Omission Of Items Research Articles

An Examination of the Random versus Nonrandom Nature of Item Omissions

An Examination of the Random versus Nonrandom Nature of Item Omissions

A note on 'Smoking, personality and reasons for smoking.

In their recent paper on smoking and personality, McManus & Weeks (1982) administered the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and questionnaires regarding smoking to 100 subjects, and calculated correlations between the personality traits measured (psychoticism, extraversion, neuroticism, and lie scale scores) and smoking. Contrary to expectation, there was no correlation with extraversion (E), only slight correlation with neuroticism, but a significant correlation with psychoticism (P). They argue that the lack of correlation with E is due to the changed contents of the scale, which has been changed from earlier versions, such as the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), by the omission of some impulsiveness items. They quote a paper by Rocklin & Revelle (1981) which argues in a similar vein.

The Effect of Monetary Inducement on Mailed Questionnaire Response Quality

A mailed questionnaire study examined the effect of a 25-cent monetary inducement on three components of response quality: item omission, response error, and completeness of answer. The monetary inducement is found to decrease item omission and response error significantly. Some research support is shown for improving completeness of answer.

Anonymity and Response by Salespeople to a Mail Questionnaire

Response rates, item omissions, response patterns, personality characteristics, and job performance were tested for relationships to anonymity on questionnaires mailed to the salesmen of a national organization. No significant differences were found between the identified group and the anonymous group.

The Negative Effects of Personalization on Response Patterns in Mail Surveys

Efforts to minimize the severity of these problems have resulted in methodological inquiries covering a wide range of variables. Most studies have tested the effectiveness of certain variables in minimizing the nonresponse problem [1, 5, 6, 7, 8]. A fewer number have extended the analysis to test the effectiveness of similar variables in minimizing item omission and response slowness [2, 4]. Even less attention has centered on whether two or more simultaneously applied variables significantly interact in their effects on any of the above problems.

The Factor of Verbalization—A Further Limitation of the Multiple Choice Test

The multiple choice test of the usual type is frequently used to measure understanding. When this type of test is so used, it is tacitly as sumed that, accidental success or failure barred, (1) a subject who selects the right alternative understands, and (2) one who selects an incorrect alternative or (3) one who omits an item altogether does not understand. Test users have no doubt many times questioned the validity of these as sumptions but apparently little effort has been made to study it experi mentally. The data of the present study relate to the validity of the third assumption, namely, the assumption that a subject who intentionally omits an item in the usual type multiple choice test does not understand. The specific purpose of the study is to show how the scores derived from the usual type of multiple choice test for measuring understanding of terms may be affected by the intentional omission of items on the part of children who have correct meanings for the terms omitted. Approximately 400 subjects, pupils in Grades IV, V, VI, and VII in the public schools of Greenwood, South Carolina, were tested on the mean ings of 135 geographic terms, 60 of which were common to the material studied by each of the four grades. The multiple choice test employed was unusual in that the children were given space in which to define terms when they did not recognize correct meanings among the alternatives offered. In order to prevent the subjects from assuming that one of the given alternatives must be correct, for ten of the 60 terms none of the alterna tives was correct. The subjects were warned that items of this kind had been included in the test, and one of the sample items in the pretest was of this type. The subjects were cautioned also not to supply an original definition of a term unless they felt sure that none of the meanings which were given was right. For the purpose of studying the results from children at different levels of geographic attainment each grade was divided according to the 326

Three majors for teachers colleges

In this article the writer is limiting himself to three administrative problems for solution by teachers colleges. The items for discussion are as follows: Choosing a Faculty, Constructing Curricula, and Limiting Enrollment. On any one of the three points raised for discussion, the writer might be successfully challenged by an institution here and there, but sufficient facts remain to support the contentions set up in the following pages to warrant the effort. Purposely the author has passed over matters of a routine nature, which the administrative forces of the individual college dispose of daily or periodically according to well-defined plans or traditions among colleges. They are the incidental matters that are treated very much as a physician handles a case or an epidemic of measles, by prescribing the remedy, traditionally at least, best suited to the case in hand. The omission of such items here has virtues at least, namely, that of holding the writer strictly to the points at issue and of challenging him to the task set for himself. That the three items named for consideration are vital and fundamental, college administrators will doubtless agree; and that they are constants that will continue to challenge the thought of the best minds for a long time to come, probably no one would dare to deny. In truth they are of such a nature and so essential to the life of any standard institution as to force themselves upon the attention of those held responsible for the policies of the college. With the idea that the last word has not been spoken on any one of these topics and that the proverbial two grains of wheat hid in bushels of chaff may be found here worth the search for them, the writer is venturing these thoughts. The sources of information upon which these conclusions are based are both varied and extensive. In the first place the writer has been a member of a teachers college faculty for more than a quarter of a century and has held the office of dean in that institution for almost twenty years. During all these years he has had some voice in determining the policies of the institution relative to matters of this character. Besides he has had an extensive acquaintance with administrators in teachers colleges and universities in a number of states. In addition, through conversations with deans and other officials and through letters addressed to them, he has gathered much valuable

Objective Testing in Advanced Courses

THE following test was evolved by the author in a graduate course in Modern German Grammar, Syntax and Synonymy. It has also served a useful purpose in determining the proper placement. of advanced undergraduates in practical writing courses. The material is arranged by categories rather than by difficulty, though this arrangement no doubt interferes with the duplicability of the test. On the other hand it prevents the omission of important items or the overstressing of certain others. However, it is quite possible to find alternate groups of examples under each category which will show the; same average. In any event, it is at the present time scarcely practicable to find a sufficient number of advanced candidates to establish reliable norms.