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Psychological Testing. Chapter 12. List all of the different types of tests you have taken:. What were the purposes of all of these tests? Classify each one as Achievement-how much one has learned in a given subject area.
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Psychological Testing Chapter 12
What were the purposes of all of these tests? • Classify each one as • Achievement-how much one has learned in a given subject area. • Aptitude- An instrument used to estimate the probability that a person will be successful in learning a specific skill. • Interests- Measure a persons preferences, attitude, and interests in certain activities. • Personality –used to assess personality characteristics and identify problems.
You the school teacher • Imagine you are teaching the following courses: • English / Social Studies / Drama and Math • What type of evaluation tools would you use in these classes? • Are they going to be different? Why?
Basic Characteristics of Tests • All tests have one characteristic that makes them both fascinating and remarkably practical: They try to make it possible to find out a great deal about a person in a short period of time • There are three standardized elements to a test: Reliability, Validity, and Norms
Both school exams and aptitude tests can be considered psychological tests because both are intended to measure psychological variables. • What do you think the purpose of standardized tests are? ( example Diploma, or common finals )
Test Reliability • Refers to test consistency • Ability to yield the same results in a variety of circumstances. • If a test is retested it should result in the same results over time • Checking reliability is a way of making sure the instructor is not influencing the results in any way
Test Validity • Is the ability to test to measure what it is intended to measure • This a more complex task than assessing reliability • How do you properly test for things which you predict performance
Establishing Norms • Once a test result is obtained, the examiner must translate the score into something useful. • Raw score? Class Average? Compared to class average? • Method used by most psychologists generally is the percentile system.
The percentile system is where scores achieved on the test are placed in order ranging from the highest to lowest • Bell Curve • These percentiles are called norms • Luckily we don’t use these in High School – why not?
Intelligence Testing • IQ Scores ??? • These tests test elements which people feel people at a certain age should know or be able to do.
The Stanford-Binet Test • Groups test items by age level • Uses a variety of tasks to keep subjects interested • IQ – Intelligence Quotient was computed by taking the child’s mental age and divide it by the child’s physical age and multiplying by 100
Wechsler Test • Yield percentile scores in several areas • Create separate IQ scores dependent on areas • Vocabulary • Information • Arithmetic • Picture arrangement • Etc……….
Group Tests • Paper and pencil intelligence tests • Used in large group settings
Uses and Meanings of IQ Scores • IQ scores seem most useful when related to school achievement • Quite useful when predicting who will do well at post-secondary schools • Do they accurately test intelligence? • Intelligence is the ability to acquire new ideas and new behavior and to adapt to new situations
Test Taking Strategies • Studying for a test: • People who develop good study habits usually receive better grades at school • Knowing you are adequately prepared for a test reduces test anxiety • Study skills are acquired through practice and instruction
Test Taking Skills • Preparing to Study: A Good Study Place • You need a good study place to be prepared to study. You should be able to answer YES to all of the following questions: • Is my Study Place available to me whenever I need it? Your Study Place does you little good if you cannot use it when you need it. If you are using a Study Place that you must share with others for any reason, work out a schedule so that you know when you can use it. • Is my Study Place free from interruptions? It is important to have uninterrupted study time. You may have to hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door or take the phone off the hook. • Is my Study Place free from distractions? Research shows that most students study best in a quiet environment. If you find that playing a stereo or TV improves your mood, keep the volume low. • Does my Study Place contain all the study materials I need? Be sure your Study Place includes reference sources and supplies such as pens and pencils, paper, ruler, calculator, and whatever else you might need. If you use a computer for your schoolwork, it should be in your Study Place .
Does my Study Space contain a large enough desk or table? While working on an assignment or studying for a test, use a desk or table that is large enough to hold everything you need. Allow enough room for writing and try to avoid clutter. • Does my Study Place have enough storage space? You need enough room to store your study materials. Be sure you have enough storage space to allow you to keep your desktop or other work surface clear of unnecessary materials that can get in the way. • Does my Study Place have a comfortable chair? A chair that is not comfortable can cause discomfort or pain that will interfere with your studying. A chair that is too comfortable might make you sleepy. Select a chair in which you can sit for long periods while maintaining your attention. • Does my Study Place have enough light? The amount of light you need depends on what you are doing. The important thing is that you can clearly see what you need to see without any strain or discomfort. • Does my Study Place have a comfortable temperature? If your Study Place is too warm, you might become sleepy. If it is too cold, your thinking may slow down and become unclear. Select a temperature at which your mind and body function best.
SQRW is a four-step strategy for reading and taking notes from chapters in a textbook. Each letter stands for one step in the strategy. Using SQRW will help you to understand what you read and to prepare a written record of what you learned. The written record will be valuable when you have to participate in a class discussion and again when you study for a test. Read to learn what to do for each step in SQRW. • Survey.Surveying brings to mind what you already know about the topic of a chapter and prepares you for learning more. To survey a chapter, read the title, introduction, headings, and the summary or conclusion. Also, examine all visuals such as pictures, tables, maps, and/or graphs and read the caption that goes with each. By surveying a chapter, you will quickly learn what the chapter is about. • Question.You need to have questions in your mind as you read. Questions give you a purpose for reading and help you stay focused on the reading assignment. Form questions by changing each chapter heading into a question. Use the words who, what, when, where, why, or how to form questions. For example, for the heading "Uses of Electricity" in a chapter about how science improves lives, you might form the question "What are some uses of electricity?" If a heading is stated as a question, use that question. When a heading contains more than one idea, form a question for each idea. Do not form questions for the Introduction, Summary, or Conclusion. • Read.Read the information that follows each heading to find the answer to each question you formed. As you do this, you may decide you need to change a question or turn it into several questions to be answered. Stay focused and flexible so you can gather as much information as you need to answer each question. • Write.Write each question and its answer in your notebook. Reread each of your written answers to be sure each answer is legible and contains all the important information needed to answer the question. • As you practice using SQRW, you will find you learn more and have good study notes to use to prepare for class participation and tests. • HINT: Once you complete the Survey step for the entire chapter, complete the Question, Read, and Write steps for the first heading. Then complete the Question, Read, and Write steps for the second heading, and so on for the remaining headings in the chapter.
Try not to do too much studying at one time.If you try to do too much studying at one time, you will tire and your studying will not be very effective. Space the work you have to do over shorter periods of time. Taking short breaks will restore your mental energy. • Plan specific times for studying.Study time is any time you are doing something related to schoolwork. It can be completing assigned reading, working on a paper or project, or studying for a test. Schedule specific times throughout the week for your study time. • Try to study at the same times each day.Studying at the same times each day establishes a routine that becomes a regular part of your life, just like sleeping and eating. When a scheduled study time comes up during the day, you will be mentally prepared to begin studying. • Set specific goals for their study times.Goals will help you stay focused and monitor your progress. Simply sitting down to study has little value. You must be very clear about what you want to accomplish during your study times. • Start studying when planned.You may delay starting your studying because you don't like an assignment or think it is too hard. A delay in studying is called "procrastination." If you procrastinate for any reason, you will find it difficult to get everything done when you need to. You may rush to make up the time you wasted getting started, resulting in careless work and errors. • Work on the assignment they find most difficult first.Your most difficult assignment will require the most effort. Start with your most difficult assignment since this is when you have the most mental energy. • Review their notes before beginning an assignment.Reviewing your notes can help you make sure you are doing an assignment correctly. Also, your notes may include information that will help you complete an assignment. • Tell their friends not to call them during their study times.Two study problems can occur if your friends call you during your study times. First, your work is interrupted. It is not that easy to get back to what you were doing. Second, your friends may talk about things that will distract you from what you need to do. Here's a simple idea - turn off your cell phone during your study times. • Call another student when they have difficulty with an assignment.This is a case where "two heads may be better than one." • Review their schoolwork over the weekend.
Reducing Test Anxiety • WHAT IS TEST ANXIETY? • Too much anxiety about a test is commonly referred to as test anxiety. It is perfectly natural to feel some anxiety when preparing for and taking a test. In fact, a little anxiety can jump start your studying and keep you motivated. However, too much anxiety can interfere with your studying. You may have difficulty learning and remembering what you need to know for the test. Further, too much anxiety may block your performance during the test. You may have difficulty demonstrating what you know during the test.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE TEST ANXIETY? • You probably have test anxiety if you answer YES to four or more of the following: • I have a hard time getting started studying for a test. • When studying for a test, I find many things that distract me. • I expect to do poorly on a test no matter how much or how hard I study. • When taking a test, I experience physical discomfort such as sweaty palms, an upset stomach, a headache, difficulty breathing, and tension in my muscles. • When taking a test, I find it difficult to understand the directions and questions. • When taking a test, I have difficulty organizing my thoughts. • When taking a test, I often "draw a blank." • When taking a test, I find my mind wandering to other things. • I usually score lower on a test than I do on assignments and papers. • After a test, I remember information I couldn't recall during the test
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT TEST ANXIETY? • Here are some things you can do before, during, and after a test to reduce your test anxiety. • Use good study techniques to gain cognitive mastery of the material that will be covered on the test. This mastery will help you to approach the test with confidence rather than have excessive anxiety. Employ the tips we provide at Study Habits. • Maintain a positive attitude as you study. Think about doing well, not failing. Think of the test as an opportunity to show how much you have learned. • Go into the test well rested and well fed. Get enough sleep the night before the test. Eat a light and nutritious meal before the test. Stay away from junk foods. • Stay relaxed during the test. Taking slow, deep breaths can help. Focus on positive self-statements such as "I can do this." • Follow a plan for taking the test such as the DETER strategy we describe at A Strategy for Taking Tests. • Don't panic even if you find the test difficult. Stay with your plan! • Don't worry about other students finishing the test before you do. Take the time that you need to do your best. • Once you finish the test and hand it in, forget about it temporarily. There is nothing more you can do until the graded test is returned to you. Turn your attention and effort to new assignments and tests. • When the graded test is returned to you, analyze it to see how you could have done better. Learn from your mistakes and from what you did well. Apply this knowledge when you take the next test. • You have to know the material to do well on a test. You have to control test anxiety to show what you know.
Guidelines When Taking Multiple-Choice Tests • Circle or underline important words in the item. This will help you focus on the information most needed to identify the correct answer choice. • Read all the answer choices before selecting one. It is just as likely for the last answer choice to be correct as the first. • Cross out answer choices you are certain are not correct. This will help you narrow down the correct answer choice. • Look for two answer choices that are opposites. One of these two answer choices is likely to be correct. • Look for hints about the correct answer choice in other items on the test. The correct answer choice may be part of another item on the test. • Look for answer choices that contain language used by your teacher or found in your textbooks. An answer choice that contains such language is usually correct. • Do not change your initial answer unless you are sure another answer choice is correct. More often than not, your first choice is correct. • Choose "all of the above" if you are certain all other answer choices in the item are correct. Do not choose "all of the above" if even just one of the other answer choices is not correct. • Choose "none of the above" if you are certain all other answer choices in the item are incorrect. Do not choose "none of the above" if even just one of the other answer choices is correct.
Using Flash Cards to Remember Information • Make flash cards as you learn and study.Carry a stack of blank cards with you (3" x 5" size works well). Whenever you come across a piece of information you want to remember, write the information on a card. Organize your cards into decks, one for each subject or topic. If you place cards for different subjects or topics in the same deck, you will only become confused. • Use both sides of a card when appropriate.For example, when learning a new vocabulary word, write the word to be learned on the front of the card and a short two or three word definition on the back of the card. For a historical fact, for example, you might write "George Washington" on the front and "first U.S. president" on the back. Flip the cards over from time to time.. • Use flashcards in several different colors.Use colors as cues to help you recall a distinctive characteristic about the information on a flash card. • Illustrate the cards.Draw pictures on a card or cut pictures from a magazine and paste them on the card. The more you work at making a card distinctive and interesting, the easier you will find it to recall the information on the card. • Don't put too much information on any one card.The biggest mistake students' make is putting too much information on a single flash card. Each card should contain just one piece of information. • Carry your cards with you.Review your cards whenever you have a chance. For example, you can review your cards while eating a meal, riding on the school bus, waiting on a line, during long trips, in bed before you go to sleep, and so on. Make reviewing your cards a daily habit like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. • Change the order of the cards frequently.Shuffle the cards each time you review them. Questions on a test about the information on your cards may come in any order. If you always study the cards in the same order, it will be difficult for you to remember a piece of information when it is not in the order you studied. • Flash cards are easy to make, easy to use, and are a great tool for remembering information.
