Chapter 12-Test Selection and Administration

Question 1

Validity

Answer 1

the degree to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure

Question 2

Construct validity

Answer 2

ability of a test to represent the underlying construct (the theory developed to organize and explain some aspects of existing knowledge and observation
overall validity or the extent to which the test actually measures what it was designed to measure
To be valid, a test should:
measure abilities important in the sport
produce repeatable results
measure the performance of one athlete at a time
appear meaningful
be of suitable difficulty
be able to differentiate between various levels of ability
permit accurate scoring
include sufficient number of trials
withstand the test of statistical evaluation

Question 3

face validity

Answer 3

appearance to the athlete and other casual observers that the test measures what it is purported to measure

Question 4

content validity

Answer 4

assessment by experts that the testing covers all relevant subtopics or component abilities in appropriate proportions; includes all of the component abilities needed for a particular sport or position

Question 5

criterion-referenced validity

Answer 5

extent to which test scores are associated with some other measure of the same ability. three types are concurrent, predictive and discriminant

Question 6

concurrent validity

Answer 6

extent to which test scores are associated with those of other accepted tests that measure the same ability

Question 7

convergent validity

Answer 7

high positive correlation between results of the test being assessed and those of the recognized measure of the construct or the “gold standard”

Question 8

predictive validity

Answer 8

extent to which the test score corresponds with future behavior or performance

Question 9

discriminant validity

Answer 9

ability of a test to distinguish between two different constructs and is evidenced by a low correlation between the results of the test and those of tests of a different construct

Question 10

Reliability

Answer 10

measure of the degree of consistency or repeatability of a test

Question 11

test-retest reliability

Answer 11

statistical correlation of the scores from two administrations of the same test to the same group of athletes

Question 12

Typical error of measurement

Answer 12

includes both the equipment error and biological variation of athletes

Question 13

Factors resulting in differences in scores

Answer 13

intrasubject (within subjects) variability
lack of interrater (between raters) reliability or agreement
intrarater (within raters) variability
failure of the test itself to provide consistent results

Question 14

intrasubject variability

Answer 14

lack of consistent performance by the person being tested

Question 15

interrater reliability

Answer 15

degree to which different raters agree in their test results over time or on repeated occasions; measure of consistency
sources of interrater differences include:
variations in calibrating testing devices
preparing athletes
running the test
some athletes may be more motivated by a particular coach

Question 16

interrater variability

Answer 16

lack of consistent scores by a given tester
causes include:
leniency in hopes of seeing improvement
inadequate training
inattentiveness
lack of concentration
failure to follow standardized procedures for device calibration
athlete preparation
test administration
test scoring

Question 17

Failure of the test itself

Answer 17

more technique-intensive test generally exhibit greater variability in results and require more pretest practice to produce consistency

Question 18

test selection

Answer 18

must consider sport specificity (metabolic energy demands, biomechanical movement patterns) athlete experience, training status, age and environmental factors
the more similar the test is to an important movement in the sport, the better

Question 19

Environmental factors affecting test performance

Answer 19

temperature, humidity and altitude

Question 20

Test administration

Answer 20

accurate results require tests to be administered safely, correctly and in an organized manner
Points of emphasis:
ensure health and safety of athletes
carefully select and train testers
tests should be well organized and efficiently administered
athletes should be properly prepared and instructed

Question 21

Health and safety considerations

Answer 21

Heart problems like impaired blood flow or irregular heartbeat
heat injury
musculoskeletal injury
medical referral may be warranted for specific symptoms

Question 22

Temperature and humidity guidelines for strenuous exercise testing

Answer 22

Relative humidity 0 = temp limit 95
RH 1-20 = temp 90
RH 21-50 = temp 85 
RH 51-90 = temp 80
RH 91-100 = temp 75

Question 23

Selection and training of testers

Answer 23

test administrators should be well trained with a thorough knowledge of all testing procedures and protocols
Novices should be supervised to ensure they perform and score all tests correctly.
tester should have sufficient practice giving the tests.
They should be trained to explain and administer the tests as consistently as possible
Checklist of materials needed for testing and written test protocols to refer if there are questions

Question 24

Recording forms

Answer 24

scoring forms should be developed before the testing session with space for all results and comments
environmental conditions and specific details of the setup should be documented.

Question 25

Test format

Answer 25

athletes should be made aware of the purpose and procedures of a test beforehand.
decide if the athletes will be tested in groups or all at once and whether the same person will be administering the test to all athletes.
Preferable to have the same person administer the test is time allows.
each tester should only administer one test at a time

Question 26

Testing batteries and multiple testing trials

Answer 26

tester can administer up to 2 nonfatiguing tests in sequence
when multiple trials of a test are performed, allow complete recovery between trials
At least 2 min rest between attempts not close to max and 3 min rest for attempts close to max
Test battery using same muscle groups and measuring the same component require 5 min recover to prevent fatigue from skewing the scores

Question 27

Sequence of tests

Answer 27

nonfatiguing tests (height, weight, flexibility, skinfold and girth, vertical jump)
agility tests
max power and strength
sprint tests
local muscular endurance tests
fatiguing anaerobic capacity tests
aerobic capacity tests

design for minimal recovery time between tests
administer fatiguing anaerobic capacity and aerobic tests on different days if possible
if not possible, allow for adequate recovery time
test sessions should occur at the same time of day and preferably indoors

Question 28

Preparing athletes for testing

Answer 28

announce date, time and purpose of test battery in advance
athletes should be familiar with content and procedures
supervised pretest practice is encouraged
instructions should cover the purpose, how it is performed amount of warm–up, number of practice attempts, number of trials, test scoring, criteria for disallowing attempts, and recommendations for maximizing performance.
demonstration of proper test performance is encouraged
give athletes the change to ask questions
motivate all athletes equally
tell athletes their scores immediately
do a general and specific warm-up and a light cool down for tests that dramatically increase HR