Describe the testing universe, the target audience, and the purpose of the test.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• To define the testing universe, the developer prepares a working definition of the construct that the test will measure. If the test is going will measure an abstract construct, the developer conducts a thorough review of the psychological literature to locate studies that explain the construct and any current tests that measure the construct.

• When defining the target audience, the developer makes a list of the characteristics of the persons who will take the test—particularly those characteristics that affect how test takers will respond to the test questions. Developers must also consider what reading level is appropriate for the target audience.

• The purpose includes not only what the test will measure—for instance, self-esteem—but also how the test users will use the test scores. Will the scores be used to compare test takers (normative approach), or will they be used to indicate achievement (criterion approach)?

• Another question when determining the test purpose is whether the scores will be used cumulatively to test a theory (e.g., to identify a correlation between intelligence and another variable) or individually to provide information about the individual (e.g., his or her intelligence quotient). In the former case, the purpose of the test is to deliver a distribution of scores. In the latter case, the accuracy of the individual scores is most important.