PCN-523 Topic 3: Short Answer Questions Directions ✓ Solved

PCN-523 Topic 3: Short Answer Questions Directions: Provide

PCN-523 Topic 3: Short Answer Questions Directions: Provide short answers (no more than 250 words each) for the following questions/statements. 1. What does the term reliability mean in testing and assessment? 2. What does the term validity mean in testing and assessment? 3. Why is it important to have both validity and reliability? 4. In testing and assessment, what is norming? 5. Utilize your textbook to briefly explain each of the following concepts as they relate to psychological assessments/tests: a. Standardized testing b. Non-standardized testing c. Norm-referenced assessments d. Criterion-referenced assessments e. Group assessments f. Individual assessments g. Scales of measurement: 1) Nominal 2) Ordinal 3) Interval 4) Ratio h. Measures of central tendency: 1) Mean 2) Median 3) Mode i. Indices of variability j. Shapes and types of distribution: 1) Normal Distribution 2) Skewed Distribution k. Correlations.

Assignment 5: Sample Instructions – Final: Pick a favorite snack food that requires at least eight steps to prepare. Rewrite your earlier sample instructions to incorporate feedback on simplicity, tone, clarity, and format. Imagine your audience is third-grade Girl Scouts with little or no kitchen experience. Along with your instructions, write a one-page explanation of the steps you took to create the document and rationale for your approach. Requirements: write instructions clearly and briefly; use appropriate tone and language for the audience; organize the instructions and document; provide an explanation and rationale of the approach; include at least eight steps and at least one illustrative graphic.

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

This document answers the Topic 3 short-answer items on testing and assessment, and provides a child-friendly set of recipe instructions tailored to third-grade Girl Scouts, with an explanation of the instructional design choices. Short-answer responses are concise and evidence-based; the recipe section includes a numbered ingredients list, at least eight steps expressed with transitions, a simple inline graphic, and a rationale for adaptation choices (Crocker & Algina, 2008; AERA/APA/NCME, 2014).

Short Answer Responses

1. Reliability

Reliability refers to the consistency or stability of test scores across repeated measurements, forms, or raters. Common indices include test–retest reliability (stability over time), inter-rater reliability (agreement among scorers), and internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach’s alpha) measuring item homogeneity (Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994; Crocker & Algina, 2008).

2. Validity

Validity denotes the degree to which evidence and theory support the intended interpretation of test scores for a particular purpose. Key types include content validity (coverage of domain), criterion-related validity (concurrent/predictive), and construct validity (theoretical coherence). Validity is a unified concept supported by multiple sources of evidence (Messick, 1995; AERA/APA/NCME, 2014).

3. Importance of Both Reliability and Validity

Reliability is necessary but not sufficient for validity: a measurement must be consistent (reliable) to be useful, yet consistent scores can still misrepresent the intended construct (invalid). Valid interpretations require both dependable measurements and evidence that scores reflect the target construct (American Psychological Association, 2020).

4. Norming

Norming is the process of administering a test to a representative sample to develop normative data (percentiles, stanines, standard scores) that allow interpretation of an individual’s performance relative to peers. Proper norming requires sampling that reflects the population for intended comparisons (Anastasi & Urbina, 1997).

5. Key Assessment Concepts

a. Standardized testing: Tests with uniform administration and scoring procedures and established norms; examples include many achievement and cognitive batteries (Crocker & Algina, 2008).

b. Non-standardized testing: Flexible, informal assessments such as clinical interviews or classroom probes without fixed administration rules; useful for individualized information but limited for comparison (AERA/APA/NCME, 2014).

c. Norm-referenced assessments: Instruments interpreted relative to a normative group (e.g., percentiles); they answer “How does this person compare to others?” (Anastasi & Urbina, 1997).

d. Criterion-referenced assessments: Instruments that measure mastery of specific objectives or criteria, not relative rank (e.g., a driving test measuring competency) (Brookhart, 2011).

e. Group assessments: Tests administered to many examinees simultaneously (e.g., standardized achievement tests); efficient but less diagnostic for individuals (Crocker & Algina, 2008).

f. Individual assessments: One-on-one testing allowing tailored administration and deeper diagnostic information (e.g., individually administered intelligence tests) (AERA/APA/NCME, 2014).

g. Scales of measurement: Nominal (categories, e.g., gender), Ordinal (rank order, e.g., class rank), Interval (equal intervals, no true zero, e.g., Celsius), Ratio (equal intervals with true zero, e.g., weight) (Field, 2018).

h. Measures of central tendency: Mean (arithmetic average), Median (middle value), Mode (most frequent value); each has different robustness to skew and outliers (Gravetter & Wallnau, 2017).

i. Indices of variability: Range, variance, and standard deviation quantify spread of scores; they complement central tendency to describe distribution (Cohen, 1988).

j. Shapes and types of distribution: Normal distribution (symmetrical bell-shaped; many parametric stats assume normality) and skewed distribution (asymmetry; positive or negative skew) (Field, 2018).

k. Correlations: Correlation coefficients (Pearson’s r, Spearman’s rho) describe the direction and strength of linear relationships between variables; correlation does not imply causation (Cohen, 1988).

Assignment 5 — Child-Friendly Recipe: Peanut Butter Banana Roll-Ups

Ingredients (numbered)

1. 1 whole wheat tortilla
2. 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (or sunflower butter for allergies)
3. 1 small banana, peeled
4. 1 teaspoon honey (optional, check age/allergies)
5. 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips (optional)
6. Paper plate and plastic knife (kid-safe)

Illustrative Graphic

Peanut Butter Banana Roll-Up (illustration)

Instructions (use transitions rather than numeric step labels)

First, wash your hands with soap and dry them so everything stays clean (USDA Food Safety, 2020).

Next, lay the tortilla flat on the plate and spread the peanut butter evenly in the middle, leaving the edges clear so it won’t ooze out when rolled.

Then, place the peeled banana near one edge of the peanut-butter-coated tortilla.

After that, if you like, drizzle a little honey over the banana and sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top (check with an adult first).

Meanwhile, carefully roll the tortilla over the banana, keeping it tight so the filling stays inside.

Soon after, using a plastic knife and with adult supervision, slice the roll into small rounds for easy sharing.

Before serving, arrange the roll-ups on a clean plate and discard any trash to keep the workspace tidy.

Finally, enjoy your snack and remember to clean up your area and wash your hands again when finished.

One-Page Explanation and Rationale

I chose a peanut butter banana roll-up because it is simple, nutritious, and safe for a supervised child audience. The recipe uses familiar ingredients and requires basic motor skills (spreading, rolling, gentle slicing). To adapt for third-grade Girl Scouts, I used short sentences, clear action verbs, and transition words (First, Next, Then, etc.) to sequence steps logically and gently guide readers who may be new to the kitchen (PlainLanguage.gov, 2011).

Organization: Ingredients are listed separately and numbered to make grocery-checking straightforward. Steps are ordered by time sequence and use non-numeric transitions to model procedural language for young readers while reducing the cognitive load of tracking step numbers (Meyer & Rice, 2013).

Safety and inclusivity: I included a note on handwashing and allergy-safe substitutions to prioritize safety and accessibility (USDA Food Safety, 2020). Language choices avoid jargon and use concrete terms (spread, roll, slice). An embedded simple graphic supports visual learners and helps third graders form a mental image of the finished snack (Dual coding theory; Paivio, 1991).

Readability and evaluation: I aimed for short paragraphs and active voice to keep reading level appropriate; user testing or a readability tool would confirm grade level. Overall, these design choices align with best practices for writing instructions for novice young audiences (PlainLanguage.gov, 2011).

References

• Anastasi, A., & Urbina, S. (1997). Psychological testing (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.
• American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education (AERA/APA/NCME). (2014). Standards for educational and psychological testing. AERA.
• American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). APA.
• Brookhart, S. M. (2011). How to create and use rubrics for formative assessment and grading. ASCD.
• Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Routledge.
• Crocker, L., & Algina, J. (2008). Introduction to classical and modern test theory. Wadsworth.
• Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (5th ed.). Sage.
• Gravetter, F. J., & Wallnau, L. B. (2017). Statistics for the behavioral sciences (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory: Retrospect and current status. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 45(3), 255–287.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety. (2020). Kids and food safety. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.