Presented at the national conference for AERA (American Educational Research Association) . This study examined whether there are distinct differences in the demographic characteristics, HSGPA, first-year college performance, and second-year college retention rates among students who have discrepant CR-W performance.

In this paper, we follow up the important class size reduction randomized experiment in Tennessee in the mid 1980s (Project STAR) to attempt to further understand the long-lasting influences of early education interventions. While STAR led to large test score benefits during the intervention, these benefits quickly faded at its conclusion.…

Each year when the Educational Testing Services releases state average SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores of high school students, Indiana officials are asked why Indiana ranks so low and what's being done to improve it. Leaders reply that scores are lower because more students take the test than in states with higher scores. This report…

A cut score validity analysis for a pretest writing prompt and the SAT Verbal and Math assessments was performed for academic writing course placement. This study was carried out as part of a broader program of assessment aimed at understanding the impact of the writing course and eventually set the baseline for assessing the impact of 'writing…

This study applied kernel equating (KE) in two scenarios: equating to a very similar population and equating to a very different population, referred to as a distant population, using SAT® data. The KE results were compared to the results obtained from analogous classical equating methods in both scenarios. The results indicate that KE results are…

Six university English departments collaborated in this examination of the differences between multiple-choice and essay tests in evaluating writing skills. The study also investigated ways the two tools can complement one another, ways to improve cost effectiveness of essay testing, and ways to integrate assessment and the educational process.…

The use of standardized achievement tests as the primary criterion measures in the evaluation of basic skills programs has been criticized. In a comparative study of three types of tests, this article examines the major issue behind this criticism. (Author/JAZ)

Criticizes the "Five New Basics" proposal on the basis of the Educational Testing Service's Growth Study, which found that completion of core curriculum enhances test performance only if the student's course performance is very high. Concludes that the National Commission did not comprehensively evaluate current educational conditions…

Presents brief history, written for school counselors, on entrance examinations used in college and university admission procedures, noting use of such examinations as early as fourteenth century. Discusses College Entrance Examination Board, Scholastic Aptitude Test, multiple-choice versus essay tests, score distributions, American College…

Mass instruction in Sociology at Purdue University combines lectures and small-group discussion. Achievement in the course is evaluated by short essays written after the topic has been discussed in the weekly discussion meetings. This study investigated the relationship of student characteristics to achievement. Students were pretested for…

This second annual report on student achievement in Illinois describes and synthesizes the results of four different achievement measures: the Illinois Inventory of Educational Progress (IIEP), High School and Beyond Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test, and the American College Test. This report provides an analysis of student progress across years,…

This study investigated the effectiveness of using a computer program over six weeks to teach high school students to use Latin and Greek root words for deciphering English terms in order to increase their scores on the verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Results indicated that knowledge of Latin and Greek root words improved students'…

This paper examines why Americans are so preoccupied with the "U.S. News and World Report" ("USNWR") annual rankings of colleges and universities and why higher education institutions have become equally preoccupied with them. It discusses the rankings categories (academic reputation, student selectivity, faculty resources,…

Presents the procedures, results, and conclusions of a study designed to compare the cognitive performance of students from a new curricula (PSSC) and from traditional (non-PSSC) curricula. Results essentially supported contention that PSSC materials were more effective in developing higher cognitive skills. (DS)

The vast amount of research conducted on student persistence over the past thirty years is indicative of the continuing and evolving interest in retention of students. Framed through multiple perspectives, this retention research is driven by the fact that more students leave institutions without graduating, year after year. Much more than an…