Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Overview
Examine a selected test for materials and procedures according to Elements 6, 7, and 8 of the Code, using the template provided.

Note: Synthesizing the evaluation of test materials and procedures requires specific steps that must be carried out in a certain order. Therefore, you must complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.


The Code was designed to guide professionals in evaluating and administering fair standardized tests for all test takers. It is incumbent upon all professionals to ensure fairness in testing.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 3: Evaluate the properties, techniques, and applications used in psychological evaluation.
Evaluate a test's sample items, practice tests, directions, answer sheets, manuals, and score reports for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument.
Competency 4: Evaluate the legal, ethical, and professional issues related to test usage.
Evaluate one AERA standard for Supporting Documentation for Tests that is implicated in either the positive or the negative aspects of the selected test.
Competency 5: Analyze the impact technology has had on the techniques and applications used in psychological testing.
Analyze how advances in technology have been employed to address issues of test items, procedures, and appropriate and fair usage.
Competency 6: Integrate fairness in testing with ethical and legal considerations and sensitivity.
Analyze a test's procedures and materials as presented by the test developers for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument.
Analyze a test's use or availability of modified forms or administration procedures for test takers with disabilities who need special accommodations for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument.
Competency 7: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological profession.
Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and APA format and style.

Context
In your first assessment, you completed an analysis of three standardized tests and selected one that had potential for use in your professional setting. To complete this task, you focused on Elements 1–4 of the Code.

In your second assessment, you completed a technical review that was conducted on the same test you recommended at the end of the first assessment. Specifically, you analyzed research on the evidence for reliability and validity of your test and provided a final recommendation and rationale.

The Code has four remaining elements for test users. These include: (6) evaluating "representative samples of test questions or practice tests, directions, answer sheets, manuals, and score reports before selecting a test;" (7) evaluating "procedures and materials used by test developers, as well as the resulting test, to ensure that potentially offensive content or language is avoided;" (8) selecting "tests with appropriately modified forms or administration procedures for test takers with disabilities who need special accommodations;" and (9) evaluating "the available evidence on the performance of test takers of diverse subgroups," determining "which performance differences may have been caused by factors unrelated to the skills being assessed." This assessment focuses on the three of these four elements.

Reference
Joint Committee on Testing Practices. (2004). Code of fair testing practices in education. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/science/programs/testing/fair-testing.pdf

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Resources
APA Style and Format
Because this is a psychology course, you must format this assessment according to current APA guidelines. Additional resources about APA can be found in the Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom. Use the resources to guide your work as needed.

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
Required Resources
The following resources are required to complete the assessment.

Template
Use the following template to complete your assessment:

Assessment 3 Template: Evaluation of Test Materials and Procedures Research [DOCX].(Attatched) 
Elements of the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education
The assessment requires analysis of a selected test against the Elements 6, 7, and 8 of the Code. Review the following selections about this part of the Code.

American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (2014). Standards for educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC: AERA. This text will be utilized in all 4 Assessments.
These chapters provide information relevant to test/instrument items and test/instrument documentation (Element 6).
Chapter 4, "Test Design and Development," pages 75–93.
Chapter 5, "Scores, Scales, Norms, Score Linking, and Cut Scores," pages 95–109.
Chapter 7, "Supporting Documentation for Tests," pages 123–129.
Chapter 9, "The Rights and Responsibilities of Test Users," pages 131–137.
These chapters provide information relevant to test/instrument procedures (Element 7).
Chapter 4, "Test Design and Development," pages 75–93.
Chapter 6, "Test Administration, Scoring, Reporting, and Interpretation," pages 111–121.
Chapter 9, "The Rights and Responsibilities of Test Users," pages 131–137.
These chapters provide information relevant to modified tests/instruments (Element 8).
Chapter 3, "Fairness in Testing," pages 49–74.
Chapter 9, "The Rights and Responsibilities of Test Users," pages 131–137.

Suggested Resources
The resources provided here are optional and support the assessment. They provide helpful information about the topics. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment; however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. 

Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education
The following resource provides brief coverage of the elements of the Code that are part of the assessments in this course. These are the elements directed toward test users, which begin on page 6 of the document. Elements 6–8 are covered in this assessment.

Joint Committee on Testing Practices. (2004). Code of fair testing practices in education [PDF]. Available from https://www.apa.org/
Reviews of Tests/Instruments
Use the following resource to find reviews of your chosen test/instrument. Find information about the details of test materials (sample items, practice tests, et cetera), appropriateness of the materials and procedures presented by the test developers, modification of test materials to meet the needs of some learners, and the use of technology for modification of the test/instrument. Use this information to evaluate the test/instrument against Elements 6, 7, and 8 of the Code.



Cohen, R. J., & Swerdlik, M. E. (2018). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. 
Chapter 2, "Historical, Cultural, and Legal/Ethical Considerations," pages 36–74.
This chapter includes information relevant to legal and ethical issues in testing/assessment.
American Psychological Association. (2010). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
Use Sections 2 and 9 for information on ethical issues and assessment.
National Association of School Psychologists. (2010). Principles for professional ethics [PDF]. Available from http://www.nasponline.org/
Ethical issues in this resource may overlap with issues relating to test user responsibilities.?
Salkind, N. J. (2007). Encyclopedia of measurement and statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
The section "Ethical Issues in Testing" includes information that may be helpful.
Urbina, S. (2014). Essentials of psychological testing. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Chapter 7 includes information relevant to ethical assessment.
Example
The following article is an example of a study evaluating a modified instrument. Search the Capella library or Google Scholar for articles relevant to your chosen test/instrument.

Warschausky, S., Van Tubbergen, M., Asbell, S., Kaufman, J., Ayyangar, R., & Donders, J. (2011). Modified test administration using assistive technology: Preliminary psychometric findings. Assessment, 19(4), 472–479.
Additional Resources for Further Exploration
You may use the following optional resources to further explore topics related to competencies.

These optional resources provide background information that can add to your knowledge of tests/instruments in the areas of statistics, terminology, technical information, and measurement scales. Also included are resources that may assist with additional research.

Cohen, R. J., & Swerdlik, M. E. (2018). Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
Chapters not mentioned elsewhere, including Chapter 3, "Statistics Refresher," can help with terminology used to evaluate tests/instruments.
Urbina, S. (2014). Essentials of psychological testing. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
This text can provide information about statistics that can help with making decisions about tests/instruments.
Salkind, N. J. (2007). Encyclopedia of measurement and statistics. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
This text can provide technical information about testing that can help you make decisions about tests/instruments.

Assessment Instructions
Preparation
Gathering information about and evaluating the remaining elements of the Code will require additional resources (including MMY), as well as other resources (such as test publisher websites). A search for relevant articles may include a keyword search within each review or research article. It may be helpful to do keyword searches within those documents with the following words: format, fair, fairness, bias, appropriate, accommodations, modifications, and computer or computer-assisted. Subsequently, this particular assessment requires a deeper search and provides a broader range of sources to fulfill the minimum references. In almost all cases, you will be able to locate some level of information on these elements.

If you are struggling with locating sufficient information about a particular test in regard to an element in this assessment, then you will need to cite the references or reviews involved in your search and identify this element as problematic for your selected test, as it lacks sufficient documentation in the literature for this code or standard.

Important: You are required to submit a copy of your test to complete this assessment.

Instructions
So far, you have been learning about test utility, test development, item analysis, and using tests in a variety of settings and with a variety of test takers. In this assessment, you will apply those concepts to your selected test for the Code's sixth, seventh, and eighth elements. The Code (2004) states that test users, "(6) evaluate representative samples of test questions or practice tests, directions, answer sheets, manuals, and score reports before selecting a test; (7) evaluate procedures and materials used by the test developers, as well as the resulting test, to ensure that potentially offensive content or language is avoided; and (8) select tests with appropriately modified forms or administration procedures for test takes with disabilities who need special accommodations."

For this assessment, locate a minimum of five resources (a minimum three peer-reviewed journal articles) pertaining to your test's construction, item development, procedures utilized in construction to minimize offensive content, and provisions of modifications and accommodations for test takers. You will not be required or need to have a copy of your test to complete this assignment. You may use many different types of references and sources to obtain this information about your test. These references may include journal articles, literature reviews, MMY reviews, and publisher websites.

Information gathering and evaluation of these elements may require a keyword search within each relevant review and research article. It may be helpful to do keyword searches within those documents with the following words: format, fair, fairness, bias, appropriate, accommodations, modifications, and computer or computer assisted. Subsequently, this particular assignment requires a deeper search and provides a broader range of sources to fulfill the minimum references. In almost all cases, you will be able to locate some level of information on these elements.

For some newer test editions, literature may be scarce. Refer back to the Lists of Tests by Type document to see which tests are approved for supplementation with articles that address earlier editions of the tests. If the "Combined Review Allowed" column is marked "Yes," you can supplement your review with articles addressing the designated prior version of the test.



Note: Use the Assessment 3 Template: Evaluation of Test Materials and Procedures​ Research, linked in the Required Resources, to complete this assessment. The template specifies the content that must be included to complete this assessment.

Introduction
Identify the test selected in Assessment 2 and its stated purpose.

Test Items and Format
Identify the format of the items, the test, and types of score. Evaluate aspects of the test and summarize the quality and appropriateness of the test.
Evaluate a test's sample items, practice tests, directions, answer sheets, manuals, and score reports for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument.​
Fair and Appropriate Materials
Complete the following:

Identify or cite positive and negative aspects of test materials that minimize potentially offensive content or language.
Analyze a test's use or availability of modified forms or administration procedures for test takers with disabilities who need special accommodations for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument.​
Evaluate one AERA standard for Supporting Documentation for Tests that is implicated in either the positive or the negative aspects of the selected test.
Use of Technology
Analyze how advances in technology have been used to address issues of test items, procedures, and appropriate and fair usage.
Synthesis of Findings
Identify strengths and weaknesses of test items and materials.
References
Provide an APA style reference section.
Additional Requirements
Your assessment should meet the following requirements:

Written communication: Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and APA format and style.
Length: The summary on Elements 6, 7, and 8 must be at least five double-spaced pages in length. These pages do not include the title page or References.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
Reference
Joint Committee on Testing Practices. (2004). Code of fair testing practices in education. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/science/programs/testing/fair-testing.pdf


Scoring Guide:
Evaluates a test's sample items, practice tests, directions, answer sheets, manuals, and score reports for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument; addresses all facets of this element identified on the research worksheet.

Analyzes a test's procedures and materials as presented by the test developers for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument; addresses all facets of this element identified on the research worksheet.

Analyzes a test's use or availability of modified forms or administration procedures for test takers with disabilities who need special accommodations for appropriateness and for the intended purpose of the instrument; addresses all facets of this element identified on the research worksheet.

Analyzes how advances in technology have been employed to address issues of test items, procedures, and appropriate and fair usage; integrates this analysis in all three elements identified on the worksheet.

Evaluates more than one AERA standard for Supporting Documentation for Tests that is implicated in either the positive or the negative aspects of the selected test.

Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with the expectations for members of an identified field of study, using APA style and formatting.