Conduct a deeper analysis of the technical quality of the selected test against Element 5 of the Code of the Joint Committee on Testing Practices’ 2004 Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education, which states that the test user will “evaluate evidence of the technical quality of the test provided by the test developer and any independent reviews.”

Instructions

Assume the role in the following scenario.

Scenario

The setting in which you work has just experienced severe budget cuts, and the director intends to reduce the number of available tests from three to one. However, you are not convinced that the selected test is reliable or valid. After you raised your concerns in a meeting, your supervisor asked you to evaluate the technical quality of the test being recommended by the director and prepare a document that analyzes its psychometric properties of reliability and validity. Coincidentally, your selected test is the same one that the director is recommending for the setting.

This assessment requires the completion of a template, which includes an executive summary that synthesizes the psychometric properties of the test and provides a final conclusion about its use at that setting.

• Use the Assessment 2 Template: Evaluation of Technical Quality provided in the Required Resources to record your analysis of reliability and validity.
• Use the test you selected for Assessment 1 to complete this assessment.

Executive Summary

Executive summaries are real-world deliverables used across disciplines, government, and corporations, designed to convey essential information at a glance. It states the problem or topic and summarizes the results, conclusions, or recommendations. There are many examples of executive summaries on the Internet adapted for many purposes and audiences.

Your executive summary should have three parts.

Part 1: Purpose

Use Section 1 on the template to complete this section.

• Identify the test and briefly describe the publisher’s stated purpose for its use.
  • Identify briefly a population or psychological condition that is within the standardization of the test.

Part 2: Technical Review

Use Sections 2 and 3 on the template to complete this part of the executive summary.

• Analyze the technical review conducted for the selected test’s reliability.
• Analyze the technical review conducted for the selected test’s validity.

For this, conduct a technical review of the psychometrics of the selected test from peer-reviewed journal articles.

• Three of the articles must focus on reliability and three on validity.
• Each article must be directly related to your chosen test and one aspect of its technical quality.

Part 3: Synthesis and Conclusion

Use Sections 4 and 5 to complete the following:

• Evaluate the current state of the test’s technical quality and its status as an appropriate quality tool in the field.
• Support conclusions about a test’s appropriateness for use in the field and with the population to be served with peer-reviewed research.
  • Synthesize the information from all the articles you reviewed about validity.
  • Evaluate if your test continues to be deemed as appropriate for your planned use in the field and with the population to be served, as suggested by the director in your setting.
  • Provide your references that you used for the technical review and summary to your director.

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.
• References: A minimum of six peer-reviewed journal articles (textbooks, web pages, literature reviews, and the MMY book reviews do not count for these references). Three of the articles must focus on reliability and three must focus on validity.
• APA format: Follow current APA format and style throughout the assessment. Be sure to use correct format and style for each respective type of reference, for example, website versus journal).
• Length: 3–4 double-spaced pages, including the technical review. Do not count 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