Goldhammer (this issue) proposes an interesting approach to dealing with the speededness of item responses. Rather than modeling speed as a latent variable that varies from person to person, he proposes to use experimental conditions that are expected to fix the speed, thereby eliminating individual differences on this dimension in order to make…

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores still wield a mighty force in American culture and in the psyches of teenagers, even though 760 American colleges and universities have made standardized testing an optional part of the admissions process. Three years ago, after the new writing portion of the SAT was unveiled, the author's college, the College…

In "IQ and the Wealth of Nations" (2002), Lynn and Vanhanen estimate the mean IQs of 185 nations and demonstrate that national IQs strongly correlate with the macroeconomic performance of the nations, explaining about half of the variance in GDP per capita. I seek to replicate Lynn and Vanhanen's results across states within the United…

Kanazawa [Kanazawa, S. (2006). IQ and the wealth of states. "Intelligence," 34, 593-600.] offered estimates of state IQ derived from SAT data. The purpose of this commentary is to argue that state preferences for the use of the ACT versus the SAT create biased estimates of SAT-derived state IQ for states where the ACT is more frequently…

Further discussion of declining SAT scores is presented. (MM)

Discusses the pros and cons of using aptitude/IQ tests with preschoolers to predict later school performance. Condensed from "Early Years," April 1981, pp24-25. (SJL)

This article contains two arguments: one author maintains that New York's truth-in-testing law does not achieve its goals, while the other holds that the legislation does protect the consumer of educational tests. (IRT)

This is an introductory comment by the organizer of the 1986 symposium of the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME). The symposium was organized as a memorial to the late Roger Lennon, former president of NCME and a scholar in the field of educational measurement. (JAZ)

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Program (ACT) scores are the main determinants of college entrance in the USA. It is widely assumed that these tests are predictive of success both during college and in later life, but such views are incorrect. Another widely-held view, held by many educators, is that the SAT and ACT are…

Intelligence Quotient scores are only predictors of performance, not precise measures of intelligence. They are most useful in conjunction with other assessments of potential such as achievement tests and daily performance. An explanation of how scores are derived and a brief history of IQ testing are included. (IAH)

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children is examined with particular attention to evolution of current psychometric concepts and methods, as well as the historical sources of popular misconceptions. The K-ABC reveals sophisticated applications of current test construction methodology but requires knowledgeable examiners. (Author/CL)

The nature of tests involved in the controversy on coaching is examined. Then coaching is considered against the background of diverse types of training that may affect test performance, and the implications of these various forms of training for the meaning and validity of test scores is discussed. (Author/BW)

The power structure of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and the validity of its tests are examined. The test format, purposes, costs, and rankings and the potential reform of the ETS are discussed. (JD)

Reviews the history of language aptitude tests in the U.S., examines the notion of aptitude in general, and attempts to answer the question of whether the notion of "language aptitude" is a valid one. (AM)

Tables describe the characteristics of 16 aptitude/achievement and 27 interest/value measures. Relationship between career assessment and vocational education historically and in terms of federal legislation is addressed. (SK)