Prelim Prep

Question 1

What is the difference between testing and assessment?

Answer 1

• Assessment: gathering and integrating data for purpose of making an evaluation
• Testing: process of measuring variables through procedures designed to obtain a sample of behavior

Question 2

What are the steps from start to finish of an assessment?

Answer 2

Referral, information gathering, meet with client, score report, give feedback

Question 3

Name and describe several different types of assessments.

Question 4

What are some factors for consideration when defining constructs like happiness or anxiety?

Question 5

What questions should we ask when we are wondering if a test is useful?

Answer 5

?

Question 6

What are some of the tools of psychological assessment?

Answer 6

2

Question 7

What are some of the ways in which tests can be presented?

Question 8

What are some advantages and disadvantages of using portfolios?

Question 9

What can be learned during a clinical interview and behavioral observations?

Question 10

What are role play tests and when would they be used?

Question 11

How can virtual reality be used in evaluations?

Question 12

Why are tests administered in a standardized way?

Question 13

What are some variables to consider that might affect how someone performs on a test?

Answer 13

3

Question 14

What are some of the settings where tests are administered?

Question 15

What is rapport? How is it established? Why is it important in the assessment process?

Question 16

What are some examples of alternative assessment?

Question 17

What are some educational policies that affect assessment in schools?

Question 18

What is the truth-in-testing legislation and what privileges did it grant?

Answer 18

Gave test takers way to learn criteria by which they were being judged, answers made public in 30 days, people have to be informed of a test’s purpose and subject matter, disclose knowledge and skills test purports to measure, procedures for accurate scoring, notifying test takers of scoring errors, ensuring confidentiality

Question 19

Who can purchase tests and use them?

Question 20

What are some limits of confidentiality in testing/therapy?

Answer 20

4

Question 21

When can deception be used in psychological research?

Question 22

What are the rights of test takers?

Question 23

Who can purchase/use psychological tests?

Question 24

What are some considerations when using computerized testing?

Question 25

What is the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education?

Answer 25

Outlines obligation of professionals in terms of standards for educational test developers in four areas:
- Developing and selecting tests
- Interpreting scores
- Striving for fairness
- Informing test takers

Question 26

What is the role of bias in psychological assessment?

Answer 26

5

Question 27

What are culture-free tests and some examples of their characteristics?

Answer 27

Stimuli easily understood by all, more diverse norm groups, not just individualist values

Question 28

Name and describe the four different types of scales.

Answer 28

Nominal- categorical, yes/no, Distinct Categories
Ordinal- ranking, never/sometimes/always, Ordered Categories
Interval- differences are meaningful, but not equal, no zero point, IQ, Meaningful Distances
Ratio- differences are exactly the same, true zero point, Absolute Zero

Question 29

Know these terms: distribution, frequency distribution

Answer 29

Distribution- set of test scores arranged
Frequency distribution- All scores listed alongside number of times each score occurs

Question 30

Name and describe the three measures of central tendency. Why would you use median vs mean?

Answer 30

Use median when relatively few scores hall at high or low end

Question 31

What are some measures of variability and why are they useful?

Answer 31

Range, IQR, SD, describes amount of variation in a distribution

Question 32

Understand skewness and what you can learn about data with that knowledge.

Answer 32

Measures symmetry, could tell too difficult/easy

Question 33

What is kurtosis?

Answer 33

Steepness of distribution at center

Question 34

What is the normal curve and how does knowing a standard score help you understand more about your score on a test?

Answer 34

Simplifies interpretation, can just know if you are above/below average and how much

Question 35

What are some types of standard scores? Understand a person’s standing on a test by knowing these scores.

Answer 35

Z: mean 0 SD 1
T: mean 50 SD 10

Question 36

What is a correlation coefficient? Pearson r? Coefficient of determination?

Answer 36

Correlation coefficient: tells strength of relationship, -1 to 1
Pearson r: represents strength of relationship when linear and continuous variables
Coefficient of determination: square CC, how much variance accounted for/shared by variables, rest is error

Question 37

What is a meta-analysis and why is it useful?

Answer 37

Replicable, more reliable and precise conclusions, more focus on effect size not just significance, evidence-based practice

Question 38

What are the assumptions of psychological testing discussed in the book and in class?

Answer 38

• Psych traits and states exist
• These can be quantified and measured
• Test related behavior predicts non test related behavior
• Tests and other measurement techniques have strengths and weaknesses
• Various sources of error are part of the assessment process
• Testing and assessment can be conducted in a fair and unbiased manner
• Testing and assessment benefit society

Question 39

What are some of the qualities that make up a good test?

Question 40

What is error variance? Reliability? Validity?

Answer 40

EV: component of test score attributable to sources other than what is being measured
Reliability- consistently measures things the same way
Validity- measures what it’s trying to

Question 41

How are tests normed?

Question 42

What are some different norms used to report data?

Question 43

What is reliability? How does true variance and error variance inform it?

Answer 43

8
Reliability- consistency in measurement, the proportion of variance that is attributed to true variance alone and NOT error variance, the greater the proportion of the total variance (CHECK) attributed to true variance, the more reliable the test

Question 44

What are different sources of error in test construction and item sampling?

Answer 44

• Item sampling (MEANS?)
• Content sampling (?)
• Item wording
• Item inclusion
• Test administration: environment, test taker variables, examiner variables
• Test scoring and interpretation (?)

Question 45

What is test/retest reliability?

Answer 45

Correlation between pairs of scores from the same people on two different administrations, if characteristic is stable the coeff should be high, low if unstable
Coefficient of stability??

Question 46

What are parallel and alternate forms of a test?

Answer 46

Parallel forms of a test- means and variances of two forms of tests are equal
Alternate forms- different versions of a test constructed so as to be parallel
?

Question 47

What is split-half reliability and how do you estimate it?

Answer 47

Internal consistency of test, correlate two pairs of scores obtained for equivalent halves of a single test administered once, divide test into two equivalent halves, compute pearson r between scores on each half, adjust using spearman brown formula