The literature suggests a "concrete" to "abstract" hierarchy in concept acquisition. However, typical tests do not reflect this hierarchy. Studies have been reported in which an "abstract" option for an item was included in with a "concrete" option and with distractors. This procedure assumes that "abstract" and "concrete" behavior is on a common…

The way in which diagnostic reading test scores were used in planning a remedial program is examined in this report. Among the topics discussed are the administration of a diagnostic test in 13 Irish schools; the organization of a remedial program for students identified as having severe reading problems; weaknesses of diagnostic tests currently…

This study, using the Self-Observation Scales (SOS) primary and intermediate levels, was conducted to determine whether the self-concept items that were most predictive of reading achievement varied among sex-race-grade subsamples and to examine specific item content in order to focus upon the nature of the relationship between reading achievement…

Model identification of time-series data is essential to valid statistical tests of intervention effects. Model identification is, at best, inexact in the social and behavioral sciences where one is often confronted with small numbers of observations. These problems are discussed, and the results of independent identifications of 130 social and…

This study develops a procedure for detecting items which are biased for particular ethnic groups and utilizes this procedure to evaluate the fairness of reading, mathematics, and occupational information test items for several ethnic groups. The population for each ethnic group was chosen from examinees administered the 1973 version of the…

This study tested a variation of the random response surveying strategy designed for lengthy questionnaires to be used in group administrations or mail surveys. A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 3,000 company grade officers divided into three groups. One group received a conventional questionnaire. The second group received a random…

This report describes the rationale, development, technical characteristics, and use of the ACT Interest Inventory, which provides both descriptive information about an individual's interests and information to facilitate focused exploration of educational and career alternatives. The report begins with consideration of the question, "What…

This paper considers (1) the requirements imposed on data in order to conform to the Rasch model, (2) some common sources of departure from the model, and (3) a procedure for recognizing the occurrence of these disturbances. The specific disturbances discussed are guessing, practice, speededness, and bias. The observed characteristic curve for…

Procedures are presented for equating simultaneously several tests which have been calibrated by the Rasch Model. Three multiple test equating designs are described. A Full Matrix Design equates each test to all others. A Chain Design links tests sequentially. A Vector Design equates one test to each of the other tests. For each design, the Rasch…

The literature on criterion referenced testing is full of discussions concerning whether classical measurement techniques are appropriate, whether variance is necessary, whether new indices of reliability are needed, and the like. What appears to be lacking, however, is a clear and simple discussion of why the problems occur. This paper suggests…

The purposes of this study were to determine the relationship between item readability and item difficulty in a standardized mathematics achievement test, and to determine if students could raise their mathematics achievement scores if they were given aid in reading items that presented them with reading difficulty. Two hundred third and fourth…

An item analysis of the Stanford Achievement Test performance of about 12,000 students in schools and classes for the hearing impaired is presented. Tables show the percentage of correct answers to each question, as well as a summary of the responses for each sub-test and major categories within some sub-tests. Because the test was developed for…

The objective of the inquiry was to develop a psychological instrument for use in assessing the attitudes held by secondary school and college students. For reliability purposes, it was deemed that a minimum of 30 or more semantic scales, used as individual items would be essential. A seven position ordinal scale was interposed between each pair…

An experimental test for achievement motivation which consists of 100 pictures of imaginary figures called gumpgookies was tested on Head Start children. On each picture, two gumpgookies are presented in a semi-structured situation, each engaged in behaviors that reflect different degrees of motivation to achieve. The child being tested is asked…

Assertive behavior in children is characterized as manipulation and exploration of the environment. Assertive behavior can be nondestructive or destructive. It has been suggested that learning is dependent on assertion and that distortion or inhibition of assertive behavior may restrict or distort the learning process. Fifty Head Start children…