Rationale of Library Search on Academic Ability Test

Author(s):

Findley, Warren G.

Publication Year:

1952

Report Number:

RM-52-01

Source:

ETS Research Memorandum

Document Type:

Report

Page Count:

4

Subject/Key Words:

Academic Ability, Cooperative Academic Ability Test, Cognitive Tests, Grade Prediction, Research Needs, Test Construction, Test Format

Abstract

Three questions are addressed as the basis for deciding which tests to include in the verbal and quantitative sections of the Academic Ability Test, including, "which of the following tests: verbal analogies, sentence completion, or reading comprehension adds most to the power of a composite of synonyms, computation, and problems tests to predict grades in a liberal arts course? In an engineering course? Tables are created of the probable factorial composition of the variables involved, and the intercorrelations of grades and tests that will prevail if the factorial composition of the variables in the first table is accurate. From this information, the approximate values for the question are derived. It is concluded that 1) library search and judgment should be devoted to ascertaining the correctness or reasonableness of the values presented in Tables 1 and 2; and 2) if the values in Tables 1 and 2 are verified, the computed values of multiple correlation coefficients would support a decision to use reading comprehension and synonyms in the verbal section of the Academic Ability Test and only computation arithmetic problems in the quantitative section of the Academic Ability Test.

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