Five computer programs which teach concepts and processes related to social studies (in the main, economics) are presented. The subjects of the programs are the distinction between balance of trade and balance of payments; installment buying, loan payments, and savings accounts; flow of goods, services, and money between business and the consumer;…

The "Cross-Cultural Attitude Inventory" was constructed to measure 1 of the objectives of the bilingual education project of Region XIII Education Service Center in Austin, Texas, serving children aged 6 to 10 years. The educational objective which needed to be measured was whether "the children are taught the history and cultural…

The present study, funded under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title III, was a preliminary investigation of patterns of academic success and failure of American Indian elementary school children. Data on the 157 children in the sample were obtained through parent interviews, testing measures of academic achievement, and several…

The desirable characteristics of criterion referenced test items and sets of items are described. A two-stage item tryout and item selection procedure are also described. The paper presents the results of using the procedure as compared with traditional item selection procedures used in selecting items for norm referenced tests. It was found that…

Several alternative indexes of item usefulness were empirically compared. They were: (1) item discrimination based on high and low groups on a postinstructional measure, (2) shift in item difficulty from a pre- to a postinstruction measure, and (3) item discrimination based on pre- and posttest performances. A typical classroom final examination…

Under the guidance of an advisory committee from the American Association for Respiratory Therapy (AART), The Psychological Corporation developed three forms of two criterion-referenced proficiency examinations to measure the skills, understandings, and knowledge required in entry level jobs for two levels of respiratory therapy personnel. The…

For each of two revised forms of the Dimensions of Self-Concept measure (intermediate and secondary forms), statistical information is presented concerning the intercorrelations of each of five factor scales, the reliability and standard error of measurement of each scale, and the results of item analyses. (Author/JKS)

A multiple true-false item is one where a testee has to identify statements as true or false within a cluster (of two or more) of such statements. Clusters are then scored as items. This study showed such a procedure to yield less reliable results than traditional true-false items. (JKS)

Explains how multiple choice test items can be devised to measure higher-order learning, including engineering problem solving. Discusses the value and information provided in item analysis procedures with machine-scored tests. Suggests elements to consider in test design. (ML)

Eight randomly equivalent samples of high school seniors were each given a unique form of the ACT Assessment Mathematics Usage Test (ACTM). Signed measures of differential item performance (DIP) were obtained for each item in the eight ACTM forms. DIP estimates were analyzed and a significant item category effect was found. (Author/LMO)

This article discusses the validity issue in teacher-made tests. Seventh-grade students' comments about their responses to a test designed to illustrate faulty items suggests students are quite proficient in using secondary clues to figure out correct answers. Teacher comments suggest teachers are unaware they provide such clues. (Author/JAZ)

The random response technique was compared to a direct questionnaire, administered to college students, to investigate whether or not the responses predicted the social desirability of the item. Results suggest support for the hypothesis. A 33-item version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale which was used is included. (GDC)

Describes the use of the Apple Macintosh and MULTIPLAN spreadsheet to record and analyze test data. Provides step-by-step instructions on data entry, item difficulty and discrimination calculations, test reliability, score distribution, and graphing of distributions. (JM)

A test score can be used for individual instructional diagnosis after determining whether: (1) difficulty of the test items was consistent with the complexity of the content measured; (2) items measuring the same underlying process were about equally difficult; and (3) partial credit scoring would increase the reliability of the diagnosis. (LMO)

Presents a validation procedure for the Computer Literacy Examination: Cognitive Aspect, a test assessing high school students' computer literacy levels. Steps in the test's construction process are explained, data collected during its validation phase are analyzed, and conclusions on its validity and reliability are discussed. The final test…