A representative from a publishing company visits with you and recommends publishing the latest standardized test for measuring children's reading comprehension. The sales person gives you the test manual for review. What information would you look for in order to be sure the test is both valid and reliable?
What will be an ideal response?
You would want to review the manual to find evidence of test validity (the extent to which the test measures what it claims to measure). Validity means the judgments and decisions based on the procedures are appropriate and sound. You would make sure methods used for measuring children's comprehension actually do measure comprehension. You would check for evidence of external validity (evidence that findings are valid beyond the original group studied). You would also look at ecological validity, making sure the results have meaning for children in real life situations. You would also examine evidence of the reliability of the test scores. Reliability is the stability or repeatability of measure. Test scores are not significantly different if the test is repeated.
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A researcher asks a sample of brothers and sisters to rate how positive their family environment was during childhood. In this study, the differences in ratings between each brother and sister pair were compared. The type of design described here is called a
A. repeated-measures design. B. matched-samples design. C. repeated-measures design and matched-samples design.
A recent emphasis on improving students’ thinking and comprehensive skills emphasizes _________________ as a central theme in teacher education
a. technology b. rote learning c. reflective teaching d. written focus
Teachers who strike may be discharged without a prior hearing. (Supreme Court of Michigan)
Indicate whether the statement is true(T) or false(F).
After Martha gave her class a test, she compared their scores to a set of existing norms for their age. Martha most likely gave her class a(n) _________ test.?
a. ?hard b. ?standardized c. ?group d. ?authentic