The utility of raw gain analysis for validation of college placement tests is demonstrated with scores from the Descriptive Test of Mathematics Skills. Gains during one semester for students in various freshman level mathematics courses were evaluated. Results suggest that gain analysis is a useful tool for placement test validation. (Author/MLW)

Explains a model that exploratory research indicates would be of practical value as an aid in counseling students entering introductory computing. (Author/JM)

Special aptitude scores of 84 tenth-grade educable mentally handicapped (EMH) students were obtained with the Nonreading Aptitude Test Battery while intelligence was quantified with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Revised. It was concluded that EMH students possess a variety of special aptitudes which could broaden their vocational…

The median correlation of Nelson-Denny scores with first unit examination and semester point total was 0.56. When standardized aptitude scores are not available, the Nelson-Denny would be a useful predictor of performance in an introductory psychology class. (Author/CP)

The relationship between performance on selected subtests of the Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude (DTLA) and academic performance as measured by the Wide Range Achievement Test was analyzed for 65 learning disabled adolescents. (Author)

Measures of death anxiety, the Thrustone Interest Inventory, the A-B Scale, and the SAT and ACT aptitude tests, were taken among college students. The implications are discussed in terms of a theoretical five-component biosocial model and its relationship to death anxiety. (Author)

Describes the effort the state of Alabama has exerted to construct and use content-oriented tests valid for ranking applicants for employment in the state merit system. (IRT)

Research on human cognitive abilities and jobs' aptitude demands reveals that the two domains have essentially the same structure. Counselor reluctance to use cognitive assessments may be overcome by addressing the following: Which cognitive abilities should be considered? How should occupations be classified for the purposes of assessing…

Describes four effective and efficient person-centered assessment and planning tools to assist individuals with special needs in identifying skills, abilities, interests, and future plans. Discusses ways to use these tools for assessment, planning, and achievement of transition and rehabilitation goals. (Contains 29 references.) (Author/JOW)

Provides a conceptual basis for understanding factor analysis as an analytical technique. Illustrates the basic concepts of factor analysis through Edward L. Rainbow's data from a study of variables influencing students' musical aptitude. Suggests that this technique is most appropriate in music applications where the interrelationships between…

Despite being unremittingly attacked over the past decade, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) continues to thrive. The growth in SAT use has been stimulated by its critics and by Educational Testing Service and College Board promotional campaigns. The SAT is still erroneously used to summarize the quality of incoming classes and colleges. Includes…

The more students know about themselves and the world of work, the more likely they are to make satisfying decisions about their future. Middle-level school counselors can offer students a variety of career awareness experiences via interest inventories and aptitude tests, career cluster exploration, computer-assisted guidance, field trips,…

Describes a computerized assessment instrument to assess development in youngsters 2 to 7 years of age, based on the 12 developmental scales of Arnold Gesell. (SR)

Analyzes the practice of race norming (adapting test scores on the basis of race/ethnicity) and its justification. Outlines the background of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which prohibited race norming, and considers future implications for recruitment and selection. (SK)

In September 2005 the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) in association with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), the Sutton Trust and the College Board, began a five-year research study to examine the validity of an aptitude test in higher education admissions. This report describes and explores the relationships…