Methods and Sources of Assessment Information 3

Question 1

What are tests?

Answer 1

measuring device or procedure.

Question 2

What is Testing?

Answer 2

A way of measuring various individual attributes, such as cognitive functioning, knowledge, skills, abilities, or personality traits.

Question 3

How test data help counsellor?

Answer 3

The way test data are integrated into the overall assessment helps counselors better understand clients and make decisions in their best interests.

Question 4

How testing can be viewed in the public eye?

Answer 4

A controversial process and creates a level of suspicion

Question 5

How test results can have a large impact on an individual’s life path?

Answer 5

These types of tests are often referred to as high stakes. When tests impact the potential to obtain a job, graduate from public school, become admitted into college, or other large life event, the scrutiny of testing becomes even more significant.

Question 6

What are the Purposes of Test?

Answer 6

Screening for emotional, behavioral, learning problems

Classifying or diagnosing: classifying an individual into a certain descriptive category (e.g., “introvert”);

Placing an individual in training or educational setting

Assisting in intervention or treatment planning

Evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention (i.e., progress and outcome evaluation)

Hypothesis testing for research

Question 7

How different test differ from each other?

Answer 7

Tests may differ on a number of features, such as content, format, administration procedures, scoring and interpretation procedures, and cost

Question 8

How test differ in content? give example

Answer 8

Some are:
o Comprehensive
covering a broad range of areas
For example, the California Achievement Test (CAT/6) measures several areas of achievement, including reading, language, math, study skills, science, and social studies.

o Specific
narrow focus, single subject area (e.g., SAT Subject Test in Biology)

Question 9

How test differ in Format?

Answer 9

The format of a test pertains to the type, structure, and number of items on the test.

Test items can be classified as either selected-response or constructed-response items.

Question 10

What is selected-response test? give examples

Answer 10

forced-choice items/ closed Qs

require respondents to indicate which of two or more statements is correct.

Multiple-choice, true/false, and matching items are all examples of selected-response items.

Rating scales are also considered a type of selected-response format in which items are answered using a scale of successive intervals

Question 11

What is a Constructed-response items? give examples

Answer 11

open Qs – respondents supply their own answer

Require test takers to supply their own responses (rather than selecting a given response).

These include fill-in-the-blank items, sentence completion, essay questions, verbal responses, performance tasks, portfolios, drawings, and so on.

Question 12

Which format is better?

Answer 12

 Selected-response items are typically preferred to constructed-response items because they cover a broader range of content and can be answered and scored more quickly.
 However, selected-response items constrain test takers to a single appropriate answer and are subject to guessing, whereas constructed-response items allow individuals to demonstrate more in-depth understanding and more freedom and creativ-ity in their responses.

Question 13

How the format of a test differ in number of items?

Answer 13

Tests vary widely in the number of items and the length of test-taking time: a test can consist of 10 or 15 items and take 10 minutes to complete, it can encompass hundreds of items and take several hours to complete, or it can consist of anything in between.

Question 14

How test differ in Administration? give example

Answer 14

It is an ethical requirement that counselors only use tests for which they received training and that counselors have competency in the administration of tests
Some are:
o Individually
administered individually (i.e., given to one individual at a time) by a very active, very knowledgeable test examiner, or
o Group
administered to a group of individuals at the same time.

o Self-administrated
in which the examinee alone reads the instructions and takes the test.

o Other forms of test administration include computer-administered tests, video/audio administration, and non-verbal administration.

Question 15

How an individual competent in administration is determined?

Answer 15

The complexity of the test will dictate the level of training required to become competent in administration.

Question 16

How test differ in Scoring? give example

Answer 16

can be:
o Hand-scored
o Computer-scored

Some test scores are based on the number of items answered correctly, whereas others simply elicit information about one’s opinions, preferences, and so forth. Tests that are scored on the basis of correctness are usually used to measure some aspect of a person’s knowledge, skills, or abilities. Tests that are not evaluative are usually grouped under the rubric of personality tests

Scoring can be done by:
o Counselor
o Publisher
o Self-scored (client)

Question 17

What happen after scoring test?

Answer 17

After tests are scored, the process of interpretation involves making sense out of test scores by converting test data into meaningful information.

Raw scores can be converted to other types of scores (such as percentiles or standard scores), which are used to help describe and interpret an examinee’s performance.

While published tests often have available software for computer-generated interpretations, the examiner is ultimately responsible for scoring, interpreting, and explaining test results to examinees.

Question 18

How test differ in cost? give example

Answer 18

o Free
o Cheap
o Expensive (separate charges for the test manual, test booklets, scoring sheet, computer software)
o The cost of tests varies widely. Most standardized tests must be purchased from test publishers, and test prices can range from under $100 to thousands of dollars.

Question 19

How the cost of a test is determined?

Answer 19

The cost of a test is often broken down by components.
 many publishers charge seprately for the test manual, test booklets, scoring sheets, computer software, and other items.
 Some test publishers offer a starter kit that includes all of the test materials for one set price.
 some test booklets are reusable, requiring examiners to purchase only answer sheets for another testing.
 Some tests are offered through computer software and can have single use or subscription costs.
 Some tests are available free of charge in published research journals or textbooks

Question 20

What are the Categories of Testing?

Answer 20

tests can be categorized based on a variety of aspects, such as the area of assessment, whether or not it’s standardized, how scores are interpreted, how the test is administered, and item type.

Question 21

Testing can be categorized based on the Area of assessment. What are the type of test included in this category?

Answer 21

Within each area of testing, there are also types of tests.

Intelligence Tests
- Assess variables related to intelligence and cognitive abilities, such as verbal ability, numeric ability, reasoning, memory, and processing speed.

Aptitude Tests
- A person’s potential to succeed in an activity requiring certain skills

Achievement Tests
- Measure a person’s level of knowledge in a specific area

Career or Employment Inventories
- Assess an individual’s interests and help classify those interests in terms of jobs and careers.

Personality Tests
- Measure a wide range of stable and unique personality traits, states, and attitudes, as well as emotional problems or psychological disorders.

Question 22

Testing can be categorized based on whether or not it’s standardized. What are the type of test included in this category?

Answer 22

Standardization:

• Uniformity of procedures in administering and scoring
• Structured test materials, instructions, scoring.
• Proven reliability and validity – high quality.
• Standardized tests are also presumed to have relevancy to the population for which they were intended. This means that they were typically developed using a large, representative norm group.
• Because of their validity, reliability, and norming data, standardized tests are frequently of higher quality than non-standardized tests.

Non-standardized (informal)

• informally constructed tests without proven reliability or validity and have limited use and application.
• Examples of non-standardized tests include teacher-made tests, projective drawings, checklists, and questionnaires.

Question 23

Testing can be categorized based on how they are administered. What are the type of test included in this category?

Answer 23

administered Individually or in group:

Individual

• individual tests are designed for administration to only a single examinee at a time.
• Used for diagnosis, require rapport and special training
• Allow examiners to observe verbal and nonverbal behaviors during the test administration, enabling examiners to gain more insight about the source of the examinee’s problems.
• administering individual tests requires competency, so a counselor should have special training, expertise, familiarity with materials, and practice with timing procedures.

Group

• Group tests are administered to multiple individuals simultaneously.
• More efficient, less expensive and time consuming.
• Requires less training
• Can be scored objectively usually by computer and reduce scoring errors
• Group tests usually contain items that can be scored objectively, usually by computer, which reduces or eliminates scoring errors commonly found in individual tests

Question 24

Testing can be categorized based on performance. What are the type of test included in this category?

Answer 24

Maximum-Performance and Typical-Performance Tests

Maximum-Performance

• Evaluate test taker responses on the basis of correctness (pass/fail)
• used to assess knowledge, skills: based on correctness (the answer is either correct or wrong)
• For example, an achievement test generally meas-ures maximum performance.

Typical-Performance

• to assess opinions, preferences, attitudes: no right or wrong answers. (e.g., career interest inventory)
• For example, when a counselor is helping someone to identify career choices, they might administer a career interest inventory.
• Helps an individual to clarify areas of the work world that are more interesting than others.

Question 25

Testing can be categorized based on language. What are the type of test included in this category?

Answer 25

Verbal and Nonverbal Tests

Verbal

• Verbal tests rely heavily on language usage, particularly oral or written responses. These tests may involve grammar, vocabulary, sentence completion, analogies, and following verbal instructions.
• Because verbal tests require examinees to understand the meaning of words and the structure and logic of language, they discriminate very heavily toward native speakers of the language in which the test has been developed.

Nonverbal

• no need to use language when taking the test: examinees may respond to the test nonverbally, ex: pictorial materials.
• Nonverbal tests provide opportunities for examinees to comprehend directions with little or no language, have limited linguistic content, and allow examinees to respond to items nonverbally.
• a nonverbal test may require a test taker to respond to pictorial materials rather than verbal items.
• An example of a nonverbal test is the PPVT, or the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

Question 26

What is the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test PPVT?

Answer 26

Norm-referenced test that is individually administered. The normative sample for the test included national representation for cultural diversity and special education. Thus, the PPVT can be used to address some of the issues relative to English as a second language and special education issues specific to speech production.

Question 27

Testing can be categorized based on the type of items on the test. What are the type of test included in this category?

Answer 27

items can be:

Objective

• structured test; contain selected-response items (MCQ, True/False). The correct answers are pre-determined (no subjective decisions when scoring)
• It is considered objective because scoring consists of matching the test taker’s item responses to previously determined correct answers; there are no subjective or judgmental decisions involved in the scoring process.

Subjective

• constructed-response answers (essay questions, portfolios…)
• (the assessor has to make judgmental decisions when scoring)

Question 28

Who participate in the testing process?

Answer 28

• Test Developers
• Test Reviewers
• Test Publishers
• Test Users
• Test Takers

Question 29

Who are the test Test Developers? What do they do?

Answer 29

The people or organizations that construct tests.

test developers are usually, but not always, academicians or investigators.

They should provide information and supporting evidence that test users need to select appropriate tests.

They are interested in developing a test that accurately measures the intended construct and will conduct research studies to support their claims.

Question 30

Who are the Test Reviewers?

Answer 30

The individuals who conduct a scholarly review to critically evaluate a test based on its psychometric and practical qualities.

Question 31

Who are the Test Publishers? What do they do?

Answer 31

(organization that publish, market, sell tests)

They also sometimes provide scoring services.

They may also be involved in administering and scoring tests, and using test results to make decisions.

Question 32

Who are the Test Users? What do they do? What are they interested in?

Answer 32

e.g. counselor

The people or agencies that select tests that meet their purposes and are appropriate for the intended test takers. Test users may also be involved in administer-ing, scoring, and interpreting tests, or making decisions based on test result

Test users are most interested in the appropriateness of the tests for their purposes, whereas test publishers are naturally more inclined toward profit margins

Question 33

Who are the Test Takers?

Answer 33

e.g., the participant

(the individual who takes the test)

Test takers are the individuals who take the test by choice, direction, or necessity.