TEST USERS, SELECTION OF TESTS, TESTING PWDS

TEST USER QUALIFICATIONS

Lowest Tier: Level A

  • Type of Instruments

    • limited range (i.e., educational achievement tests)

    • tests that can be administered, scored and interpreted without specialized training

      • thru manuals

  • Credentials/ Requirements to Purchase

    • may require a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field

Intermediate Tier: Level B

  • Type of Instruments

    • tools that need specialized training in test construction and use

      • aptitude tests and personality inventories

  • Credentials/ Requirements to Purchase

    • usually must have either a Master’s-level degree in psychology (or related field)

Highest Tier: Level C

  • Type of Instruments

    • tools that require extensive familiarity with testing and assessment principles

      • individual intelligence tests and projective techniques

  • Credentials/ Requirements to Purchase

    • advanced training and supervised experience

    • obtaining a doctoral degree, or professional licensure in a field pertinent to the intended use of the instruments or both

RESPONSIBILITY OF TEST USERS

  1. Define the purpose for testing and the population to be tested

  • select a test for that purpose and that population based on a thorough review of the available information and materials

  1. Investigate potentially useful sources of information

  • in addition to test scores

  • to corroborate the information provided by tests

  1. Read the materials provided by test developers

  • avoid using tests for which unclear or incomplete information is provided

  1. Know test history

  • Become familiar with how and when the test was developed and tried out.

  1. Read reviews of the test

  • Read independent evaluations of a test and of possible alternative measures

  1. Examine specimen sets

  • disclosed tests or samples of questions, direction, answer sheets, manual, score reports before selecting a test

  1. Is it a culture-friendly test?

  • ascertain whether the test content and norm group(s) or comparison group(s) is appropriate for the intended test takers

  1. Be trained and familiar with the test

  • Select and use only those tests for which the skills needed to administer the test and interpret scores correctly are available

SELECTION OF TESTS

  1. The Scope

  2. Acceptability

  3. Utility

  4. Reliability

  5. Validity

  6. Practicality

  7. Fairness

TESTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

  • what you do depends on clients’ needs and your capabilities

  • adjust and modify the test

  1. transforming the test into a form that can be taken by the testtaker

  2. transforming the responses of the testtaker so that they are scorable

  3. meaningfully interpreting the test data