Description
The Standardized Testing Primer is a comprehensive guide to the controversial and complex topic of standardized testing. It is designed for non-specialists and covers the social and political aspects of testing, as well as its practical uses. The book includes a historical background, information on different testing programs and systems, and details on test development and administration. It is suitable for teaching undergraduate and graduate students and includes a glossary and bibliography.
The Standardized Testing Primer provides non-specialists with a thorough overview of this controversial and complicated topic. It eschews the statistical details of scaling, scoring, and measurement that are widely available in textbooks and at testing organization Web sites, and instead describes standardized testing's social and political roles and its practical uses--who tests, when, where, and why. Topics include: an historical background of testing's practical uses in psychology, education, and the workplace; the varied structures of educational testing programs and systems across countries; the mechanics of test development and quality assurance; and current trends in test development and administration. A glossary and bibliography are also provided. The Standardized Testing Primer is an ideal text for teaching this subject to undergraduate and graduate students.