A PROBLEM IN CALCULATING GROUP SCORES ON NORM-REFERENCED TESTS

Norm-referenced standardized achievement tests are designed, and commonly used, for obtaining group scores. Various methods are used to calculate and express group scores in terms of common derived scores, such as percent ile ranks. Publishers' scaled scores are ordinarily used in these procedures, with the result that the group scores can possess anomalous characteristics. The group scores can vary widely, depending on not only the measure of central tendency but also the type of derived score employed. A reason for this situation is hypothesized to be the use of inappropriate statistical procedures to develop publishers' scaled scores. Practitioners need to be aware of this problem and to document their procedures when calculating and reporting group scores. Test publishers are urged to avoid the use of scaling procedures that are seen as responsible for this problem.     

SCRAMBLING CONTENT IN ACHIEVEMENT TESTING: AN APPLICATION OF MULTIPLE MATRIX SAMPLING IN EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

This study was designed to research the question of scrambling item content in the construction of achievement tests, so that very general implications could be drawn for both examinee and item populations. To achieve this generality, the methodology of multiple matrix sampling was combined with a simple two group experimental design: a random group of 8th graders responded to mathematics, science, social studies, reading, and language arts achievement items organized in a scrambled (random) test format, while another random group responded to the same items organized in a fixed (segregated by subject matter) test format. The results indicated that scrambling cognitive test items has minimal or no effect on mean examinee test performance or on any of the other parameters included in the analysis.     

Upper extremity augmentation of lower extremity kinetics during countermovement vertical jumps

Twenty-five volleyball players (14 males, 11 females) were videotaped (60Hz) performing countermovement vertical jumps with and without an arm swing. Ground reaction force and video-based coordinate data were collected simultaneously. The resultant joint force and torque at the hip, knee, ankle and shoulder for two trials per subject per condition were computed and normalized. Average kinematic, resultant joint force and torque data were compared using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Larger values were recorded for the vertical velocity of the centre of mass at take-off in the jumps with (mean 2.75, s=0.3m.s-1) versus without (mean 2.44, s= 0.23m.s-1) an arm swing. The jumps with no arm swing produced larger torques at the hip during the first third of the propulsive phase (from zero to maximum vertical velocity of the centre of mass). During the final two-thirds of the propulsive phase, the arm swing augmented hip extensor torques by slowing the rate of trunk extension and placing the hip extensor muscles in slower concentric conditions that favoured the generation of larger forces and resultant joint torques. During the first two-thirds ofthe propulsive phase, knee extensor torque increased by 28% in the jumps with an arm swing, but maintained a relatively constant magnitude in the jumps with no arm swing.     

What's Wrong with Private Schools

The aim of this article is to demonstrate the respects in which private schools are unfair, and why they pose a threat to the well‐being of not only those who are excluded on financial grounds, but to democratic equality and social cohesion in general. The shortcomings associated with relying on a form of educational provision that is merely ‘adequate’ are rendered explicit, and the article concludes with a consideration of a variety of measures that might go some way towards nullifying the harmful effects of private schools, the objections to which are sufficiently strong as to warrant a prima facie case for the abolition of such schools.