Majority of testing programs is designed to demonstrate the superiority of performance of one student over another rather than evaluate the degree to which an individual has mastered specific skills. The necessity of changing this orientation is discussed. (RW)

Item analysis procedures appropriate for domain-referenced classroom testing are described. A conceptual framework within which item statistics can be considered and promising statistics in light of this framework are presented. The sampling fluctuations of the more promising item statistics for sample sizes comparable to the typical classroom…

Although effective and efficient assessment procedures are crucial to the success of organizational training programs, the tests used for both student and program evaluation are often developed by instructional designers (IDS) and subject matter experts (SMEs) with little formal training in test development. This paper summarizes the major…

Intended to provide a broad introduction to the subject of student assessment, this booklet begins by discussing the role of assessment in any systematic approach to course or curriculum design and explains the difference between assessment and evaluation. Four basic features of a good student assessment procedure are then discussed, i.e.,…

It is usually assumed that the procedures followed in developing criterion-referenced (CR) educational achievement tests ensure their content validity. This assumption is reasonable for the class of "domain-specified" CR tests, in which the item domain is completely specified by item generation rules. However, most CR tests are of the…

Resulting from a special study institute sponsored by the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped, the workshop coordinator's kit (third in a series of inservice teacher training materials) focuses on designing criterion measures. Outlined are instructions to the coordinator, materials needed, and discussion questions. Also provided is the script…

A project was conducted to develop a criterion-referenced student testing program for secondary home economics (consumer education) in South Carolina. Procedures used to develop the test included the following: (1) the content elements of the consumer education curriculum were identified; (2) each content element was classified into the type and…

This paper presents the interim results of a set of studies undertaken to develop a much needed methodology for establishing content validity in domain-referenced achievement tests. The study results are presented in the context of the larger issue of the improvement of test design. School teachers, administrators and graduate students were…

The procedures used in developing test forms P and Q of the "Wisconsin Tests of Reading Skill Development: Comprehension" are described in this report. The criterion-referenced tests assess the 40 skills and objectives of the "Wisconsin Design for Reading Skill Development: Comprehension" commercial edition. The report contains…

A battery of criterion referenced job task performance tests (JIPT) for typical electronic maintenance activities were developed. The construction of a battery of such tests together with an appropriate scoring for reporting the results is detailed. The development of a Test Administrators Handbook also is described. This battery is considered to…

Four applications of ordering theory analysis in the formative evaluation of an instructional program which is being developed for retarded children are described. Data from the pilot-testing of this program demonstrated two uses of ordering theory directly related to the formative evaluation of instruction: the testing of hypothesized…

The current emphasis on objectives and test item banks for constructing more effective tests is being augmented by increasingly sophisticated computer software. Items can be catalogued in numerous ways for retrieval. The items as well as instructional objectives can be stored and test forms can be selected and printed by the computer. It is also…

Criterion-referenced measurement has been hailed as one of the most significant developments in the recent history of educational evaluation. Its presence should be felt in the social studies over the next few years. The first part of the paper illustrates the differences between criterion-referenced and norm-referenced measurement--purpose for…

Offers practical rules for writing and using tests in order to reduce pupils' anxiety, improve their study skills and help them master course objectives. (Author/CW)

The ATIC is comprised of a series of subtests designed to assess competency in those basic skill areas considered to be prerequisite for further learning. These subtests are organized into levels which are criterion referenced. The test is suitable for Indian children in grades K-5. (NQ)