A natural experiment dramatically reveals that scores on a difficult standardized mathematics aptitude test predicts achievement in mathematics over a 2 or 3-year period considerably better than the judgment of the students' present mathematics teacher. (Author/AM)

Research supported by U.S. Office of Education Contract OEC-3-7-068694-2082

An investigation was conducted to determine the effects of response-category weighting and item weighting on reliability and predictive validity. Response-category weighting refers to scoring in which, for each category (including omit and "not read"), a weight is assigned that is proportional to the mean criterion score of examinees selecting…

The Navy's selection tests are not as valid for minority personnel as they are for the majority group, the utility of alternative test composites was investigated. The samples were drawn from all students attending a Class "A" school, the first school a recruit goes to in order to learn a technical skill, during 1971-1972. Comparisons…

This review summarizes the major criticisms of standardized tests and testing and attempts an evaluation of the validity of the criticisms. Viewed in the context of type of test, manner of its use, and assumptions regarding its validity, the paper discusses: (1) the imperfect-prediction problem, where predictions of performance are invalidated by…

A study was conducted to investigate the validity of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) and of educational data for Air Force technical training, to investigate the unique contribution of both educational data and test data in predicting Air Force technical training success, and to assess homogeneity of prediction equations for…

COUNSELORS OFTEN ADMINISTER TESTS OF QUESTIONABLE VALIDITY. IN RELIABILITY STUDIES, EVERY PRECAUTION IS TAKEN TO STABILIZE THE STIMULUS SITUATION. IN ASSESSING VALIDITY, CONCERN CENTERS ON BEHAVIOR UNDER DIFFERENT STIMULUS CONDITIONS. CRONBACH'S THEORETICAL LIMIT FOR A VALIDITY COEFFICIENT OF A TEST IS THE SQUARE ROOT OF THE RELIABILITY…

This study at George Washington University tested for the dependence of the graduate quality point index on total scores of the Admission Test for Graduate Study in Business (an aptitude test), undergraduate quality point index, and length of time since receiving the bachelor's degree. It was hypothesized that success in the Graduate Business…

The composite of Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) subtests used to select applicants for entry-level training in Army clerical schools was evaluated by correlating composite scores with training performance scores. Comparisons were made between the multiple R for this optimal set of predictors and that for the composite of…

This invitational conference was convened to report the principal findings of a six-year study of possible sources of bias in the prediction of job performance. The research was conducted jointly by Educational Testing Service and the U.S. Civil Service Commission, supported by the Ford Foundation. Data were gathered on test and job performance of…