Correlational evidence suggests that high school GPA is better than admission test scores in predicting first-year college GPA, although test scores have incremental predictive validity. The usefulness of a selection variable in making admission decisions depends in part on its predictive validity, but also on institutions' selectivity and…

Studied the cognitive equivalence of computerized and paper-and-pencil reading comprehension tests using verbal protocol analysis. Results for 48 college students indicate that the only significant difference between the computerized and paper-and-pencil tests was in the frequency of identifying important information in the passage. (SLD)

Examined whether the measures used in the admission of students to universities in Israel are gender-biased, using first-year university performance as the criterion and six predictors. Results for 61,885 Hebrew speakers show that no gender bias was detected when using the admissions score but bias in favor of women was found when using school…

Examined whether patterns of gender differential item functioning (DIF) in parcels of items are influenced by changes in item position. Findings for more than 2,000 college freshmen taking a test of mathematics suggest that the amounts of gender DIF and DIF present in item parcels tend not to be influenced by changes in item position. (SLD)

Studied sex and ethnic group differences on 6 scales that measure accomplishments for 739 male and 1,746 female graduate school applicants. With the exception of the scale measuring mechanical accomplishment, men and women did not differ in performance, and ethnic groups did not differ on any scale. (SLD)

Examined the influence of two forms of socially desirable responding on scores within 17 domains of self-concept from 3 measures completed by 390 college students. Found significant sex differences in 12 domains. Discusses the role of impression management in creating some apparent sex differences. (SLD)

Studied a method for investigating the equivalence of translated-adapted items using bilingual test takers through item response theory. Results from an English-Turkish course evaluation form completed by 688 Turkish students indicate that the methodology is effective in flagging items that function differentially across languages and informing…

Demonstrated the use of generalizability theory in analyzing existing faculty evaluation data. Three measurement conceptualizations representing different purposes of faculty evaluation were developed and variance components associated with these conceptualizations were estimated from an existing faculty evaluation using 30 teachers for each…

Explored how allowing examinees to select test questions affected examinee performance and test characteristics for a measure of ability to generate hypotheses about a situation. Results with 2,429 examinees who elected the choice condition on the Graduate Record Examination suggest that items are differentially attractive to examinees. (SLD)

Performed generalizability analyses of expert ratings and computer-produced scores for a computer-delivered performance assessment of physicians' patient management skills. The two automated scoring systems produced scores for the 200 medical students that were approximately as generalizable as those produced by the four expert raters. (SLD)

Compared the Nedelsky (L. Nedelsky, 1954) and Angoff (W. Angoff, 1971) standard-setting methods in three studies involving 80 graduate students as judges. Nedelsky cutscores were significantly lower than Angoff cutscores. Suggests that combining the strong features of both methods would make a better standard-setting procedure. (SLD)

Examined whether providing item review on a computerized adaptive test could be used by examinees to inflate their scores. Two studies involving 139 undergraduates suggest that examinees are not highly proficient at discriminating item difficulty. A simulation study showed the usefulness of a strategy identified by G. Kingsbury (1996) as a way to…

Women's lower scores on standardized admissions tests were examined from the perspective of consequential validity using data from the Law School Admissions Test. Data do not show that women disproportionately remove themselves from the applicant pool and do not suggest that a consequence of lower scores is application to less prestigious schools.…

To determine the effects on test performance and test validity of releasing essay topics before an examination, 300 prospective graduate students wrote essays on a released and an unreleased topic. Analyses did not reveal any statistically significant effect of topic release. (SLD)

Issues that must be addressed in the large-scale application of computerized adaptive testing are explored, including considerations of test design, scoring, test administration, item and item bank development, and other aspects of test construction. Possible solutions and areas in which additional work is needed are identified. (SLD)