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The Reliability and Validity of the Word-Association Test as a Measure of Academic Achievement. Final Report.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Reliability and Validity of the Word-Association Test as a Measure of Academic Achievement. Final Report.
Authors: Jennings, William N., National Center for Educational Research and Development (DHEW/OE), Washington, DC.
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 37
Publication Date: 1972
Sponsoring Agency: Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.
Contract Number: OEG-3-71-0115
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Associative Learning, Cognitive Processes, Data Processing, Educational Research, Measurement Techniques, Scoring, Stimulus Devices, Test Reliability, Test Scoring Machines, Test Validity, Testing, Tests, Word Lists
Abstract: A simply constructed, psychometrically sound testing procedure which enables the instructor to assess higher cognitive process with respect to the material in questions, and which is amenable to machine scoring, is described. It involves the application of the word association technique long used in psychoanalysis to the classroom setting. The actual testing procedure requires the selection by the instructor of a number of stimulus terms which sample a wide range of the concepts covered in the course. The student is usually required to produce four associatives for each stimulus term, providing sufficient discriminatory power for evaluating student knowledge. After details of the method, its analysis and psychometrics are given, it is concluded that the word-association technique is of sufficient reliability and validity to warrant further investigation. Nearly the entire second half of the report is devoted to appendices on instructor orientation material, lists of stimulus items for each course, sample test, word count, psychometric characteristics, and reliability calculation. (LH)
Journal Code: RIEFEB1973
Entry Date: 1973
Accession Number: ED068518
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:A simply constructed, psychometrically sound testing procedure which enables the instructor to assess higher cognitive process with respect to the material in questions, and which is amenable to machine scoring, is described. It involves the application of the word association technique long used in psychoanalysis to the classroom setting. The actual testing procedure requires the selection by the instructor of a number of stimulus terms which sample a wide range of the concepts covered in the course. The student is usually required to produce four associatives for each stimulus term, providing sufficient discriminatory power for evaluating student knowledge. After details of the method, its analysis and psychometrics are given, it is concluded that the word-association technique is of sufficient reliability and validity to warrant further investigation. Nearly the entire second half of the report is devoted to appendices on instructor orientation material, lists of stimulus items for each course, sample test, word count, psychometric characteristics, and reliability calculation. (LH)