Recent concern for eliminating Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) sex bias has focused on the current use of separately normed Occupational Scales for the two sexes. This study implemented six basic methods of scale construction to examine the feasibility of combined-sex scales. (Author)

Discusses the decisions made in the development of a functional literacy test used in Philadelphia. (MKM)

Describes several approaches to instructional evaluation for engineering teachers, including a simplified illustration of item analysis. (SL)

This article suggests that mechanical application of Golden Rule-like procedures is inappropriate. The fundamental idea embodied in them, namely, that of taking issues of equity into account in test construction, may reasonably be done without doing violence to test validity. (JAZ)

This is a reprint of a 1986 letter by the former president of the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) to New York and California legislators. The author outlines why NCME is opposed to legislative initiatives to extend Golden Rule procedures to tests in those states. (JAZ)

A taxonomic matrix classification was used to assess the curricular validity of the Stanford Achievement Tests for the mathematics textbooks used in a school district's fifth and sixth grades. Rasch item difficulty was also examined. Results indicated only small differences between textbooks. (GDC)

Using item responses from an in-training examination in diagnostic radiology, the application of a strength of association statistic to the general problem of item analysis is illustrated. Criteria for item selection, general issues of reliability, and error of measurement are discussed. (Author/LMO)

Five sets of paired comparison judgments were made concerning test item difficulty, in order to identify the most probable source of intrasensitivity in the data. The paired comparisons method was useful in providing information about sensitivity to stimulus differences, but less useful for assessing dimensionality of judgment criteria.…

A study involving 63 third graders revealed that the Wide Range Achievement Test gives higher grade equivalent scores than the Test of Written Spelling and that Canadian and American norms were incongruent. Spelling error analysis suggested that the visual image should be a primary focus for both third-grade and remedial students. (CL)

A computer-assisted student recordkeeping system provides storage and statistical analysis of machine-scored test results and produces colored frequency distribution graphs for posting. (MSE)

Microcomputer software for computer-assisted classroom testing is reviewed. The teacher and classroom are emphasized in applying computer technology. The major issues are identification of appropriate classroom testing microcomputer applications; identification of available microcomputer testing software; techniques for software evaluation; and…

The convergent and discriminant validity of common measures of three faculty competence attributes (teaching, research, and service) were investigated using multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrix analysis. Three different measures for each component were collected on 57 college professors. Results distinguished the three hypothesized components, but…

Three numerical coefficients for analyzing the validity and reliability of ratings are described. Each coefficient is computed as the ratio of an obtained to a maximum sum of differences in ratings. The coefficients are also applicable to the item analysis, agreement analysis, and cluster or factor analysis of rating-scale data. (Author/BW)

The multidimensional structure of verbal comprehension test items was investigated. Empirical evidence was provided to support the theory that item tasks are multivariate-multiordered composites of faceted components: language, contextual knowledge, and cognitive operation. Linear and circular properties of cylindrical manifestation were…

Three methods of test equating (linear, equipercentile, and item response theory) were investigated with respect to the issue of scale drift. Results indicate that all three models work well in limited settings but that the item response theory approach provided the most stable results overall. (JKS)