The authors compared the performance of third-grade students testing on answer sheets with those testing on machine-scored test booklets. The 1,832 students in the nationally representative sample were assigned at the campus level to complete the Stanford Achievement Test Series, Tenth Edition in 1 of 4 conditions: (a) Form A answer sheet, (b)…

It can be difficult to find adequate strategies when teaching problem solving in a standard based mathematics classroom. The purpose of this study was to improve students' problem solving skills and attitudes through differentiated instruction when working on lengthy performance tasks in cooperative groups. This action research studied for 15 days…

In view of the strengthening momentum in efforts to reforms in examinations in higher education of India and Kerala in particular, and holding that teacher education is in privileged position to initiate examination reforms in higher education by virtue of its link with both school education and the higher education, this paper focuses attention…

The quality of evaluation of essay type answer books involving multiple evaluators for courses with large number of enrollments is likely to be affected due to heterogeneity in experience, expertise and maturity of evaluators. In this paper, we present a strategy to detect anomalies in evaluation of essay type answers by multiple evaluators based…

Last July, the Atlanta Public Schools became the poster district for teachers and principals behaving badly. State investigators found that, in 44 schools across the city, 178 teachers and administrators had systematically cheated on the state standardized tests taken by their students in 2009. The largest cheating scandal by far has cast a pall…

Vocabulary knowledge has been recognized by researchers as a critical component of reading comprehension, not only as a means to facilitate first language acquisition but also as an integral element in the learning of English as a second or foreign language. To reduce the effect of insufficient vocabulary knowledge during reading, a compensatory…

At the Medical College of Wisconsin, a procedure was developed to allow computerized grading and grade reporting of laboratory practical examinations in the Clinical Human Anatomy course. At the start of the course, first year medical students were given four Lists of Structures. On these lists, numbered items were arranged alphabetically; the…

In this paper, we present two new methods for evaluating students' answerscripts based on the similarity measure between vague sets. The vague marks awarded to the answers in the students' answerscripts are represented by vague sets, where each element u[subscript i] in the universe of discourse U belonging to a vague set is represented by a…

This article describes the results of a three-year investigation into cheating by school personnel. The goals of this research were to measure the prevalence of cheating by teachers and administrators and to analyze the factors that predict cheating. Using data on test scores and student records from the Chicago Public Schools, the authors…

A recent project in higher education in which evidence of falsification was found is described along with two other projects that demonstrate the possibility for falsification. An advantage of standardized questionnaires and machine techniques for scoring and reporting is the low cost, but the need to detect and prevent falsification raises…

An assessment of the differential effect of two pupil response procedures is presented. The two groups, half responding in test booklets, half using answer sheets, were matched by grade and general scholastic aptitude. The score reliabilities did not differ significantly for either pupil response mode. (Author/BB)

Textbooks have more influence than teachers in shaping the curriculum. They set objectives, daily lessons and activities, and influence test questions. Since the text is often the determinant of a course of study, the selection of a text can be a critical task. Consequently, an instrument for measuring the strengths and weaknesses of textbooks is…

The conventionally used answer-sheet grid was found to be optimal. (Author/IRT)

A clinical testing technique involving a latent image transfer process requires the pharmacy student to integrate material from a patient profile and answer interlocking multiple-choice questions. The technique is self-correcting and provides immediate feedback. The cost, preparation, format, problems, illustrations, and a sample question are…

Computerized answer sheets in mail surveys are examined for their effects on rate of return and response bias. Results of an empirical study of job satisfaction suggested that computerized answer sheets may be used in mail surveys without significantly affecting rate of return or producing response bias. (Author/JKS)