ERIC Number: ED050152
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1971-Feb
Pages: 20
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Simplex Analyses of the Test Data: What Can They Tell Us?
Frayer, Dorothy A.
A Paradigm for testing concept attainment, comprised of twelve tasks, was formulated. These tasks were hypothesized to form a cumulative hierarchy. Tests were constructed in mathematics and social studies using the paradigm. Data for these tests was analyzed by Kaiser's method for fitting a perfect simplex and Schonemann's method for fitting a quasisimplex. Results suggest that tasks requiring recognition of attribute examples or concept examples are of least complexity; tasks requiring recognition of relevant attributes or the concept definition are of intermediate complexity; and tasks requiring recognition of irrelevant attributes or principles are of greatest complexity. Sample items are included in the appendix. (Author)
Descriptors: Concept Formation, Correlation, Data Analysis, Error of Measurement, Grade 6, Mathematics, Models, Predictive Measurement, Social Studies, Task Analysis, Task Performance, Test Reliability, Test Validity, True Scores
Wisconsin Research and Development Center for Cognitive Learning, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wicsonsin 53706
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC. Cooperative Research Program.
Authoring Institution: Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Research and Development Center for Cognitive Learning.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A
Note: From symposium "Experimental Approaches to Establishing the Construct Validity of Tests of Concept Attainment" presented at the Annual Meeting of AERA, New York, Feb. 1971
