bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COMMENT ON “FLUENCY AS A PERVASIVE ELEMENT IN THE MEASUREMENT OF CREATIVITY”
Authors: SPEEDIE STUART M. , ASHER J. WILLIAM , TREFFINGER DONALD J.
Published: September 2005

Clark and Mirels reported a “correction procedure” for fluency in scoring figural divergent thinking measures, which resulted in a reduction from .40 to .20 in the average inter‐correlation of scores excluding fluency. Since their correction involved shortening the test, at least part of the reduction of the inter‐correlations can be explained by the reduced reliability of the test. Estimates of the magnitude of this effect were provided. It was concluded that the “correction” reported is at best a partial correction, and that the potential merit of other procedures should be considered.
A NOTE ON “ACCURACY” AND “PRECISION”
Authors: STALLINGS WILLIAM M. , GILLMORE GERALD M.
Published: September 2005

The terms accuracy and precision are consistently differentiated in the literature of engineering and the “hard” sciences. Precision shares a common core of meaning with reliability as used by behavioral scientists. Accuracy and validity have a similar semantic overlap. A review of the literature in educational and psychological measurement reveals an interchangeable usage of accuracy and precision in defining reliability, To help beginning students distinguish between validity and reliability, this paper advocates the use of precision, rather than accuracy, in describing reliability.
CRITERIA FOR STUDENT ENGINEERING CREATIVITY AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO COLLEGE GRADES1
Authors: GLUSKINOS URY M.
Published: September 2005

The creativity of engineering students was assessed through divergent problems relevant to engineering content. These problems were constructed, administered and scored by faculty members from the mechanical (ME), civil (CE), and electrical (EE) engineering departments at a large university. The problems, administered to 60 MEs, 81 CEs, and 173 EEs, were scored on the basis of the number of solutions (fluency), the number of categories of solutions (flexibility), the originality of the solutions (novelty), and the appropriateness of the solutions (appropriateness). Interrater reliabilities indicated that the fluency and flexibility scores were sufficiently reliable; the novelty and appropriateness scores were less so. The adequacy of substituting the fluency score in lieu of the novelty score was discussed. No significant relationships were found between creativity and grade point average (GPA).
SOCIAL CLASS AND PERFORMANCE ON AN INTELLIGENCE TEST
Authors: CHASE CLINTON I. , PUGH RICHARD C.
Published: September 2005

Noting the wide differences in verbal abilities of middle and lower class children, the investigators proposed that two groups of children, one from the lower class, one from the middle class, who achieve comparable total scores on a group intelligence test, would get their scores by successfully completing different sets of items. In the first study children were placed in social classes based on their fathers’ occupations, following guidelines from the Warner scale. Middle class children were matched with lower class children on total Otis scores. No item‐social class interaction was found. The study was repeated using the occupational categories of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles as a guide to social class standing. Again no item‐social class interaction appeared. If two social class groups are equated on total intelligence scores, one social class sample appears to succeed on essentially the same test items as does the other social class sample. A given score on an intelligence test appears to represent the same skills for one social class as it does for another social class.
AN ANALYTICAL PROCEDURE FOR THE EQUIPERCENTILE METHOD OF EQUATING TESTS
Authors: LINDSAY CARL A. , PRICHARD MARK A.
Published: September 2005

Prior use of the equipercentile method of test equating was based on a graphic procedure which is tedious, subject to smoothing errors, and non‐analytical. Recognition of the equipercentile method as a curve‐fitting procedure for two cumulative percentage distributions leads to a proposed analytical solution to the problem through use of linear estimates for successive “missing” cumulative percentage points. A complete equipercentile procedure which uses the proposed method and provides linear and quadratic functions for goodness‐of‐fit and extrapolation is discussed and illustrated with data from a test equating project.
A PICTORIAL SELF‐CONCEPT SCALE FOR CHILDREN IN K‐4
Authors: BOLEA ANGELO S. , FELKER DONALD W. , BARNES MARGARET D.
Published: September 2005

Described is a scale of self‐concept that does not require reading and can be group administered to children in K‐4.
NOTE ON THE PEARSON r AS A FUNCTION OF THE BIVARIATE DISTRIBUTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS1
Authors: QUERESHI M. Y.
Published: September 2005

Methodological difficulties inherent in the estimation of bivariate relationships due to distortions caused by distributional irregularities were investigated empirically. The data represented the performance of 700 Ss between two and ten years of age on nine ITPA subtests and the Stanford‐Binet scale. The results indicated that scaling errors of one type or another caused considerable discrepancy in the measurement of underlying relations, but the effect of non‐normality was minimum.
THE VALIDITY OF ACADEMIC PREDICTORS FOR BLACK AND WHITE STUDENTS AT A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE UNIVERSITY1
Authors: PFEIFER C. MICHAEL , SEDLACEK WILLIAM E.
Published: September 2005

High school grades and both the verbal and mathematical scales of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT‐V and SAT‐M, respectively) were examined as predictors of college grade point average in groups divided by race and sex. Results indicated that high school grades were not correlated as highly with college grades for black males as for the other three groups, although there were no significant differences in the correlation of either SAT‐V or SAT‐M with college grades. Moreover, the multiple regression equation for the black male group differed from the equations for the other groups in that SAT‐V is the predictor of primary importance rather than high school grades. Weights derived on a random sample of the student body caused substantial shrinkage of the multiple R only in the black male sample. Both black males and black females were significantly overpredicted by such weights. The importance of separate prediction equations for race‐sex groupings was emphasized.
AN APPLICATION OF ITEM‐EXAMINEE SAMPLING TO SCALING ATTITUDES
Authors: SHOEMAKER DAVID M.
Published: September 2005

The post mortem item‐examinee sampling investigation described herein explored the feasibility of using item‐examinee sampling to estimate scale values denoting degree of affect toward stimuli when measured by the method of paired‐comparisons. Results indicate that such scale values can be approximated satisfactorily through item‐examinee sampling. Defining one observation as the response made by one examinee to one item, the similarity between the estimated scale values and normative scale values increased generally with increases in the number of observations acquired by the sampling plan.
A NOTE ON THE COMPARABILITY OF ALTERNATIVE SCORING METHODS FOR THE INSTITUTIONAL FUNCTIONING INVENTORY
Authors: HARTNETT RODNEY T.
Published: September 2005

Alternative methods of scoring the Institutional Functioning Inventory, a new measure of college environments, were compared. Institutional means obtained by the standard psychometric method–i.e., scoring each person's response to each item and then computing group means–were correlated with institutional means obtained via the “66+/33‐” method used for the College & University Environment Scales. The alternative scoring methods yield essentially the same information, including scale intercorrelations and validity. Reasons for preferring the traditional psychometric scoring technique are offered.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND SELF‐CONCEPT AS A FUNCTION OF ACHIEVEMENT‐VARIABILITY1
Authors: BAKAN RITA
Published: September 2005

The relationship of achievement‐variability (standard deviation of grades) to changes over time in academic achievement and self‐concept of academic ability was investigated. Compared were 112 students having near average grade point averages (GPAs) but very high or very low achievement variability (AV) indices. The high AV group showed a significantly greater drop (17 less than .05) in both GPA and self‐concept of academic ability over the 5‐year period. There were no significant differences between the groups in intelligence scores or socio‐economic status ratings.
ACCURACY OF SHORT‐CUT ESTIMATES FOR STANDARD DEVIATION
Authors: SABERS DARRELL L. , KLAUSMEIER RICHARD D.
Published: September 2005

The accuracy of short‐cut estimates of standard deviation was investigated for distributions of raw scores on classroom tests and computer generated samples. Estimates proposed by Mason and Odeh, Jenkins, Diederich, Ebel, and Davenport were compared for relative accuracy in three studies. The loss in accuracy due to short‐cut methods versus the conventional statistic ranged from 0 to 7,8%. Based on the findings of these studies, it is recommended that a shortcut method for computing standard deviations he included in courses where the conventional formula is taught.
CRITERION‐REFERENCED APPLICATIONS OF CLASSICAL TEST THEORY 1,2
Authors: LIVINGSTON SAMUEL A.
Published: September 2005

A reliability coefficient for criterion‐referenced tests is developed from the assumptions of classical test theory. This coefficient is based on deviations of scores from the criterion score, rather than from the mean. The coefficient is shown to have several of the important properties of the conventional normreferenced reliability coefficient, including its interpretation as a ratio of variances and as a correlation between parallel forms, its relationship to test length, its estimation from a single form of a test, and its use in correcting for attenuation due to measurement error. Norm‐referenced measurement is considered as a special case of criterion‐referenced measurement.
A CROSS‐NATIONAL COMPARISON OF ACADEMIC AND AFFECTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF PROSPECTIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Authors: WIERSMA WILLIAM
Published: September 2005

This research report deals with the measurement of nine groups of prospective secondary teachers; five from the British Isles and four from the United States. The sample of 839 final year, teacher education students was measured on academic achievement, professional education achievement, and affective measures. A multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze differences between the groups. The analysis resulted in six statistically significant canonical variates. There was a clear country separation on only the first canonical variate, which indicated the British groups high on achievement in English composition and fine arts, and United States groups high on achievement in guidance and measurement. The canonical variates are described in the context of the real variables, as well as the separation of the groups on the canonical variates.
A NEW APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM OF CHANGING INITIAL RESPONSES TO MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Authors: REILING ELDON , TAYLOR RYLAND
Published: September 2005

The hypothesis that it is unwise to change answers to multiple choice questions was tested using the technique of multiple regression analysis. The net number of correct answers as a result of changing responses was regressed against final grade in the course, numeric score on the exam, percent of total answers changed for all questions and for analytical questions, sex of the student, and scope of the exam.

The results show that there are gains to be made by changing responses. The variables which proved to be significant indicated that students who did well on the test changed a large percentage of answers, and that those who were taking a final exam tended to gain more. Final grades, sex of the student, and analytical questions had no significant impact on gains from changing responses. On the basis of the results gathered, the authors reject the hypothesis that changing responses is unwise.
SOCIOMETRIC STATUS SCORES: A COMPARISON OF JAMRICH VALUES WITH CONVENTIONAL SCALES
Authors: COCKRIEL IRVIN W.
Published: September 2005

Sociometric ranking of ten classrooms was analyzed to determine if Jamrich's procedure was significantly different from conventional indexes. Spearman Rank correlations and Kendall's coefficient of concordance were used to determine degree of correlation, Jamrich's ranked values were not found to be significantly different from conventional scales.
SELECTION OF PROSE MATERIAL FOR TESTING
Authors: JENKINS JOSEPH R. , BAUSELL R. BARKER , MAGOON A. JON
Published: September 2005

The study investigated teachers' selection of prose material for testing. Thirty elementary school social studies teachers wrote test questions based on a 1900 word passage from a commercial social studies text. Moderate consensus was observed among the teachers as to those segments of the passage chosen for testing. Additional analyses to determine the characteristics of the passage segments selected for testing were performed. The most frequently selected text segments were sentences which either contained a list or were themselves an entry in a list.
EVIDENCE ON THE QUALITY OF SEVERAL APPROXIMATIONS FOR COMMONLY USED MEASUREMENT STATISTICS1
Authors: McMORRIS ROBERT F.
Published: September 2005

What is the extent of error likely with each of several approximations for the standard deviation, internal consistency reliability, and the standard error of measurement? To help answer this question, approximations were compared with exact statistics obtained on 85 different classroom tests constructed and administered by professors in a variety of fields; means and standard deviations of the resulting differences supported the use of approximations in practical situations. Results of this analysis (1) suggest a greater number of alternative formulas that might be employed, and (2) provide additional information concerning the accuracy of approximations with non‐normal distributions.
A STUDY OF SPEEDEDNESS AS A SOURCE OF TEST BIAS1
Authors: EVANS FRANKLIN R. , REILLY RICHARD R.
Published: September 2005

Specially constructed “speeded” and “unspeeded” forms of a Reading Comprehension test were administered to both regular center and fee‐free center LSAT candidates in an effort to determine: (1) if the test was more speeded for fee‐free candidates, and (2) if reducing the amount of speededness was more beneficial to fee‐free candidates. Results of the analyses show: (1) the test is somewhat more speeded for fee‐free candidates than for regular candidates, (2) reducing the amount of speededness produces higher scores for both regular and fee‐free center candidates, and (3) reducing speededness is not significantly more beneficial (in terms of increasing the number of items answered correctly) to fee‐free than to regular center candidates. Lower KR‐20 reliability was observed under speeded conditions in the fee‐free sample.
THE EFFECTS OF TESTING UPON ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE METHOD AND CONTENT OF INSTRUCTION
Authors: PACK ELBERT C.
Published: September 2005

Senior high school mathematics students were taught computer arithmetic via self‐instructional materials. Following instruction they were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group was tested with a norm‐referenced measure made up of items having moderate difficulty and high correlations with each other; the other group was tested with a criterion‐referenced measure designed to assess attainment of specific behavioral objectives. Student attitude toward the content of instruction and toward the mode of instruction was assessed immediately following. Significantly more positive attitude toward the subject matter of instruction was associated with the use of the criterion‐referenced measure. Differences in attitude toward mode of instruction were not significant.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE COGNITIVE CORRELATES OF TEST‐WISENESS 1,2
Authors: DIAMOND JAMES J. , EVANS WILLIAM J.
Published: September 2005

Gibb (1964) defined test‐wiseness (TW) as the ability to respond advantageously to multiple‐choice items containing extraneous clues and therefore to obtain credit without knowledge of the subject matter being tested. This study investigated TW in a sample of 6th grade pupils. A test instrument was developed utilizing fictitious material similar to the strategy employed by Slakter, Koehler & Hampton (1970). The study examines the cognitive correlates of TW through the interpretation of correlational matrices. The results lend support to the notion that TW is not a general trait, but rather is clue‐specific.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF AN OCCUPATIONAL INVENTORY
Authors: REARDON FRANCIS , SENIER JOHN , LEWIS JAMES
Published: September 2005

An occupational inventory was developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for consideration as part of the state assessment project. This instrument measures 7tb grade student knowledge of the world of work. The summary phase of field testing involving 255 students revealed a reliability of .828 and a standard error of measurement of 2.60.
THE RELIABILITY OF GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION ENGLISH COMPOSITION PAPERS IN WEST AFRICA1
Authors: AKEJU S. A.
Published: September 2005

After going through the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) usual standardization procedures for marking essay‐type tests, ten trained examiners independently marked the English Composition scripts of 100 Ghana candidates in General Certificate of Education Examination of June 1970. The marks awarded to 96 of the candidates by seven of the examiners were analysed to evaluate the extent to which the standardization procedures ensured: (a) high inter‐rater (reading) reliability, and (b) comparability of marks. An analysis of variance of the scores revealed that the examiners used different standards for marking and that the inter‐rater (reader) reliability was not satisfactory. Suggestions were made for the improvement of the reliability and comparability and for the use of multiple‐choice type tests to measure writing ability.
DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP TESTING STRATEGIES IN AN OBJECTIVES‐BASED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM
Authors: NIEDERMEYER FRED C. , SULLIVAN HOWARD J.
Published: September 2005

A total of ten first‐grade teachers in an objectives‐based reading program utilized on a biweekly basis three types of criterion tests: (1) individually‐administered, constructed‐response tests; (2) group‐administered, selected‐response tests with three choices per item; and (3) group‐administered, selected‐response tests with four choices per item. Scores on these tests and scores on an end‐of‐year, constructued‐response posttest were collected on a sample of 40 Ss for each type of test. Both the individually‐administered, constructed‐response tests and the 4‐choice, selected‐response tests provided scores that accurately predicted end‐of‐year performance. The 3‐choice tests did not. The use of 3‐choice, selected‐response tests in similar type instructional programs is not recommended.
INCREASING TEST RELIABILITY THROUGH SELF‐SCORING PROCEDURES
Authors: GILMAN DAVID ALAN , FERRY PAULA
Published: September 2005

Fifty‐four graduate students were administered a 66 item four‐response multiple choice test on self‐scoring tests forms. Each test was scored by the traditional right‐wrong method of scoring tests and was also scored by the self‐scoring method of counting the number of responses necessary to respond to all items correctly. Results indicate that scoring tests by the self‐scoring method can result in a higher split half reliability than tests scored by the traditional right‐wrong method.
INCREASES IN TEST SCORES AS A FUNCTION OF MATERIAL REWARDS
Authors: Tuinman J. Jaap , Farr Roger , Blanton B. Elgit
Published: September 2005

In this study 81 experimental and 79 control subjects (randomly assigned to treatments) took Form A of the Nelson Reading Test, twice, with a four week interval between test administrations. Instructions for the retest varied for the E and C groups. The latter group was told that the test was readministered for purposes of assessing improvement. The E subjects were informed that by improving their previous score they would be eligible for winning a prize (candy bars, university sweaters, radios). Analysis of covariance indicated that the effect of the awards was significant (p < .01) in terms of number of items attempted and in terms of items correct. The adjusted mean increase for the E subjects was three months. The authors concluded that, if the terms of an actual performance contract would be applied to their results, they were to realize approximately $3,000 profit on a $75 investment.
THE EFFECT OF SELECTED POOR ITEM‐WRITING PRACTICES ON TEST DIFFICULTY, RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY
Authors: BOARD CYNTHIA , WHITNEY DOUGLAS R.
Published: September 2005

Violations of four selected principles of writing multiple choice items were introduced into an undergraduate political science examination. Three of the four poor practices had no overall effect on test difficulty. A significant (α= .05) interaction effect between the poor practices and course achievement occurred for one of the four practices, with the poorer students generally gaining most from the poorly written items. KR20 values were significantly lower for sets of items with the same flaws than for “good” versions of the items in three of four comparisons. The reductions in reliability were equivalent to those expected to result from shortening the test by 13 to 56 percent. Concurrent validity (correlation of experimental test scores with final examination scores) was significantly lower in two of four cases. The reductions in validity were equivalent to those expected to result from shortening the test by 56 to 83 percent.
PERSONALITY INFLUENCES ON CONFIDENCE TEST SCORES*
Authors: ECHTERNACHT G. J. , BOLDT R. F. , SELLMAN W. S.
Published: September 2005

From the earliest years in the development of confidence testing, several authors have expressed the concern that confidence test scores were influenced, to a measurable degree, by personality variables. Advocates of confidence testing have claimed that the effects of personality variables can be reduced with practice. This study attempts to evaluate the association of personality variables with confidence test scores in light of practice. It was concluded that although significant correlations between personality variables and confidence testing scores could be obtained, these correlations did not hold up with replication.
MATCHED PAIR TRUE‐FALSE SCORING: EFFECT ON RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY1
Authors: BRANDENBURG DALE C. , WHITNEY DOUGLAS R.
Published: September 2005

The matched pair technique for writing and scoring true‐false items was designed to compensate for the acquiescence response set of primary grade children. The claim that this technique increases reliability to an appreciable extent over traditional true‐false scoring was investigated by comparing alpha internal consistency coefficients computed for the matched pair true‐false, traditional true‐false, and three other scoring schemes. Both the total sample coefficients and individual classroom coefficients were computed from the standardization sample of a primary grade economics achievement test (Primary Test of Economic Understanding). Classroom reliability coefficients computed from the matched pair scores were found to be higher than those from scores computed by the other methods. Total sample coefficients obtained from four of the five methods were nearly equal. Evidence of the effects of each scoring technique on concurrent validity is also presented. Contrary to expectations, the correlations of traditional and matched pair scores with Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) subtests (when adjusted for differing reliabilities) were approximately equal.
TEST RELIABILITY AS A FUNCTION OF ANSWER SHEET MODE
Authors: MULLER DOUGLAS , CALHOUN EMORY , ORLING ROBERT
Published: September 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of using separate, machine scorable answer sheets on the number of marking errors made by third‐, fourth‐, and sixth‐grade students. Half of the Ss at each grade level answered in the test booklet (AIB), and half answered on separate answer sheets (SAS). The number of marking errors for the SAS group was approximately three times as great as for the AIB group at each grade level. This indicates that test standardization information must specify the answer sheet mode used to collect normative data.
SOME EMPIRICAL RESULTS RELATED TO THE STABILITY OF PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IN DYER'S STUDENT CHANGE MODEL OF AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Authors: FORSYTH ROBERT A.
Published: September 2005

Dyer, et al. (1967) have proposed a model for school system evaluation. The usefulness of the indices obtained from this model depend on the reliability or stability of the indices. This study presents evidence related to the stability of these indices when pupils and factors related to time are considered as sources of error.
SELF‐REPORT PREDICTORS: A REMINDER1
Authors: McMORRIS ROBERT F. , AMBROSINO ROBERT J.
Published: September 2005

How do tests and self‐reports compare as predictors of academic performance? Do tests add to the predictability from self‐reports? College seniors in eight sections of an evaluation course were administered the Quantitative Evaluative Device, the Cooperative English Test: Reading Comprehension, the Concept Mastery Test, and two questionnaires concerning past academic performance, student‐estimated abilities, and reading habits. The criteria were composite test scores and letter grades. The best predictors were two self‐reported variables, GPA and grade in an educational psychology course, and a test variable, the QED. Multiple Rs using questionnaire data for the predictors were increased slightly by adding the test scores, but on cross‐validation the rs for the two predictor sets were essentially identical. The utility of the tests, then, was not supported either by zero‐order correlations or by cross‐validated increments. Therefore an investigator is reminded at least to include self‐report measures in his set of predictors.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE COLLEGE TEACHERS AS PERCEIVED BY THEIR COLLEAGUES1
Authors: WILSON ROBERT C. , DIENST EVELYN R. , WATSON NANCY L.
Published: September 2005

The purpose of the research was to study the dimensions faculty members associate with being a good teacher. One hundred nineteen faculty members described the most effective and least effective teacher they knew using a set of 67 statements. A principal‐components analysis of the descriptions of effective teachers produced 5 factors: Research Activity and Recognition, Participation in the Academic Community, Intellectual Breadth, Relations with Students, and Concern for Teaching. Only Research Activity and Recognition was significantly related to the academic rank and discipline of teachers nominated as effective. Rank, discipline, age and length of teaching experience of the nominators were unrelated to their descriptions of effective teachers. However, faculty with heavier teaching loads were more likely to assign high scores on Concern for Teaching and low scores on Research Activity and Recognition to the teacher they nominated as effective.
SURVEY TESTING ON AN OUT‐OF‐LEVEL BASIS
Authors: AYRER JAMES E. , McNAMARA THOMAS C.
Published: September 2005

“Out‐of‐level” testing, assigning pupils to levels of a standardized test on the basis of previous (close to chance level) test scores rather than their present grade assignment, has been used in Philadelphia since 1968. An extensive number of pupils were tested in this way in 1970, in contrast to the two previous years, and overall performance indices seemed depressed as a result.

The test results of 1500 children tested out‐of‐level in 1970 were reviewed to see if their performance supported the rationale behind the practice. More reliable performance definitely resulted from the procedure for this sample, but there is considerable question about the publisher's assurance regarding comparability of in‐level and out‐of‐level scores.
AN INVESTIGATION OF AN EXTENSION OF ITEM SAMPLING WHICH YIELDS INDIVIDUAL SCORES1
Authors: BUNDA MARY ANNE
Published: September 2005

The sampling procedures were designed so that the full matrix of item variances and covariances could be estimated. Three subtest sizes were investigated‐ subtests of size five, nine and sixteen items. In each of these implementations a double cross validation was used yielding two predicted scores for each individual. Discrepancy measures were also computed showing the difference between the observed and the predicted scores.

The prediction of individual scores was accomplished within various ranges of error. The correlations between predicted scores and observed scores ranged from the .70′s to the .90′s, depending on the number of predictor variables used.

The procedure is applicable in situations in which large numbers of individuals are tested or in situations where multiple measures are taken.
PROGRAMS OF STUDY AS A BASIS FOR SELECTION, PLACEMENT AND GUIDANCE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS
Authors: LOEB JANE , BOWERS JOHN
Published: September 2005

Studies of collegiate success and attrition are generally conducted at the all‐college level. The definition of academic programs that are homogeneous in the abilities and interests of their students and the grading standards of their faculties may lead to more accurate prediction of success and more effective control of attrition.

Homogeneous curricular groups were defined via Ward's hierarchical grouping analysis applied to curricular means on high school percentile rank, four ACT subscores, first semester GPA, and 16 Kuder scores. Programs so defined differed on scientific‐verbal and competitive level dimensions. Prediction of grades was more accurate within programs than colleges. Drop and transfer rates were correlated with discriminant scores.

The programs are discussed as promising units within which differential selection and placement strategies might reduce attrition.
TEACHER EDUCATION CURRICULA–YOUR FINAL GRADE IS F
Authors: ROEDER HAROLD H.
Published: September 2005

This manuscript presents the results of a nationwide teacher education survey which attempted to ascertain how adequately colleges and universities are preparing prospective elementary teachers in the area of “tests and measures.”

Nine hundred forty institutions were mailed a questionnaire which requested data on the specific requirements which undergraduates were expected to fulfill in order to be graduated and awarded state certification. Over 97% of the institutions which were originally surveyed returned questionnaires.

The data indicate that upon graduation from college, most prospective elementary classroom teachers are better prepared to conduct impromptu art and music lessons than they are to evaluate pupil performance.
THE INFLUENCE OF A DESIRABILITY HALO EFFECT ON RATINGS OF INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Authors: MITCHELL JAMES V.
Published: September 2005

A rationale is provided for hypothesizing that a counterpart of the social desirability variable influences environmental ratings based on student perceptions, and a test is made of the hypothesis. The High School Characteristics Index was administered to 2819 high school seniors from 11 high schools. Social desirability scale values for the 300 items and 30 scale scores of the HSCI were obtained from 85 students in Education, and these values were correlated with the endorsement percentages and average scale scores for the students in each of the 11 high schools. Results indicated an appreciable “desirability halo” effect for some student bodies, with wide differences among student bodies with respect to the strength and direction of that effect. The results are interpreted as a serious challenge to the validity and discriminative capability of environmental assessment techniques based on student perceptions.
WHAT SIZE SAMPLES FOR METHODS/MATERIALS EXPERIMENTS?
Authors: FELDT LEONARD S.
Published: September 2005

Careful planning of educational experiments includes decisions about the sample size to be used. This paper provides a guide to the minimum size of treatment groups, inferred from the relationships between pupil norms and norms for class averages of standardized achievement tests. With “highly effective” treatments and simple random assignment of subjects to conditions, 60 to 85 subjects is derived as the minimum number per group. With “moderately effective” treatments, the minimum number is 235 or more. Use of stratified samples reduces the minimum by fifteen to forty percent.
EVALUATION AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Authors: EBEL ROBERT L.
Published: September 2005

The propositions advanced and defended in this article are: (1) that it is more urgent for educators to reach agreement on their general purposes and goals than to specify in detail the outcomes they seek; (2) that insistance on detailed statements of educational objectives is questionable; (3) that teachers should be more concerned with developing a pupil's cognitive resources than with changing his behavior; (4) that criterion‐referenced measures should supplement, not supplant norm‐referenced measures; and (5) that conventional test statistics are appropriate for criterion‐referenced tests if they are based on appropriate test responses.
ITEM BEHAVIOR ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES IN MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS1
Authors: RAMOS ROBERT A. , STERN JUNE
Published: September 2005

Language reading examinations in French and Spanish were administered to students in order to compare the behavior of “natural” four‐choice items with “natural” five‐choice items rescored as four‐choice items after removing the least popular incorrect alternative. No significant differences in the regression systems of these items were found. However, “natural” four‐choice items were significantly less reliable than “natural” five‐choice items.
WHICH EXAMINEES ARE MOST FAVOURED BY THE USE OF MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS?
Authors: ROWLEY GLENN L.
Published: September 2005

Scores were obtained from 198 ninth grade students on achievement motivation, test anxiety, testwiseness, and risktaking. Tests in mathematics and vocabulary were constructed in free response and multiple choice form, and administered to the subjects in that order, with an interval of 5 weeks between administrations. Partial correlations were computed between scores on the multiple choice tests and achievement motivation, test anxiety, testwiseness, and risktaking, with free response scores partialled out. The partial correlations were corrected for the unreliability in the free response scores, and tested for significance. All partials involving achievement motivation and test anxiety were nonsignificant, as were all partials based on mathematics scores. The partial correlations of vocabulary scores with testwiseness and risktaking were significant without exception. It was concluded that the use of multiple choice tests can favour certain examinees those who are highly testwise and willing to take risks in the test situation. It was noted that the extent to which these examinees were favoured was dependent on the nature of the test, and that a verbal test seemed more susceptible than a numerical test.
AN INQUIRY ORIENTED LABORATORY EXAMINATION
Authors: TAMIR PINCHAS
Published: September 2005

Having discussed the dearth of testing of actual performance in real situations, a variety of arguments are raised to support the need for assessment in the Practical mode, and the development and nature of an inquiry oriented laboratory examination is described. One test problem is presented in detail including materials, instructions to examinees, instructions for administration and scoring as well as sample answers. Data regarding validity and reliability are provided together with findings pertaining to the relationship between the various skills assessed by the examination. Moderation procedures for determining the individual scores in an examination in which different students perform different test problems are suggested. The author contends that the type of examination described reflects the inquiry objectives of the BSCS philosophy and provides a valid and reliable measure of problem solving ability in a practical laboratory setting.
TYPES OF EXAMINATIONS IN HISTORY STUDIES
Authors: LEWY ARIEH , SHAVIT SHLOMO
Published: September 2005

In psychometric studies disagreement among experts is frequently treated as error void of informational value. The present study deviates from this approach and utilizes disagreement among experts in item classification as a source for examining the structural characteristics of the classification scheme. Guttman's smallest space analysis applied to an agreement‐disagreement matrix suggests that the item‐classification scheme reflects two different approaches to testing outcomes of studying history: that of the cognitive psychology and that of the philosophy of history.
THE ISSUE OF ITEM AND TEST VARIANCE FOR CRITERION‐REFERENCED TESTS1
Authors: WOODSON M. I. CHAS. E.
Published: September 2005

It has been argued that item variance and test variance are not necessary characteristics for criterion‐referenced tests, although they are necessary for normreferenced tests. This position is in error because it considers sample statistics as the criteria for evaluating items and tests. Within a particular sample, an item or test may have no variance, but in the population of observations for which the test was designed, calibrated, and evaluated, both items and tests must have variance.
A SHORT‐FORM MEASURE OF THE EXPANDED SEVEN‐DIMENSIONAL SEMANTIC SPACE
Authors: LaVOIE ALLAN L. , BENTLER P.M.
Published: September 2005

A short‐form measure of an expanded seven‐dimensional semantic differential was developed. The shorter scales were shown to correlate highly with the longer scales, and their internal consistencies were sufficiently high to warrant use in most educational settings.
CLOZE MEASURES AS INDICES OF ACHIEVEMENT COMPREHENSION WHEN LEARNING FROM EXTENDED PROSE
Authors: ANDERSON THOMAS H.
Published: September 2005

The hypothesis that cloze measures are a function of content achievement among adult learners and, consequently, should be sensitive to instructional treatments was tested in two experimental studies. College juniors and seniors took tests immediately before (pre), immediately after (post) and four weeks after (delay) studying a prose passage. The types of tests administered in each session were: (I) a 20‐item multiple‐choice test, (2) a reproduction passage cloze test, (3) a recognition passage cloze test, (4) a reproduction summary cloze test, and (5) a recognition summary cloze test. All tests show significant differences between pre‐ and posteonditions, and between recognition and reproduction modes. The reproduction summary cloze test was found to be the most sensitive to the instructional treatment, as indicated by an oJ 2 statistic on pre‐post measures. The summary cloze tests were resistant to forgetting while the cloze passage and multiple‐choice tests show significant decreases in performance over the four week delay interval.
ACHIEVEMENT TEST RELIABILITY AS A FUNCTION OF PUPIL‐RESPONSE PROCEDURES
Authors: BECK MICHAEL D.
Published: September 2005

Muller, Calhoun, and Orling (1972) conclude that test reliability is dependent on the type of answer document used by elementary pupils. The present study was designed in part to assess the differential effect of two pupil response procedures (answering directly in the test booklet versus on a separate answer folder) on Metropolitan Achievement Tests scores of grades 3 and 4 pupils.

Over 4000 pupils from nine school systems took the Metropolitan, half responding in their booklets and half using answer folders. The two groups were matched by grade in general scholastic aptitude.

Although the separate answer folder group received lower scores than did the group responding in the test booklets, the score reliabilities did not differ significantly for any test. Additionally, these reliabilities did not differ significantly from comparable Metropolitan normative reliabilities. For survey achievement tests such as Metropolitan, test reliability would not appear to depend on pupil response mode.
EFFECTS OF “GAME” VERSUS “TEST” TASK DEFINITION FOR THIRD GRADE CHILDREN ON THREE SUBTESTS OF THE WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR CHILDREN1
Authors: STRANG HAROLD R. , BRIDGEMAN BRENT , CARRICO MARY F.
Published: September 2005

Forty‐six male and forty‐six female third grade children were assigned to one of two experimental conditions. In one condition Ss were told that they were going to take several tests and were than administered three subtests from the nonverbal battery of the WISC. In the second condition Ss were told that they were going to play several games and were than administered the same three subtests. An analysis of variance applied to the resulting summed scores revealed one significant main effect, task definition (p < .01).
THE SAT PREDICTION OF GRADES FOR MEXICAN‐AMERICAN VERSUS ANGLO‐AMERICAN STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
Authors: GOLDMAN ROY D. , RICHARDS REGINA
Published: September 2005

The regression equations for second quarter freshman grade point averages on SAT scores were calculated for Anglo‐American and Mexican‐American students at the University of California, Riverside. These regression equations differed significantly for the two groups. However, the use of the regression equation derived from the Anglo‐American sample to predict grades of Mexican‐American students resulted in overprediction. An examination of the standardized regression weights revealed a significant difference in the weight given to SATM. A replication on a much larger sample revealed a similar outcome. These results were considered as a possible heuristic to suggest a scholastic “'strategy” difference between the two ethnic groups.
THE ISSUE OF ITEM AND TEST VARIANCE FOR CRITERION‐REFERENCED TESTS: A CLARIFICATION
Authors: MILLMAN JASON , POPHAM W. JAMES
Published: September 2005

This note contends that item or score variability is an unnecessary characteristic of criterion‐referenced tests as they have been traditionally conceived, namely, as measures of well defined classes of examinee behaviors.
A QUANTITATIVE METHOD FOR MEASURING SEX “BIAS” IN STANDARDIZED TESTS1
Authors: FAGGEN‐STECKLER JANE , McCARTHY KAREN A. , TITTLE CAROL K.
Published: September 2005

The item content of eight standardized tests was examined for sex imbalance as well as for stereotyped representations of women. A quantitative method for classifying tests with respect to sex imbalance was devised which depended upon the frequency counts of male and female nouns and pronouns. Applications of this method revealed that all eight of the standardized tests exhibited considerable sex imbalance and, further, that this sex imbalance was not due to the language restrictions of English. For 19 of the 27 batteries analyzed, males are referred to more than twice as often as females. For only one battery, females were referred to more often than males. Test constructors, editors, and publishers are invited to make use of the index to measure sex imbalance in new, as well as already published testing materials. In this way, the undesirable reinforcement of discriminating sex‐role stereotyping can be curtailed, and the preponderance of male noun and pronoun references can be eliminated.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CEQ RATINGS AND INSTRUCTOR'S RANK, CLASS SIZE, AND COURSE LEVEL
Authors: ALEAMONI LAWRENCE M. , GRAHAM MARGARET H.
Published: September 2005

A study was conducted to determine if the tendency for faculty members of higher rank to receive the highest ratings on the Illinois Course Evaluation Questionnaire (CEQ) remained when variables such as class size and course level were taken into account. The relationship between CEQ ratings and instructor's rank, class size, and level of course was examined by means of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Dependent variables were the six subscales of the CEQ. As hypothesized there were no significant differences in ratings assigned by students in small (1‐20 students), medium (21‐40 students), and large (over 40 students) classes, or received by teaching assistants, instructors, and assistant, associate, and full professors. Highly significant differences, however, were found in ratings assigned by students in freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate level courses. In addition, significant size by level and size by rank interaction effects were found. Discriminant functions computed for effects found to be significant yielded information concerning the extent and direction of these significant differences.
TOWARD AN AFFECTIVE OUTCOME OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Authors: KAGERER RUDOLPH L.
Published: September 2005

A test was developed for measuring the ability of college students to analyze emotional and nonemotional subject matter. The rationale for the test was that students should become able to analyze material more objectively as they pass through the 4 years of college. Results of convergent and discriminant validation indicated that subject responses to “emotional” items appeared to change at an increasing rate with years in college, while responses to nonemotional items did not. Lack of correlation of the test with cognitive materials, adequate internal reliability, and performance consistent with expectations gave support to the construct, labeled “analytical objectivity.” Initial structuring of a nomological net for support of the validity of the construct was achieved.
A COMPARISON OF SELECTED SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS MEASURES BASED ON LONGITUDINAL DATA1
Authors: MARCO GARY L.
Published: September 2005

The purpose of this study was to compare nine school effectiveness indices computed by five different methods from longitudinal data. The data consisted of Total Reading scores from the Metropolitan Primary II Achievement Test administered to third‐graders in 70 elementary schools. The various school effectiveness indices differed somewhat from one another and had different correlational patterns with other variables. Further, most of the school effectiveness indices were highly stable across samples. The methods should be tried out in schools of reputed quality, so that the validities of the various indices can be studied. The stabilities of the various school effectiveness indices over time should also be studied.
ITEM ANALYSIS FOR TEACHER‐MADE MASTERY TESTS1
Authors: CREHAN KEVIN D.
Published: September 2005

Various item selection techniques are compared on resultant criterionreferenced reliability and validity. Techniques compared include three nominal criterion‐referenced methods, a traditional point biserial selection, teacher selection, and random selection. Eighteen volunteer junior and senior high school teachers supplied behavioral objectives and item pools ranging from 26 to 40 items. Each teacher obtained reponses from four classes. Pairs of tests of various length were developed by each item selection method. Estimates of test reliability and validity were obtained using responses independent of the test construction sample. Resultant reliability and validity estimates were compared across item selection techniques. Two of the criterion‐referenced item selection methods resulted in consistently higher observed validity. However, the small magnitude of improvement over teacher or random selection raises a question as to whether the benefit warrants the necessary extra effort on the part of the classroom teacher.