The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) bibliography provides an exhaustive list of references to studies adding to the understanding of the development, nature, and use of the test, and is divided into two sections: (1) the first section lists 125 annotated citations that contain research studies on the GRE; (2) the second section lists reviews…

Foreign language aptitude was the subject of much research in the 1950s and has been the subject of intermittent research for the last 30 years. Aptitude is measured by the amount of time it takes an individual to learn. Foreign language aptitude appears to differ from general aptitude or intelligence. One theory states that foreign language…

Guidelines are proposed for reviewing career interest tests, aptitude tests, and achievement tests for sex bias in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments 1972. To review the tests, several recommendations are made: analyze the test; review the technical manuals and interpretive information; examine and classify test items, reading…

An annotated list of 11 books, guides, and online information retrieval systems that describe available standardized aptitude and achievement tests, test reviews, databases, and other sources of testing information is provided. The list is designed to help in the identification of useful standardized tests. (TJH)

Offers suggestions for identifying and instructing the verbally gifted. (JL)

This digest recommends assessing all of a person's abilities, not just some. It also discusses self-report in the context of ability assessment. Current use of self assessment methodology taps more ability areas than existing ability or aptitude tests cover. Alternative testing approaches have been called for which enhance self-discovery and…

The assessment of interests through the use of interest inventories is big business in the field of testing today. The assessment of interests originally developed as an outgrowth of efforts in education and in industry to supplement special and general abilities information about individuals. Interest inventories used today differ from early…

This digest highlights one tool that teachers use--standardized tests--from the parent's viewpoint. The discussion covers basic features of testing and suggests questions that a parent might ask his or her child's teacher concerning such tests. Standardized tests are usually objective tests sold by commercial publishers and designed to provide a…

Aptitude tests are defined in contrast to intelligence and achievement tests. Although aptitude tests, like intelligence tests, measure a student's overall performance across a broad range of mental capabilities, the former also often include items that measure more specialized abilities (such as verbal and numerical skills) that predict…

A brief introduction to the topic of gender bias and fairness in testing is provided. A test is biased if men and women with the same ability levels tend to obtain different scores. The conditions under which a test is administered, the wording of individual test items, and a student's attitude toward the test can affect test results. While gender…

Standardized achievement and aptitude tests may be of very limited value in making placement or instructional decisions about bilingual students. The practice of categorizing standardized test scores by ethnic groups obscures the difficulties of administering and interpreting tests taken by bilinguals. Individuals who are bilingual have two…

Much information is available to help users locate and evaluate career assessment instruments. This digest can help improve their evaluations. For the purpose of both locating and evaluating career assessment instruments there are three primary sources. Best known among these are the Buros Institute's publication "Tests in Print" and its…

This digest explains basic elements of standardized tests in order to help teachers in making students feel comfortable about taking such tests. Usually created by commercial publishers, standardized tests are designed to provide a common measure of students' performance. They help compare an individual student's performance with the performance…

Six of 11 papers presented at a symposium on language aptitude testing are included in this document. "Cognitive Abilities in Foreign Language Aptitude: Then and Now" (John B. Carroll) reconsiders language aptitude testing 30 years after publication of the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT). "Preliminary Investigation of the…

The testing of many American Indian children using standardized exams (achievement, aptitude, ability, and intelligence tests) developed for the majority American society represents a case of cross-cultural testing which is likely to produce invalid results in the form of underestimation of student performance. Requirements for obtaining accurate…