ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Scholar Alumni: Options in the Early Career Years. New Careers in Nursing. Research Report. ETS RR-15-28
Author: Millett, Catherine M.
Date: 2015-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Nursing,Alumni,Nursing Education,Graduate Surveys,Educational Attainment,Employment Experience,Participant Satisfaction,College Outcomes Assessment,Emerging Occupations,Work Experience,Educational Experience,Mentors,Loan Repayment,Paying for College,Leadership Effectiveness,Change Strategies

The New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) Alumni Survey was designed to advance knowledge in the field of nursing education by looking at post-degree experiences of NCIN scholarship recipients, such as employment and graduate degree attainment. The NCIN Alumni Study also focused on the reflections of NCIN scholars who have graduated and moved into the field, on their satisfaction with various aspects of NCIN and their academic programs, and on how these programmatic aspects have influenced their postdegree experiences.
Examining the &quot;WorkFORCE&quot;™ Assessment for Job Fit and Core Capabilities of &quot;FACETS&quot;™. Research Report. ETS RR-14-32
Author: Naemi, Bobby
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Personality Assessment,Personality Traits,Personality Measures,Test Validity,Generalization,Employment Qualifications,Computer Assisted Testing,Item Response Theory,Accuracy,Foreign Countries,Job Applicants,Statistical Significance,Correlation,Interviews,Surveys,Scoring,Scores

This report introduces the &quot;WorkFORCE&quot;™ Assessment for Job Fit, a personality assessment utilizing the &quot;FACETS&quot;™ core capability, which is based on innovations in forced-choice assessment and computer adaptive testing. The instrument is derived from the fivefactor model (FFM) of personality and encompasses a broad spectrum of personality assessment. This document provides an overview of the assessment, beginning with detailing evidence-based practices for personality measurement and modeling its relationship to workplace outcomes.We address the validity and fairness of this assessment, the creation of composite scores, and the generalizability of the assessment across languages and job types. We conclude with recommendations on the use of this capability for workforce applications and guidelines for future research.
Usability of Interactive Item Types and Tools Introduced in the New GRE® Revised General Test. ETS GRE® Board Research Report. ETS GRE®-14-05. ETS Research Report. RR-14-28
Author: Swiggett, Wanda D.
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Entrance Examinations,Graduate Study,Usability,Test Items,Computer Assisted Testing,Test Format,Student Reaction,Interviews,Protocol Analysis,Observation,Computer Interfaces,Undergraduate Students,Questionnaires,Statistical Analysis

The computer-based &quot;Graduate Record Examinations&quot;® (&quot;GRE&quot;®) revised General Test includes interactive item types and testing environment tools (e.g., test navigation, on-screen calculator, and help). How well do test takers understand these innovations? If test takers do not understand the new item types, these innovations may introduce construct-irrelevant variance, with test takers performing differently than they would with more familiar item types. Similarly, the navigational and other test environment tools are another potential source of variance, if some test takers understand how to use them and others do not. In this study, we examined the reactions, engagement, and difficulties encountered as 20 potential test takers completed Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections of a practice GRE test. Participants were sophomores and juniors from colleges and universities in the local area. Their reactions were captured through the use of cognitive laboratory sessions that incorporated interviews that required test takers to think aloud, as well as researcher observations as test takers worked quietly. Results of the analysis of this data revealed that some participants needed time to figure out what was being asked of them when they encountered the new item types, although most were able to answer each item eventually.On the other hand, most participants stated that they did not even notice the test environment tools, and few were observed actually using the tools. Several participants provided suggestions about improving the usability of the new item types and test environment tools.
A Comparison of Raw-to-Scale Conversion Consistency between Single- and Multiple-Linking Using a Nonequivalent Groups Anchor Test Design. Research Report. ETS RR-14-13
Author: Liu, Jinghua
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Reliability,Test Construction,Equated Scores,Test Items,Pretesting,College Entrance Examinations

Maintaining score interchangeability and scale consistency is crucial for any testing programs that administer multiple forms across years. The use of a multiple linking design, which involves equating a new form to multiple old forms and averaging the conversions, has been proposed to control scale drift. However, the use of multiple linking often conflicts with the need for minimizing old item/form exposure and the need for pretesting. This study tried to find a balance point where the needs for equating, item/form exposure and controlling, and pretesting can be satisfied. Three equating scenarios were examined using real data: equating to one old form, equating to two old forms, or equating to three old forms. The finding is that the equating based on one old form produced persistent score drift and also showed increased variability in score means and standard deviations over time. In contrast, equating back to two or three old forms produced much more stable conversions and had less variation. Overall, equating based on multiple linking designs shows the promise of producing more consistent results and preventing scale drift. We recommend that testing programs and practitioners consider the use of multiple linking whenever possible.
A Study of the Use of the &quot;e-rater&quot;® Scoring Engine for the Analytical Writing Measure of the &quot;GRE&quot;® revised General Test. Research Report. ETS RR-14-24
Author: Breyer, F. Jay
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Software,Computer Assisted Testing,Scoring,College Entrance Examinations,Graduate Study,Writing Evaluation,Writing Tests,Prompting,Essays,Models,Correlation,Validity,Evaluation Criteria,Statistical Analysis,Guidelines

In this research, we investigated the feasibility of implementing the &quot;e-rater&quot;® scoring engine as a check score in place of all-human scoring for the &quot;Graduate Record Examinations&quot;® (&quot;GRE&quot;®) revised General Test (rGRE) Analytical Writing measure. This report provides the scientific basis for the use of e-rater as a check score in operational practice. We proceeded with the investigation in four phases. In phase I, for both &quot;argument&quot; and &quot;issue&quot; prompts, we investigated the quality of human scoring consistency across individual prompts, as well as two groups of prompts organized into sets. The sets were composed of prompts with separate focused questions (i.e., &quot;variants&quot;) that must be addressed by the writer in the process of responding to the topic of the prompt. There are also groups of variants of prompts (i.e., grouped for scoring purposes by similar variants). Results showed adequate human scoring quality for model building and evaluation. In phase II, we investigated eight different e-rater model variations each for argument and issue essays including prompt-specific; variant-specific; variant-group-specific; and generic models both with and without content features at the rating level, at the task score level, and at the writing score level. Results showed the generic model was a valued alternative to the prompt-specific, variant-specific, and variant-group-specific models, with and without the content features. In phase III, we evaluated the e-rater models on a recently tested group from the spring of 2012 (between March 18, 2012, to June 18, 2012) following the introduction of scoring benchmarks. Results confirmed the feasibility of using a generic model at the rating and task score level and at the writing score level, demonstrating reliable cross-task correlations, as well as divergent and convergent validity. In phase IV of the study, we purposely introduced a bias to simulate the effects of training the model on a potentially less able group of test takers in the spring of 2012. Results showed that use of the check-score model increased the need for adjudications between 5% and 8%, yet the increase in bias actually increased the agreement of the scores at the analytical writing score level with all-human scoring.
Assessing Quantitative Literacy in Higher Education: An Overview of Existing Research and Assessments with Recommendations for Next-Generation Assessment. Research Report. ETS RR-14-22
Author: Roohr, Katrina Crotts
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Higher Education,Logical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Numeracy,Mathematical Logic,Mathematics Skills,Elementary Secondary Education,Definitions,Evaluation Methods,Business Administration Education,Business Schools,College Entrance Examinations,Graduate Study,Adult Basic Education,Achievement Tests,Foreign Countries,Secondary School Students,International Assessment,Calculators,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Scores,Problem Solving

Quantitative literacy has been recognized as an important skill in the higher education and workforce communities, focusing on problem solving, reasoning, and real-world application. As a result, there is a need by various stakeholders in higher education and workforce communities to evaluate whether college students receive sufficient training on quantitative skills throughout their postsecondary education. To determine the key aspects of quantitative literacy, the first part of this report provides a comprehensive review of the existing frameworks and definitions by national and international organizations, higher education institutions, and other key stakeholders. It also examines existing assessments and discusses challenges in assessing quantitative literacy. The second part of this report proposes an approach for developing a next-generation quantitative literacy assessment in higher education with an operational definition and key assessment considerations. This report has important implications for higher education institutions currently using or planning to develop or adopt assessments of quantitative literacy.
An Investigation of the Impact of Misrouting under Two-Stage Multistage Testing: A Simulation Study. Research Report. ETS RR-14-01
Author: Kim, Sooyeon
Date: 2014-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Difficulty Level,Scores,Test Wiseness,Cognitive Style,Simulation,Test Format,Learning Modules,Equated Scores,Raw Scores,Group Testing,Sequential Approach,Computer Assisted Testing

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential impact of misrouting under a 2-stage multistage test (MST) design, which includes 1 routing and 3 second-stage modules. Simulations were used to create a situation in which a large group of examinees took each of the 3 possible MST paths (high, middle, and low). We compared differences in examinees' scores associated with different paths under 2 MST assembly conditions: a small-difference condition in which 3 modules at Stage 2 overlap in difficulty, and a large-difference condition in which the 3 modules at Stage 2 are distinct in difficulty. We also compared examinees' score differences associated with the target MST path with the ones obtained when the second-stage module was 1 level of difficulty above or below the target module. When the second-stage modules overlapped in difficulty, the score differences (i.e., bias) associated with different MST paths were negligible for practical purposes. Similar trends appeared even when the second-stage modules were significantly distinct in difficulty. The impact of misrouting was generally minimal under the MST design used in this study.
The Validity of Scores from the &quot;GRE&quot;® revised General Test for Forecasting Performance in Business Schools: Phase One. ETS GRE® Board Research Report. ETS GRE®-14-01. ETS Research Report. RR-14-17
Author: Young, John W.
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Business Schools,Scores,Test Validity,College Entrance Examinations,Graduate Study,Predictive Validity,Business Administration Education,Predictor Variables,Hierarchical Linear Modeling,Masters Degrees,Student Records,Grade Point Average,Statistical Analysis

Scores from the &quot;GRE&quot;® revised General Test provide important information regarding the verbal and quantitative reasoning abilities and analytical writing skills of applicants to graduate programs. The validity and utility of these scores depend upon the degree to which the scores predict success in graduate and business school in specific contexts. To assess the predictive validity of the GRE test for graduate business programs, we collaborated with a number of universities and obtained data from each university's admissions office and registrar. We focused specifically on part-time and full-time students in master's of business administration (MBA) degree programs. Given the nested structure of the data, we used a 2-level (representing students and institutions) hierarchical linear model (HLM) to estimate regression models with first-semester MBA grade point average (GPA) or cumulative MBA GPA as the dependent variable and GRE scores and undergraduate GPA (UGPA) as independent variables. For predicting cumulative MBA GPA, the pseudo R-squared (R[superscript 2]) value was 0.04 using UGPA, cohort year, and program type as the only predictors; this value increased substantially to 0.19 with the addition of GRE scores. The HLM results show that both GRE-Quantitative and GRE-Verbal scores were statistically significant predictors of both first-semester MBA GPA and cumulative MBA GPA.
Do &quot;TOEFL iBT&quot;® Scores Reflect Improvement in English-Language Proficiency? Extending the TOEFL iBT Validity Argument. Research Report. ETS RR-14-09
Author: Ling, Guangming
Date: 2014-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language Tests,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Computer Assisted Testing,Scores,Pretests Posttests,Test Validity,Intensive Language Courses,Foreign Countries,Second Language Instruction,High School Students,Extracurricular Activities,Achievement Gains,Language Proficiency,Correlation,Cross Cultural Studies,Statistical Analysis,Test Preparation,Language Skills

One fundamental way to determine the validity of standardized English-language test scores is to investigate the extent to which they reflect anticipated learning effects in different English-language programs. In this study, we investigated the extent to which the &quot;TOEFL iBT&quot;® practice test reflects the learning effects of students at intensive English programs in the United States and China, as well as extracurricular English-learning activities that may be associated with the expected learning effects. A total of 607 students at the high school level or beyond participated in the United States and China, including 111 students who took 2 forms of the practice test under a pretest and posttest design. The results showed moderate to substantial levels of improvement on each of the TOEFL iBT sections, with different score gain patterns for students in the United States and China. We concluded that students who study at English programs similar to those included in this study can improve their English-language proficiency levels at least moderately over 6 months or longer, as indicated by changes in their scores on the TOEFL iBT practice test. This improvement is consistent with an interpretation of TOEFL iBT scores as indicators of English-language proficiency.
English-as-a-Second-Language Programs for Matriculated Students in the United States: An Exploratory Survey and Some Issues. Research Report. ETS RR-14-11
Author: Ling, Guangming
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Higher Education,Program Content,Web Sites,Colleges,Online Surveys,Interviews,College Students,Courses,Language Skills,Student Placement,Teaching Methods,Tests,Language Proficiency,Language Tests,Second Language Learning,English Curriculum

Although English-as-a-second-language (ESL) programs for matriculated students have been a presence in U.S. higher education since the 1940s, little has been documented in the literature concerning ESL courses, ESL placement tests, and the procedures in which incoming students are placed into appropriate classes.The present study takes three approaches to explore the characteristics of ESL programs for matriculated students, with the purposes of drawing a clearer picture of such programs and preparing for a further exploration of validity issues that arise when using standardized English proficiency tests, such as the &quot;TOEFL&quot;® test, to assist with ESL placement decisions. We reviewed the websites of 152 postsecondary institutions, obtained information from 80 institutions through an online survey, and interviewed representatives of 24 ESL programs for matriculated students. Analyses of these three sources of data revealed that ESL programs for matriculated students exist in more than half of colleges and universities sampled, that they provide a wide range of ESL courses focusing on different language skills, and that these programs make use of a variety of placement tests and procedures. We summarize these different placement procedures using a general model, highlight issues that need further investigations, and conclude with key findings and limitations.
Investigating the Relationship between Test Preparation and &quot;TOEFL iBT&quot;® Performance. Research Report. ETS RR-14-15
Author: Liu, Ou Lydia
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Research Reports,Test Preparation,Language Tests,College Entrance Examinations,English (Second Language),Performance Based Assessment,Online Surveys,Standardized Tests,Multiple Regression Analysis,Coaching (Performance),Learning Strategies,Test Wiseness,Scores,Factor Analysis,Attendance,Correlation,Prior Learning,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Foreign Countries,Second Language Learning

This study investigates the relationship between test preparation and test performance on the &quot;TOEFL iBT&quot;® exam. Information on background variables and test preparation strategies was gathered from 14,593 respondents in China through an online survey. A Chinese standardized English test was used as a control for prior English ability. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship of coaching school attendance and test preparation strategies with TOEFL iBT total scores. Coaching school attendance had little or no relationship with TOEFL test scores across language domains.Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that general English learning strategies and test-specific strategies represent two distinct factors of test preparation. Implications of the findings for test developers and test sponsors are discussed.
Test Score Equating Using Discrete Anchor Items versus Passage-Based Anchor Items: A Case Study Using &quot;SAT&quot;® Data. Research Report. ETS RR-14-14
Author: Liu, Jinghua
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Equated Scores,Test Items,College Entrance Examinations,Comparative Analysis,Comparative Testing,Critical Reading,Test Bias,Accuracy,Criterion Referenced Tests,Equivalency Tests,Ability Grouping,Evaluation Methods

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of discrete anchor items versus passage-based anchor items on observed score equating using empirical data.This study compares an &quot;SAT&quot;® critical reading anchor that contains more discrete items proportionally, compared to the total tests to be equated, to another anchor that contains fewer discrete items and more passage-based items proportionally. Both of these anchors were administered in an SAT administration. The impact of anchor type on equating was evaluated with respect to equating bias. The results clearly reveal that the anchor with more discrete items almost always leads to more accurate equating functions than does the anchor with more passage-based items.
Prevalence and Determinants of Epilepsy among School Children in Aseer Region-KSA
Author: Rabie, Faten M.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Genetics,Incidence,Epilepsy,Early Intervention,Risk,Seizures,Developing Nations,Predictor Variables,Neonates,Diseases,Perinatal Influences,Neurological Impairments,Correlation,Case Studies,Elementary School Students,Secondary School Students,Brain,Injuries,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries

Epilepsy is a heterogeneous collection of neurological conditions and syndromes characterized by recurrent, unprovoked, paroxysmal seizure activity. It is estimated that 10.5 million children under 15 years have active epilepsy, representing about 25% of the global epilepsy population. Of the 3.5 million people who develop epilepsy annually, 40% are younger than 15 years, and more than 80% live in developing countries. Epilepsy is an important cause of neurological morbidity in children. Family history of epilepsy, neonatal complications, perinatal brain damage, congenital cerebral malformations, intracranial infection, neonatal seizures, febrile seizure were found as predictors of childhood seizure disorder in many of the studies. In early onset epilepsy perinatal asphyxia, neonatal meningitis and neonatal seizure was found to be the important predictors little research has been done on childhood epilepsy in Aseer region. Greater knowledge on risk factors of epilepsy in the early years of life could help to improve understanding of epilepsy, can tell us about its prognosis and allow early intervention. Objectives: This research aimed to determine the prevalence of epilepsy among the school children and determine the risk factors associated with epilepsy Methodology: A case control study was conducted among school students aged 6 up to 18 years. Primary, preparatory and secondary schools was randomly selected in Abha and Khamis Mushait. Results: 20 cases of epilepsy was detected among the studied group. The identified major etiologic factors of the epilepsies were cerebral trauma, febrile convulsions, A family history of epilepsy was a risk factor of the cases, and the consanguinity rate among the parents was high. Conclusion: The most important risk factors for epilepsy in this study only head trauma, febrile convulsions, consanguinity and family history of epilepsy were significant.