问答题
The standardized educational or psychological tests
that are widely used to aid in selecting, classifying, assigning, or promoting
students, employees, and military personnel have been the target of recent
attacks in books, magazines, the daily press, and even in Congress. {{U}}
{{U}} 1 {{/U}} {{/U}}{{U}}The target is wrong, for in attacking the
tests, critics divert attention from the fault that lies with ill-informed or
incompetent users.{{/U}} The tests themselves are merely tools, with
characteristics that can be measured with reasonable precision under specified
conditions. Whether the results will be valuable, meaningless, or even
misleading depends partly upon the tool itself but largely upon the
user. All informed predictions of future performance are based
upon some knowledge of relevant past performance: school grades, research
productivity, sales records, or whatever is appropriate. {{U}} {{U}}
2 {{/U}} {{/U}}{{U}}How well the predictions will be validated by later
performance depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the
information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted.{{/U}}
Anyone who keeps careful score knows that the information available is always
incomplete and that the predictions are always subject to error.
Standardized tests should be considered in this context. They provide a
quick ,objective method of getting some kinds of information about what a person
learned, the skills he has developed, or the kind of person he is. The
information so obtained has, qualitatively, the same advantages and
shortcomings as other kinds of information. {{U}} {{U}} 3
{{/U}} {{/U}}{{U}}Whether to use tests, other kinds of information, or both in a
particular situation depends, therefore, upon the evidence from experience
concerning comparative validity and upon such factors as cost and
availability.{{/U}} {{U}} {{U}} 4 {{/U}}
{{/U}}{{U}}In general, the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be
measured can be most precisely defined and least effectively when what is to be
measured or predicted' can not be well defined.{{/U}} Properly used, they provide
a rapid means of getting comparable information about many people. Sometimes
they identify students whose high potential has not been previously recognized,
but there are many things they do not do. {{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}}
{{/U}}{{U}}For example, they do not compensate for gross social inequality ,and thus
do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown
up under more favorable circumstances.{{/U}}
问答题
The target is wrong, for in attacking the tests, critics divert attention from the fault that lies with ill-informed or incompetent users.
问答题
How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted.
问答题
Whether to use tests, other kinds of information, or both in a particular situation depends, therefore, upon the evidence from experience concerning comparative validity and upon such factors as cost and availability.
问答题
In general, the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined and least effectively when what is to be measured or predicted can not be well defined.
问答题
For example, they do not compensate for gross social inequality, and thus do not tell how able an underprivileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances.