Question 1

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-5.An achievement test to be given as a pretest and a posttest in a classroom research study
A) equivalent forms
B) split-half
C) test-retest

Accepted Answer

The answer of Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating...

Question 2

The textbook defines test reliability as the ratio between the variance of the
A) error scores and true scores.
B) true scores and observed scores.
C) error scores and observed scores.
D) two sets of scores from identical or equivalent tests.

Accepted Answer

Test reliability is defined as the ratio of the variance of true scores to the variance of observed scores.

Question 3

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-5.A physical fitness test administered in junior high school
A) equivalent forms
B) split-half
C) test-retest

Accepted Answer

Test-retest reliability is most useful for a physical fitness test administered in junior high school because it measures the stability of test scores over time, which is important for assessing physical fitness that may vary less over short periods.

Question 4

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-5.A high school math test used to predict success in college math.
A) equivalent forms
B) split-half
C) test-retest

Accepted Answer

Equivalent forms reliability is most useful for a high school math test used to predict success in college math because it involves creating two different versions of the test that are designed to be equivalent, allowing for an assessment of consistency across different forms of the test. This is important for predictive tests to ensure that variations in test form do not affect the prediction of future performance.

Question 5

To estimate changes in test reliability that would result from changing the length of a test, one would use the
A) phi coefficient.
B) Kuder-Richardson 20.
C) Spearman-Brown.
D) coefficient alpha.

Accepted Answer

The Spearman-Brown formula is used to estimate changes in test reliability that would result from changing the length of a test. This formula estimates the correlation coefficient between two halves of a test that were split into equal length parts. It provides an estimate of the reliability of one half of the test if the length of the test were to change. Therefore, it is the best choice for estimating changes in test reliability resulting from length changes.

Question 6

A researcher wishes to increase the score reliability of a reading test being used in a study.The score reliability could be most easily increased by increasing the
A) number of items on the test.
B) number of persons tested.
C) homogeneity of the group tested.
D) number of types of items on the test.

Accepted Answer

Increasing the number of items on the test will increase the internal consistency of the test scores and thus increase the reliability of the test. This is because adding more items will increase the overall variability of the scores, increasing the test's ability to differentiate between individuals with different levels of reading ability.

Question 7

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Adding 10 items to the test that everyone answers correctly.
A) lower reliability
B) raise reliability
C) neither raise nor lower reliability

Accepted Answer

Adding 10 items to the test that everyone answers correctly does not contribute to differentiating among test takers' abilities or knowledge levels, thus it neither raises nor lowers the reliability of the test. Reliability is concerned with the consistency of an assessment tool, and items that do not vary in responses do not impact this consistency.

Question 8

Split-half reliability will be higher than Kuder-Richardson reliability in
A) a long test.
B) a very difficult test.
C) a heterogeneous test.
D) a test with a large error variance.
E) an internally consistent test.

Accepted Answer

Split-half reliability is more appropriate for heterogeneous tests because it can account for the variability in item difficulty and content, whereas Kuder-Richardson reliability assumes homogeneity.

Question 9

An investigator computed the split-half reliability coefficient of a test and found it to be .85.Later an equivalent form of the test was prepared and the reliability computed by administering the two forms to a group.One might expect that the reliability coefficient obtained by the latter procedure would be
A) lower than .85.
B) higher than .85.
C) also .85.

Accepted Answer

The reliability coefficient obtained by administering two forms of a test (equivalent-forms reliability) is typically lower than the split-half reliability coefficient because it accounts for more sources of error variance, such as differences between the forms and conditions under which each form is administered.

Question 10

It has been determined that 30 percent of a test's total variance is error.What is the test's reliability coefficient?
A) .30
B) .60
C) .70
D) .75

Accepted Answer

Reliability coefficient = 1 - error variance 
Given that, error variance = 0.3 or 30% 
Hence, reliability coefficient = 1 - 0.3 = 0.7 or 70% (Option C).

Question 11

A test designed to measure achievement motivation proved to be very consistent but to have no relation to other measures of motivation or teachers' ratings of motivation.The test is
A) valid and reliable.
B) reliable but not valid.
C) valid but not reliable.
D) neither valid nor reliable.

Accepted Answer

The test is reliable because it consistently measures the same thing, but it is not valid because it does not measure what it is intended to measure. The lack of relationship with other measures of motivation and teachers' ratings also indicate that the test does not have good construct validity.

Question 12

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-5.A classroom achievement test used for grading purposes
A) equivalent forms
B) split-half
C) test-retest

Accepted Answer

For a classroom achievement test used for grading purposes, split-half method would be the most useful as it involves dividing the test into two parts and comparing the scores obtained by the same individuals on each half. This method would help assess whether the test items are internally consistent and whether the test is measuring what it intends to measure.

Question 13

The Kuder-Richardson 21 formula for estimating the score reliability of a classroom achievement test has the disadvantage that
A) it is difficult to compute.
B) it assumes that all test items are of equal difficulty.
C) it is inappropriate for a power test.
D) the resulting reliability coefficient must be adjusted by using another formula.

Accepted Answer

The Kuder-Richardson 21 formula assumes that all test items are of equal difficulty, which is a disadvantage as it may not accurately reflect the actual difficulty level of the items.

Question 14

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Changing from a multiple-choice test to an essay test covering the same materials.
A) lower reliability
B) raise reliability
C) neither raise nor lower reliability

Accepted Answer

Changing from a multiple-choice test to an essay test may introduce more variability in responses which could lower reliability.

Question 15

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Adding 10 items similar to those already in the test
A) lower reliability
B) raise reliability
C) neither raise nor lower reliability

Accepted Answer

Adding 10 items similar to those already in the test would raise reliability by increasing the consistency and stability of the test.

Question 16

A language aptitude test is administered to 50 students who are entering an honors French course.After one semester, their scores from the final examination in the French course are correlated with the scores from the language aptitude test.The resulting correlation coefficient would provide what kind of evidence of the test's score validity?
A) Content
B) Test-retest
C) Concurrent
D) Criterion-related

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient between the language aptitude test scores and the final examination scores in the French course is measuring the extent to which the language aptitude test predicts performance in the French course. This is an example of criterion-related validity, which assesses whether a test is able to predict or correlate with a specific outcome, in this case, success in the French course.

Question 17

Which of the following represents the most direct evidence that a test is a valid measure of a construct?
A) The test predicts success in college.
B) The test scores correlate highly with teachers' ratings.
C) The test includes a representative sample of the skills taught in the course.
D) The test of trait Y places individuals into categories that were predicted from the theory of trait Y.

Accepted Answer

The fact that the test of trait Y accurately categorizes individuals according to the theory of trait Y is the most direct evidence of the test's validity as a measure of that construct. The other options provide evidence of other aspects of the test's reliability or usefulness, but do not directly address its validity as a measure of the construct in question.

Question 18

Estimates of the score reliability of speeded tests calculated by the split-half procedure are generally
A) too high.
B) too low.
C) accurate.
D) statistically unstable.
E) impossible to interpret.

Accepted Answer

The split-half procedure tends to overestimate reliability for speeded tests because it assumes that all items are equally difficult and that the test is not speeded, which is not the case for speeded tests.

Question 19

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither.
-Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Removing ambiguous items from the test
A) lower reliability
B) raise reliability
C) neither raise nor lower reliability

Accepted Answer

Removing ambiguous items from the test would raise reliability because it would eliminate sources of error and inconsistency in how test-takers interpret and respond to those items.

Question 20

A test has a reliability coefficient of .75 and a standard deviation of 10.What is the standard error of measurement of this test?
A) 5.00
B) 8.00
C) 10.00
D) 20.00
E) 32.00

Accepted Answer

The standard error of measurement (SEM) can be calculated using the formula SEM = SD * sqrt(1 - reliability), where SD is the standard deviation and sqrt is the square root. Plugging in the values given, SEM = 10 * sqrt(1 - .75) = 10 * sqrt(.25) = 10 * 0.5 = 5.00.

Quiz 9: Validity and Reliability

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below. -Refer to Exhibit 9-5.An achievement test to be given as a pretest and a posttest in a classroom research study

The textbook defines test reliability as the ratio between the variance of the

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below. -Refer to Exhibit 9-5.A physical fitness test administered in junior high school

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below. -Refer to Exhibit 9-5.A high school math test used to predict success in college math.

To estimate changes in test reliability that would result from changing the length of a test, one would use the

A researcher wishes to increase the score reliability of a reading test being used in a study.The score reliability could be most easily increased by increasing the

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither. -Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Adding 10 items to the test that everyone answers correctly.

Split-half reliability will be higher than Kuder-Richardson reliability in

It has been determined that 30 percent of a test's total variance is error.What is the test's reliability coefficient?

A test designed to measure achievement motivation proved to be very consistent but to have no relation to other measures of motivation or teachers' ratings of motivation.The test is

Exhibit 9-5: Choose the method of estimating score reliability that would be most useful for each of the types of tests listed below. -Refer to Exhibit 9-5.A classroom achievement test used for grading purposes

The Kuder-Richardson 21 formula for estimating the score reliability of a classroom achievement test has the disadvantage that

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither. -Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Changing from a multiple-choice test to an essay test covering the same materials.

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither. -Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Adding 10 items similar to those already in the test

Which of the following represents the most direct evidence that a test is a valid measure of a construct?

Estimates of the score reliability of speeded tests calculated by the split-half procedure are generally

Exhibit 9-4: Following is a list of testing practices.Assuming other things are equal, indicate whether the practice would lower reliability, raise reliability, or neither. -Refer to Exhibit 9-4.Removing ambiguous items from the test

A test has a reliability coefficient of .75 and a standard deviation of 10.What is the standard error of measurement of this test?