Many self-concept measures employ several different scales to which the subject responds in a set order at one sitting. This study examined effects of different testing conditions. The Index of Adjustment and Values (IAV) was administered to 191 graduate students under two different sequences and two time delay conditions. Results indicate…

The Musical Aptitude Profile (MAP) and four levels of the Iowa Tests of Music Literacy (ITML) were administered to university non-music majors to investigate the use of the "in doubt" test item response. The "in doubt" response was not used indiscriminately by the university students on either test battery. (Author)

Effects of the number of individuals coacting while taking two standardized motor performance tests were examined. Increases in aptitude scores corresponding to increases in group size were predicted based upon the summation hypothesis of social facilitation theory. Results indicated a group size effect. (Author/BJG)

The DELPHI procedure requires respondents to reply to several questionnaire iterations with subsequent rounds containing previous round feedback. This study investigated the methodology (response rates, effects of feedback) and offered evidence that large-scale DELPHI surveys are not as advantageous as has previously been indicated. Suggestions…

The authors suggest that there may be a phenomenon of posttest sensitization which could affect the generalizability of experimental results in the way that pretest sensitization does. A quasi-experimental design is proposed to test for such a phenomenon. (JKS)

Some of the approaches employed to reduce students' test anxiety are briefly reviewed and attention is focused upon the use of hypnosis. A one-to-one therapeutic approach using hypnosis as a technique is outlined and the feasibility of its extension to group treatment is explored in an experimental context. (Editor)

To test differential effects of treating cognitive and emotionality response components of test anxiety, test-anxious college students (N=48) were assigned to one of four groups: an attentional treatment; a relaxation treatment; a combined attentional-relaxation treatment; and a waiting-list control group. Significant performance changes were not…

Examined, through analysis of questions about conflict between separated parents (N=327), three hypotheses about the relationship among frequency and intensity response questions. Found associations among related intensity items possibly stronger than those among related frequency items; associated intensity items and associated frequency items…

The tendency of some respondents to omit items more often when they feel they have a less positive evaluation to make and less frequently when the evaluation is more positive is discussed. Five examples illustrate this form of nonresponse bias. Recommendations to overcome nonresponse bias are offered. (SLD)

Presents evidence from a study of examination answer changes by students and from supporting literature to discredit the idea that first impression answers on objective tests are dependable enough that subsequent changes more often result in lower scores than in higher scores. (JT)

Over the years many criticisms have been offered against the multiple choice test format. Ambiguous, and emphasizing isolated information, they are also the most difficult objective tests to construct. Over-interpretation is a danger of multiple choice examinations with students picking subtle answers the test makers consider incorrect. Yet, the…

Different forms of a vocabulary test were administered to college students. Results indicated that as the frequency of specific determiners increased, they formed increasingly strong but differential guessing response sets in high and low scoring groups; however, the magnitude of the effect was much stronger for position specific determiners.…

Several statistical rational and empirical procedures are presented for dealing with the problems of non-response or low return rates in surveys, namely mail surveys. Advantages and shortcomings of these procedures in educational research are discussed. (SLD)

This study examines a score-difference model for the detection of cheating based on the difference between two scores for an examinee: one based on the appropriate scoring key and another based on an alternative, inappropriate key. It argues that the score-difference method could falsely accuse students as cheaters. (Author/JAZ)