Psychology 531: Psychological Tests and Measurement


Time, Place:
9:30 - 10:45 TTh, Davie 301
Instructor:
David Thissen

Davie 358A

Office hours scheduled using a sign-up sheet on the door of 358A
Text:
R.J. Gregory, Psychological Testing: History, Principles, and Applications, 5th Edition

(Additional readings will be suggested or provided periodically.)

(Tentative) Schedule:
Week
Topics as Defined by the Chapters in Gregory's Book
Aug. 21-23
Introduction / Army Alpha / SAT
Aug. 28-30
1 Applications and Consequences of Psychological Testing
2 The History of Psychological Testing
Sept. 4-6
3 Norms and Reliability
Sept. 11-13
4 Validity and Test Development
Sept. 18-20
An Introduction to Item Response Theory
Sept. 25-27
5A Theories of Intelligence and Factor Analysis
Oct. 2-4
5B Individual Tests of Intelligence and Achievement
Oct. 9-11
6 Group Tests and Controversies in Ability Testing
Oct. 16
7 Testing Special Populations
Oct. 23-25
No Class Tuesday October 23
Project Begins Thursday
Oct. 30-Nov. 1
8 Origins of Personality Testing
Nov. 6-8
9 Structured Assessment of Personality and Other Qualities
Nov. 13-15
9 Structured Assessment of Personality and Other Qualities (continued)
Nov. 20
11 Industrial, Occupational, and Forensic Assessment
Nov. 27-29
12 Legal Issues and the Future of Testing
Dec. 4
TBA
Dec. 11 (Tuesday), 8:00AM
Final Exam

Requirements, grading, and stuff: On Thursday, August 30, and thereafter on (almost) every Thursday, there will be (very short) weekly quizzes on the chapter(s) assigned for that week. (The first quiz, on August 30, will cover chapters 1-2.) There will also be a final examination, using multiple choice questions written by the class; you will receive credit both for the quality of your performance on the quizzes and the final and for the quality of the performance of the items you write for the final.

In addition, you will participate in the design of a short test/questionnaire to measure some psychological construct. The items will be due November 6; everybody in the class will respond to them. We will provide item-analysis statistics and you will write a report on the performance of your instrument. Reports will be due December 4.

The schedule above is in the nature of a prediction, not a guarantee or contract.

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