In recent years academics have commonly bemoaned the lack of essay-writing ability exhibited by their students. Whether or not the halcyon era in which undergraduates routinely knew how to construct a persuasive essay ever truly existed, it is certainly the case that contemporary students can benefit from advice on preparation of a long-format…

The purpose of this document is to provide teachers, administrators, students, and parents with samples of students' performances that exemplify standards in relation to the 1993 Grade 9 Science Performance-Based Assessment Tasks for the province of Alberta, Canada. A sample of 698 randomly selected students from 31 schools did the…

This report describes an experiment in constructed response testing undertaken in conjunction with the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). Constructed response questions are those that require students to produce their own response rather than selecting the correct answer from several options. Participants in this experiment…

This practice test for the Ohio Ninth-grade Proficiency Tests consists of items similar to those that appear on the proficiency test. The writing section contains a prompt that asks the student to write about a hero or heroine. The reading test contains questions based on four reading selections and other reading skill questions not based on a…

Results from an ongoing series of studies designed to describe changes in students' self-assessments across time are presented. In these studies, medical students predicted their performance on essay examinations in their first 2 years of medical school. Self-assessment is a valuable skill for clinical practice, and the importance of knowing what…

This science test was intended for administration during June, 1989. It contains 75 multiple-choice questions. Ninety minutes are allowed for completing the test. No answer key is included since scoring is done by the provincial education department. The test is provided in both English and French. (YP)

This study investigates the extent of participation in science learning activities of rural students and their science achievement compared to students in other schools based on 1982 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data. The students living in extreme rural America have less opportunity to learn science than their large city…

In recognition of the vital role socio-cultural variables play in science classrooms, researchers are now beginning to call attention to, and encourage serious considerations of the socio- cultural background of pupils which affect their learning and understanding of science. An effective point to begin the empirical study of socio-cultural…

This book focuses on the use of common, everyday materials, some of which can be obtained easily for use in hands-on-science activities. Major emphasis is placed on starter activities designed to prompt children to ask "why" or "what would happen if" type questions about science events. This guide aims to meet the need for actively involving…

Describes the practical workup of a multiple choice examination system in electrical engineering. Discusses some of the pedagogical advantages obtained by statistical handling of the data. Provides some examples of items. (TW)

Analyzes an old chemistry examination that was given to a college chemistry class in 1984. Contrasts several of the examination's features against most modern ones. Notes the emphasis on observable properties and the practical applications of substances. Argues that the newer examinations may stress too much theory and don't stress communication…

The paper considers the main results and some educational implications of the TIMSS 2003 assessment conducted in Serbia in the fields of the science achievement of Serbian eighth grade students and the science curriculum context of their achievement. There were 4264 students in the sample. It was confirmed that Serbian eighth graders had made…

The results from the third administration of the 8th and 11th grade science and social studies portions of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) represent an important step in Delawares efforts to educate all students to a higher level. Science and social studies data for grades 8 and 11 are summarized here, and the results for grades 4 and…

This report contains the results from the first administration of the 8th and 11th grade science and social studies portions of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). As such, they are an important part of the state's efforts to educate all students to a higher level. Science and social studies data for grades 8 and 11 are summarized here;…

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has launched the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to monitor the outcomes of education systems in terms of student achievement and within an internationally accepted framework. The frameworks and assessments for PISA 2000 are the product of a multi-year development…