assessment: terminology and ethical issues

Question 1

Assessment

Answer 1

The systematic process of gathering and documenting information regarding a client’s knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs.

Question 2

10 types of assessments:

Answer 2

• power tests
• speed tests
• maximal performance test
• typical performance test
• standardized tests
• nonstandardized tests
• individual tests
• group tests
• objective tests
• subjective tests

Question 3

army alpha

Answer 3

Developed by Robert Yerkes, the Army Alpha is an intelligence test developed during World War I to screen the cognitive ability of military recruits.

Question 4

army beta

Answer 4

The language-free version of the intelligence test used during World War I to screen the cognitive ability of military recruits who could not read or speak English.

Question 5

measurement

Answer 5

The process of defining and estimating the magnitude of human attributes and behavioral expressions.

Question 6

test

Answer 6

A subset of assessment used to yield data regarding an examinee’s responses to test items.

Question 7

evaluation

Answer 7

Making a determination of worth or significance based on the result of a measurement.

Question 8

power tests

Answer 8

Assessments that are designed to prevent test-takers from attaining perfect scores by including difficult test items that few individuals can answer correctly

Question 9

speed tests

Answer 9

Assessments that are designed to prevent test-takers from attaining perfect scores by including too many items to answer in the allotted time. Speed tests assess how quickly the test-taker can understand the question and choose the right answer.

Question 10

maximal performance test

Answer 10

: A type of assessment that yields information regarding the client’s best attainable score/performance (e.g., on an achievement or aptitude test).

Question 11

typical performance test

Answer 11

A type of assessment that measures one’s normal performance.

Question 12

standardized tests

Answer 12

A type of assessment that is designed to ensure the conditions for administration, test content, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent.

Question 13

nonstandardized tests

Answer 13

Unlike standardized tests, these tests allow for variability and adaptation in test administration, scoring, and interpretation. Nonstandardized tests do not permit an individual’s score to be compared to a norm group

Question 14

individual tests

Answer 14

Tests that are administered to one examinee at a time.

Question 15

group tests

Answer 15

Tests that are administered to two or more test-takers at a time

Question 16

objective tests

Answer 16

Tests that include questions that have one correct answer (e.g., multiple choice, true and false, matching). An objective test provides consistency in administration and scoring to ensure freedom from the examiner’s own beliefs or biases.

Question 17

subjective tests

Answer 17

Tests that include open-ended questions having more than one correct answer (e.g., essay questions). A subjective test is sensitive to rater and examinee beliefs

Question 18

diagnostic systems

Answer 18

Standardized terminologies, or common languages, that allow mental health professionals to communicate with one another regarding client diagnosis and treatment planning.

Question 19

responsibilities of users of standardized tests (RUST)

Answer 19

A policy statement published by the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling (AARC) to ensure counselors use standardized tests with clients in an accurate, fair, and responsible manner

Question 20

join committee on testing practices (JCTP)

Answer 20

Disbanded in 2007 after publishing several documents concerning testing standards in educational, psychological, and counseling fields. The most notable of the JCTP’s publications are Rights and Responsibilities of Test Takers, Test User Qualifications, and Code for Fair Testing Practices in Education.

Question 21

fair access coalition on testing (FACT)

Answer 21

A non-profit organization that works to ensure qualified professionals are given fair access to testing instruments they were trained to use