Utility

Utility

The practical value of testing to improve efficiency

Psychometric Soundness

The higher the criterion-related validity of test scores, the higher the utility of the test.

Costs

Refers to disadvantages, losses, or expenses in both economic and noneconomic terms.

Benefits

Can be defined as profits, gains, or advantages.

Utility Analysis

A family of techniques that entail a cost-benefit analysis designed to yield information relevant to a decision about the usefulness and/or practical value of an assessment.

Expectancy Data

Likelihood that a test taker will score within some interval of scores on a criterion measure.

Taylor-Russel Tables

Provide an estimate of the percentage of employees hired by the use of a particular test who will be successful at their jobs.

Base Rate

Percentage of people hired under the existing system for a particular position.

Selection Ratio

Numerical value. Relationship between the number of people hired and the number of people available to be hired.

Naylor-Shine

Help obtain the difference between the means of the selected and unselected groups. To derive an index of what the test is adding to already established procedures.

Brogen-Cronbach-Gleser Formula

Used to calculate the dollar amount of a utility gain resulting from the use of a particular selection instrument under specified conditions.

Utility Gain

Estimate of benefit of using a particular test or selection method.

Fixed Cut Scores

Made on the basis of having achieved a minimum level of proficiency of a test.

Multiple Cut Scores

The use of multiple cut scores for a single predictor for the purpose of categorizing test takers.

Multiple Hurdles

Achievement of a particular cut score on one test is necessary in order to advance to the next stage of evaluation in the selection process.

Angoff Method

The judgement of the experts are averaged to yield cut scores for the test. Can be used for personnel selection based on traits, attributes, and abilities.

Known Groups Method

Entails collection of data on the predictor of interest from groups known to possess a trait, attribute, or ability of interest. Based on the analysis of data, a cut score is set on the test that best discriminates the groups' test performance.

IRT-based Methods

Each item is associated with a particular level of difficulty.

In order to pass the test, the taker must answer items that are deemed to be above some minimum level of difficulty, which is determined by experts and serves as the cut score.