The construct validity of algebra word problems for measuring quantitative reasoning was examined, focusing on an analysis of problem attributes and on the analysis of constructed-response solutions. Constructed-response solutions to 20 problems from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test were collected from 51 undergraduates.…

A validation study was conducted on the Child Sex Abuse Attitude Scale (CSAAS) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to examine the factor structure of three comparative CFA models. Multitrait multimethod analysis was also used to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the CSAAS. The instrument was developed based on the theory of…

The construct validity of two measures of employee job readiness was investigated by examining the relationships between job readiness and achievement motivation, and between readiness and the variables of education and work experience. The readiness, or maturity level, of employees is an important concept in the situational leadership model,…

The validation of key contextual features of algebra word problems was studied in two phases. In the first phase, five experts were asked to assess the appropriateness of the concepts in the problems and the adequacy of the assignment of the contextual features to the problems. In the second phase, construct validity was established by having 6…

A multimethod, multitrait approach was used to examine the relations of aggression and hyperactivity to mastery motivation in preschool children. Parallel measures of multiple facets of mastery motivation were devised from findings in two studies: (study 1) a maternal report questionnaire for 332 twins, ages 3-5, recruited from the twin registry…

This study represents a continuation of research efforts to further refine the Attitudes & Beliefs on Classroom Control (ABCC) Inventory. Formerly titled the Inventory of Classroom Management Style, the ABCC is an instrument designed to measure teachers' perceptions of their classroom management beliefs and practices. It is based on a…

This study used multiple methods to assess basic community needs and attributes of community atmosphere (cohesion, religious involvement, and recreational activities) in two psychometric studies. Part 1 revised self-report community assessment measures, developed multi-item scales for each construct, and tested reliabilities and factor structures…

Many studies of the reasons people select teaching as a career have used quantitative instruments featuring a checklist of reasons one might enter teaching to which subjects respond using a checklist or a continuously scaled Likert format. In this study, results of an effort to establish the construct validity of such an instrument are reported. A…

Educational researchers have begun exploring teachers' beliefs and construction of knowledge through their use of metaphors. In this study, undergraduate (N=104) and graduate (N=102) education students were asked to respond to open-ended statements concerning what teachers, students, and classrooms were like. The subjects also responded to lists…

Three papers and a sample outline of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) represent the work of the Monitoring and Improving Testing and Evaluation Innovations (MITEI) Project during 1988. The skeleton of a sample RFP outline for large-scale assessment was expanded to provide a checklist of the type of information that should be included in a RFP. The…

Preliminary psychometric data assessing the reliability and validity of a method used to measure the diagnostic reasoning and problem-solving skills of predoctoral students in orthodontia are described. The measurement approach consisted of sets of patient demographic data and dental photos and x-rays, accompanied by a set of 33 multiple-choice…

The construct validity of biographical items in the Individual Achievement Record (IAR) was assessed in an attempt to develop a confirmatory factor model. This first phase of a two-phase study focused on the IAR's use as a predictor of job performance. The IAR is an empirically keyed biodata inventory containing 112 multiple-choice items. Item…

The internal structure and correlates of the South Carolina State Department of Education's Needs Assessment Instruments (NAIs) for teachers, parents, and students were examined for 61, 61, and 36 schools, respectively. The NAIs are questionnaires that assess six indicators of school effectiveness: (1) instructional leadership of the principal;…

The internal consistency of the Self Assessment Instrument of Chapter 1 Program Quality (SAICPQ) was studied. This instrument is widely used to assess the implementation of exemplary practices in compensatory education. The SAICPQ is a self-report questionnaire consisting of 13 subscales representing correlates of achievement in studies of…

Organizational theorists have viewed organizations as "mini-societies" based upon commonly held cultural values and assumptions, which may serve to revolutionize organizational practices or to bring about new organization structures. The middle school is an example of an educational institution that has arisen as a result of a particular set of…