measures are used across age groups to determine if a discrepancy exists between academic achievement and intellectual functioning; however, among the most…

In some situations where reliability must be estimated it is impossible to divide the measuring instrument into more than two separately scoreable parts. In such a case, neither Cronbach's coefficient alpha nor Kristof's three-part approach are satisfactory. A technique is developed for estimating reliability in such situations. (Author/BJG)

The purpose of this essay is to describe the principles of educational measurement proposed by B. Wood during the 1920s in his dissertation, written under the direction of E. L. Thorndike, and later published as "Measurement in Higher Education" (1923). These principles were selected because they illustrate one of the earliest and most complete…

A discussion of how informal interviews could replace most psychological testing of children. (HB)

THE PAPER REPORTS ON AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE EMPIRICALLY, FOR SEVERAL TEST-CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS, THE AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENT RESULTING WHEN TESTS ARE TAILORMADE TO FIT ONE PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTIC OF A LOCAL POPULATION--THE BASE RATES OF THE TWO CRITERION GROUPS WHICH THE TEST IS DESIGNED TO SEPARATE. THE BASIC PROCEDURE USED WAS TO CONSTRUCT A…

Six fundamental public misconceptions about tests are discussed: (1) the view of tests as infallible, objective predictors of behavior versus the view of tests as completely without value; (2) the lack of understanding concerning pyschometric characteristics of tests; (3) the confusion between labels and constructs; (4) the belief that all the…

TEST WISENESS ABILITIES ON PERSONALITY SCALES WERE MEASURED BY SPECIALLY DEVELOPED INSTRUMENTS. THE FOUR TEST-WISENESS VARIABLES WERE--(1) ESTIMATING DESIRABILITY (ACCURACY IN ESTIMATING THE DESIRABILITY OF PERSONALITY ITEMS), (2) ESTIMATING COMMUNALITY (ACCURACY IN ESTIMATING THE COMMUNALITY OF ITEMS), AND (3) ABILITY TO IDENTIFY ITEMS…

Trait adjectives have both evaluative and denotative meanings. Evaluation of a trait varies with the context of other traits attributed to the person. The meaning-change interpretation suggests that denotative change in trait meaning underlies evaluative change. The evaluative-halo interpretation attributes context effects of single trait ratings…

Five guidelines to be used when testing black students are: (1) know the goals of testing, (2) select appropriate tests, (3) gain competency in test administration and interpretation, (4) be aware of contextual and situational factors in learning, and (5) evaluate non-test variables. (Author/AM)

G. Burket's criticisms regarding calculation and interpretation of group scores on norm-referenced tests are discussed. Burket and Baglin seem to agree on the existence of a problem in the calculation and interpretation of group scores on norm-referenced tests but disagree on the issue of that problem's causes and solutions. (TJH)

Protocols of 327 students referred for possible special education services were examined using brief forms of the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. The authors concluded that brief forms of the WISC-R should be avoided; however, if a brief form is necessary, K. Hobby's split-half technique is recommended. (Author/CL)

Analysis of comparisons of subtest scores of 76 students (grades two - six) on the Peabody Individual Achievement Test and the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests revealed that, although correlations for the total group were highly significant in both comparisons, a grade level analysis demonstrated wide variability in results. (CL)