Greater understanding of language and social forces constraining language performance has complicated the view of language as a code and the learner as an object to be conditioned. Serious questions arise, then, regarding effective testing of linguistic/communicative competence and the use of test results for educational decision making.…

An intelligence model of processes and content of thought is proposed. Processes include remembering, evaluating, generating, and transforming, while content is self, forms, ideas, and persons, determining levels of complexity for learning. The TETRA model is compared with J.P. Guilford's aptitude structure of intellect. Theory implications for…

Concludes that the rhetorical specification approach to developing essay examination topics (giving writers information about the purpose of a composition, its audience, speaker, and subject) may not be the best way to elicit good writing. (JL)

For tests used to make pass/fail decisions, the relevant standard error of measurement (SEM) is the SEM at the passing score. If the test is highly stratified, this SEM should be estimated by a split-halves approach. A formula and its derivation are provided. (Author)

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which Crockett's Role Category Questionnaire (RCQ) is confounded by verbal ability. Participants included 285 undergraduates from a large southern university. The results show the RCQ to be independent of the verbal abilities measures. (Author/BW)

The history of test development and the current controversy over standardized testing are reviewed. The consequences of testing, particularly for minority groups, are outlined, and criticism of some viewpoints of professors Robert Ebel and Melvin Tumin is made. (Author/AL)

The emphasis placed on test scores in college admissions is discussed. The need for colleges to periodically analyze and define their admissions policy is recommended. (Author/AL)

The impact of self-regulation by testing professionals on test quality is discussed. Public attitudes toward testing, particularly with respect to college admissions, are outlined. Consequences of regulation be legislation of admissions testing are presented. (Author/AL)

The author looks at assessment of learning from an epistemological point of view, considering these questions: Is it possible to claim knowledge that someone has learned something? Can such claims be regarded as objective? Is self-assessment possible? Can all types of learning be assessed? (Author/SJL)

This review considers the treatment given by four recent educational measurement texts to these six current issues in testing: criterion v norm-referenced tests; accountability; test bias and cultural fairness; the impact of testing on student self-esteem and motivation; privacy; and errors in measurement. (SJL)

Presents a variety of issues and opinions related to competency testing in industry and business. Calls on professional, public, and legislative groups to act to influence public policy on the use of tests. (HLM)

Item-response changing as a function of test anxiety was investigated. Data supported the hypothesis that high test-anxious students make more item-response changes than low test-anxious students. Also, both high- and low-anxious students profit to a similar extent proportionally from answer changing. (Author/GK)

The majority of autistic children in this study were able to (1) solve learning set, matching learning set, and conditional matching learning set tasks; (2) acquire set; and (3) perform these tasks without differing significantly from performance of matched control subjects. (Author/DB)

A response to the criticism directed to Yap's causal analysis in the preceding article, "On the Determination of Causal Ordering between Vocabulary and Comprehension." (HOD)

Discusses the cultural limits to certainty of measurement and assessment claims about reading and examines some examples of classroom reading lessons. (Author/MLF)