Psychological Testing: The BPS Occupational TestAdministration Open Learning Programme

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Psychological Testing: The BPS Occupational TestAdministration Open LearningProgramme

David Bartram and Patricia A. Lindley

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© 2006 by David Bartram and Patricia A. Lindley

A BPS Blackwell book

BLACKWELL PUBLISHING

350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148–5020, USA9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia

The right of David Bartram and Patricia A. Lindley to be identified asthe Authors of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UKCopyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by anymeans, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,except as permitted by the UK, Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.

First published 2006 by The British Psychological Society and BlackwellPublishing Ltd

1 2006

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bartram, David.Psychological testing : the BPS Occupational Test Administration

Open Learning Programme / David Bartram and Patricia A. Lindley.p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978–1–4051–3107–0 (hardcover : alk. paper)1. Psychological tests—Study guides. I. Lindley, Patricia A.

II. British Psychological Society. III. Title.BF176.B38 2006150.28′7—dc22

2005033630

A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

Set in 10.5/12pt Cheltenhamby Graphicraft Limited, Hong KongPrinted and bound in the UKby Athenaeum Press

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CONTENTS

List of Figures, Tables and Exercises ....................................................................................................... ix

INTRODUCTION AND STUDY GUIDE ........................................................................................1Introduction to test administration ........................................................................................................ 1

What do test administrators do? ......................................................................................................... 2

Limits on the range of tests that may be administered .................................................................... 3

Keeping up to date ................................................................................................................................ 3

Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 3

The BPS Certificate in Test Administration ........................................................................................... 4

The BPS test administration standards .............................................................................................. 4

What does the Certificate provide? ..................................................................................................... 5

How is the Certificate obtained? .......................................................................................................... 5

Becoming a test administrator ................................................................................................................ 5

Acquire the necessary competence .................................................................................................... 6

Have your competence assessed ......................................................................................................... 6

Checklist of materials in the BPS Open Learning Modules pack ..................................................... 6

What you will need to meet the test administration assessment requirements ........................... 7

How to use the Open Learning Modules ................................................................................................ 7

General hints on self-study methods .................................................................................................. 7

How to organize your work ................................................................................................................... 8

Build up your portfolio of work for assessment ................................................................................ 8

MODULE 1: AN INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING FOR TEST ADMINISTRATORS ...................................................................................................... 9OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................. 9

KEY AIMS .................................................................................................................................................... 9

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 9

About these modules .......................................................................................................................... 10

1.1 WHAT ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS? .......................................................................................... 11

What is a ‘psychological test’? .................................................................................................. 11

Test manuals ............................................................................................................................... 13

What do tests measure? ............................................................................................................. 14

Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 15

1.2 MAIN TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST .................................................................................... 16

Measures of typical performance ............................................................................................. 16

Measures of maximum performance ....................................................................................... 18

Differences between ability and attainment tests .................................................................. 28

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Work samples, trainability tests and job simulations ........................................................... 29

Dexterity tests ............................................................................................................................. 30

Apparatus tests: issues for test administration ..................................................................... 30

Computer Adaptive Testing ....................................................................................................... 31

1.3 CONTROLLING THE QUALITY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING ................................................ 33

Scope: norms and the process of referencing scores ............................................................ 34

Acceptability ............................................................................................................................... 36

Practicality .................................................................................................................................. 36

Fairness ........................................................................................................................................ 37

SUMMARY OF MODULES 1.1 TO 1.3 ............................................................................................. 38

1.4 SCALES AND MEASUREMENT ....................................................................................................... 40

Raw scores ................................................................................................................................... 40

Scales ........................................................................................................................................... 41

Absolute and relative scores: raw scores and normative scores ............................................. 43

Norm-referenced scores -- comparing people with other people ......................................... 44

Self-referenced or ipsative tests -- comparing people with themselves .............................. 45

1.5 UNDERSTANDING AND USING TEST NORMS .............................................................................. 47

Frequency distributions ................................................................................................................. 47

Percentiles ................................................................................................................................... 47

Descriptive measures based on percentiles ........................................................................... 48

Other standard scores ............................................................................................................... 50

T-scores and sten scores ........................................................................................................... 51

SUMMARY OF MODULES 1.4 and 1.5 ........................................................................................... 53

MODULE 1: ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS .................................. 54

Answers to Exercises .............................................................................................................................. 54

Exercise 1.5.1: Converting scores to percentiles and grades ......................................................... 54

Exercise 1.5.2: Using norm tables ...................................................................................................... 54

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions ............................................................................................... 55

SAQ 1.2.1 ............................................................................................................................................... 55

SAQ 1.2.2 ............................................................................................................................................... 56

SAQ 1.4.1 ............................................................................................................................................... 56

SAQ 1.5.1: Converting raw scores to percentiles ............................................................................. 56

MODULE 2. TEST ADMINISTRATION AND SCORING .................................................... 57

OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................ 57

KEY AIMS .................................................................................................................................................. 58

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CONTENTS vii

2.1 TEST ADMINISTRATION ................................................................................................................. 59

High-stakes and low-stakes testing ............................................................................................... 60

What are the functions of the test administrator role? ......................................................... 60

Modes of test administration ........................................................................................................ 61

Open Mode ................................................................................................................................... 61

Controlled Mode ......................................................................................................................... 62

Supervised Mode ........................................................................................................................ 63

Managed Mode ............................................................................................................................ 63

The International Test Commission (ITC) Guidelines ........................................................... 64

The four stages of test administration ........................................................................................ 66

Stage 1: Preparation ....................................................................................................................... 68

Issues to consider ....................................................................................................................... 68

Dealing with candidates who have specific problems ........................................................... 69

Planning the session ................................................................................................................... 71

Preparation of yourself as administrator ................................................................................ 74

Planning Schedule ...................................................................................................................... 74

Preparation for computer-based testing sessions ................................................................. 75

Stage 2: Administration .................................................................................................................. 76

The Test Session Log .................................................................................................................. 76

Introducing the test session ...................................................................................................... 77

Administration of the test .......................................................................................................... 78

Computer-based test (CBT) administration and administration of tests over the internet ............................................................................................................................. 79

Detailing the level of control over the test conditions .......................................................... 79

Stage 3: Scoring ............................................................................................................................... 80

Checking answer sheets ............................................................................................................ 80

Hand-scoring ............................................................................................................................... 80

Other scoring procedures ......................................................................................................... 81

Converting raw scores to standard scores and percentiles ................................................. 83

Summary of points to note when scoring tests ...................................................................... 84

Stage 4: Completing the administration procedures ................................................................. 84

Paper-and-pencil materials ........................................................................................................ 84

Computer materials .................................................................................................................... 84

Record-keeping, monitoring and follow-up ............................................................................. 84

2.2 ISSUES OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND SECURITY ........................................................................... 85

Maintain the confidentiality of test-taker results ....................................................................... 85

Security of test materials ............................................................................................................... 85

Data Protection Act 1998 ............................................................................................................... 86

Confidentiality of test data ........................................................................................................ 87

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2.3 PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE ........................................................................................................ 89

Overview and practical task ......................................................................................................... 90

2.4 FEEDBACK AND REPORTING ........................................................................................................ 91

Preparation of scores for feedback .............................................................................................. 92

The test conditions .................................................................................................................... 92

Comparisons with the performance of relevant others ........................................................ 92

Making arrangements for the feedback session ......................................................................... 93

Helping in the preparation of reports .......................................................................................... 94

Generating computer-based reports ....................................................................................... 94

Creating summary reports ......................................................................................................... 94

ENDPIECE ........................................................................................................................................ 96

MODULE 2: ANSWERS TO EXERCISES AND SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS .................................. 97

Answers to Exercises .............................................................................................................................. 97

Exercise 2.1.1: Planning the session ................................................................................................. 97

Exercise 2.1.2: Inviting the candidate to the test session .............................................................. 99

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions ............................................................................................. 100

SAQ 2.1.1 ............................................................................................................................................. 100

SAQ 2.3.1 ............................................................................................................................................. 101

GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................................................. 103

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LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES AND EXERCISES

Figures

1.2.1 Example items from verbal, spatial, abstract and numerical tests ..................................................................................................................... 20

1.2.2 The Crawford Small Parts Dexerity Test .................................................................................. 261.2.3 Examples of computer-based tests ........................................................................................... 271.5.1 Correspondence between the normal distribution

and a number of standard score-based scales ........................................................................ 51

Tables

1.1.1 Some of the major differences between a psychological test and a set of questions ......................................................................................................... 14

1.2.1 Types of item used in personality and interest inventories .................................................. 181.2.2 Examples of the sort of items used in tests of maximum performance ............................... 191.2.3 Examples of apparatus tests ...................................................................................................... 251.4.1 Example items for a mood inventory ....................................................................................... 411.4.2 Example items for a general ability test ................................................................................... 421.4.3 Typical self-report inventory items .......................................................................................... 431.5.1 Example of a raw score to percentile conversion table ......................................................... 481.5.2 Commonly used standard score scales .................................................................................... 502.1.1 Checklist of actions for the four stages .................................................................................... 662.1.2 Checklist for planning a test session ........................................................................................ 71

Exercises

1.4.1 Self-administration of Test A ...................................................................................................... 401.5.1 Converting raw scores to percentiles and grades ................................................................... 491.5.2 Using norm tables ....................................................................................................................... 522.1.1 Planning the test session ............................................................................................................ 722.1.2 Inviting the candidate to the test session ................................................................................ 732.1.3 Familiarizing yourself with the Test Pack materials ............................................................... 742.1.4 Introducing the session to the candidates .............................................................................. 782.1.5 Checking the answer sheets ...................................................................................................... 802.1.6 Scoring .......................................................................................................................................... 812.1.7 Converting raw scores into percentiles and standard scores ............................................... 832.3.1 Administering Tests A and B ...................................................................................................... 902.4.1 Preparing information for the test user: case study 1 ............................................................ 932.4.2 Preparing information for the test user: case study 2 ............................................................ 95

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1

Introduction and Study Guide

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This introduction provides you with some guidelines on how to study, howto have your competence as a test user assessed and how to go aboutobtaining tests once you have attained competence.

Introduction to test administration

Good test administration is of vital importance in ensuring the quality of psychological testing and maximizing the value of the information obtainedfrom tests.

In the past the role of the test administrator was relatively straightforward.He or she would make the preparations for the test session, provide theinstructions for testing to one or more people and supervise them whilethey completed the tests. He or she would then carry out various checks onthe responses, do the scoring and produce the materials needed by thequalified test user to produce a report or provide feedback on the candidates’performance.

While this still represents much of what test administrators do, withincreasing use of computer-based testing and online delivery of tests, the roleof the test administrator is changing and becoming more diverse. Not only doyou need to know how to administer paper-and-pencil tests, but these daysyou need to be familiar with computer systems and with the internet. Manytests no longer need a test administrator to carry out scoring, but instead theyneed someone who can manipulate the scores from one computer databaseinto another, or follow the procedure for generating a report from a set of test scores.

Before you start work on the Modules, please read through this introductorymaterial. If you have not yet made any arrangements for being assessed for the British Psychological Society’s (BPS’s) Certificate of Competence inOccupational Testing (Test Administration) and wish to do so, then it is bestto make these arrangements before you get too far into studying (see belowfor details).

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2 INTRODUCTION AND STUDY GUIDE

It is assumed throughout these Modules that these basic operational skillseither exist or can be learnt elsewhere. It is also assumed that any trainingfor the specific skills and competences needed to operate particular softwarepackages will be provided with that package. Online-based testing systemsare generally easier to use than desktop systems, and assume that the usersimply has general internet and web-browser operating skills.

What do test administrators do?

It is very important to know what, as a test administrator, you can do and whatyou cannot do. Understanding the limits of your competence is vital.Qualification as a test administrator can be sought either as an end in itselfor as a step on the road to qualification as a test user. In these units, whenwe refer to the ‘qualified test user’, we mean a person who has obtained a BPSLevel A or B qualification, or has an equivalent level of competence, and whois therefore qualified to use a certain range of types of tests. For Level A thisrange is limited; for full Level B it can be extensive.

We can think of testing as involving a number of stages. In the table below youcan see where the roles of the test administrator and test user differ.

Stage Test user Test administrator

Choosing whether to test or not Yes NoChoosing which test or tests to use Yes NoManaging the administration process Yes Yes, under direction

of the test userScoring the results and producing the Yes Yes, under direction materials necessary for interpretation of the test userInterpreting the results Yes NoProviding written or oral feedback Yes Noof the resultsEvaluating the utility of the test in No Nothe longer term

As you can see, the test administrator’s role fits within a larger process andis one that is directed by the test user, who has ultimate responsibility for thetesting. In effect, a qualified test user can delegate certain aspects of the testing process to test administrators. But the test user retains overallresponsibility.

But it must be stressed that the role of test administration is important. It isimportant in two key respects:

1. It is the test administrator who is at the interface between the actualtest and the test taker. How people perform on the test will have a lot moreto do with how the test administrator operates than with the test user.

2. For the same reason, it is the test administrator who is the public faceof the testing process. It is the test administrator who meets candidatesfor selection into an organization, and who has the task of represent-ing the organisation in a positive way.

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INTRODUCTION AND STUDY GUIDE 3

Limits on the range of tests that may be administered

The BPS test administration qualification is not intended to cover all possibletypes of tests.

There are tests which require a high degree of knowledge of the test itself or of psychology to administer. Such tests are often quite interactive in the way in which they are administered. Examples would include batteries of ability measures like the British Ability Scales or the Weschler AdultIntelligence Scales. You will need to be guided by the qualified test user in terms of what tests you can administer for them, and what they will need to administer themselves. However, even for tests that require them to beinvolved in the actual administration, there are many supporting processesthat you would still be able to manage – arranging the sessions, welcomingcandidates, assisting with scoring and so on.

The BPS Occupational Testing standards are intended for test users who areworking with ‘normal adults’.

• By ‘normal’ we simply mean people being assessed in the normal runof things – for a new job, for guidance in career choice, for personaldevelopment and so on. Test administration in the areas of mental healthor forensic testing requires specific skills and considerations that arenot covered here – though the general test administration skills you willlearn underpin all of these.

• By ‘adult’ we are excluding the assessment of children (which comesunder the general headings of either educational testing or clinicaltesting, depending on the purpose). We are also excluding testing of theelderly where that is being carried out for clinical or health reasonsrather than simply in relation to work or lifestyle.

Keeping up to date

These Modules have been written with the future in view. They are based onthe 2005 updates to the BPS Level A and Level B standards of competence intest use. The main respect in which they differ from the original standards isin the diversification of the role of test administration brought about by theincreasing use of computer-based testing and testing on the internet.

Summary

Test administration is an essential part of competent test use. But it does not cover stages such as test choice, understanding the technical qualities oftests, or the interpretation and feedback of results. Consequently, as a testadministrator you will not be responsible for these aspects of test use and will be expected to use tests only under the supervision of a qualified test user. If you reach Level A, you will be considered competent by the BPS to usecertain types of tests on your own. From Level A onwards, you can start toincrease the breadth and depth of your skills and understanding of testing andextend the range of tests you can use fully.

These Modules will enable you to set out on the path to test user qualificationand take you along to the first important point: test administration.

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4 INTRODUCTION AND STUDY GUIDE

The BPS Certificate in Occupational Test Administration

These Modules have been designed and are carefully structured to provideyou with all the material and information you need to develop your basic com-petence as an administrator of psychological tests in occupational settings.

For practical purposes, the BPS has divided its specification of test usercompetence in occupational testing into two ‘levels’: Levels A and B. Whilethe test administration qualification forms a meaningful qualification in its ownright, it can also be used as a stepping stone to acquiring Level A and LevelB test user qualifications. Level A defines the basic foundation skills andcompetence needed for the use of a limited range of types of test (those whichare easier to interpret), including test administration. Level B extends this tocover the competences required for using most of the other psychological testsemployed in occupational assessment (including measures of personality).Level A is the starting point for progress on to Level B.

As with all professional development, there is no well-defined end point andthere are many alternative routes one can take to achieving competence. LevelsA and B mark points along a general developmental path. Some people mayfollow this path on beyond Level B, while others may choose to progress nofurther than test administration.

The BPS test administration standards

The Test Administration Certificate is based on a set of standards whichrelate to an individual’s ability:

• to administer certain types of psychological test fairly and effectivelywithin occupational settings (such as personnel selection, vocationalguidance, management development);

• to adhere to the codes of practice and professional conduct defined bythe BPS and other relevant bodies (for example, the Chartered Instituteof Personnel and Development).

The standards are defined by a detailed Checklist of Competences in Occupa-tional Testing (available from the BPS in the Test Administration General Informa-tion Pack which you can download at: http://www.psychtesting.org.uk),which specifies a range of knowledge and skills relating to the administrationof a permitted range of types of psychological test in occupational settings.It covers the following areas:

• Relevant underpinning knowledge – especially concerning the nature ofpsychological testing.

• Task skills – relating to the performance of test administration relatedactivities.

• Task management skills – required to achieve overall functional com-petence: organizing assessment procedures, control and security ofmaterials, etc.

• Contingency management skills – needed to deal with problems anddifficulties, breakdowns in routine, candidates’ questions during testadministration, etc.

• Instrumental skills – relating to specific test administration modes andprocedures, such as the use of computer-based test administration,remote administration over the internet, etc.

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INTRODUCTION AND STUDY GUIDE 5

What does the Certificate provide?

Possession of the Test Administration Certificate provides evidence of your basiccompetence in certain areas of occupational testing. With a Test Administra-tion Certificate you are qualified to administer a wide range of attainment, ability,aptitude, personality, motivation and other tests under the supervision of asuitably qualified test user. Publishers generally classify their test materialsin terms of the competence level required for their use. Most now use the BPSclassification into Levels A and B, though this is not universal. You will notbe eligible to purchase Level A or Level B tests in your own right.

It is important to note that the Test Administration Certificate does not constitutea qualification in psychology and does not confer any ‘psychologist’ status on theholder.

How is the Certificate obtained?

Any person who can provide sufficient evidence that they meet the standardsrequired for all the items on the checklist of competences will be eligible to apply for a BPS Certificate of Competence in Occupational Testing (TestAdministration).

To obtain the Certificate, your competence has to be assessed by someone whois recognized by the BPS as qualified to assess people for the Test Administra-tion Certificate. Assessment of competence is subject to a verification processcarried out by the BPS which is designed to ensure that assessment is fair andthat different assessors are not making very different demands. The BPSholds a register (the Register of Assessors) of these people, and you can obtainfrom the BPS a list of those who operate in your area. In some cases these areindividual consultants, in others people working in consultancy companies.

The BPS provides guidelines on assessment for the Certificate and all registered assessors are subject to monitoring and quality checks by the BPSthrough its verification scheme. All assessors are Chartered Psychologists who themselves hold at least the Level A Certificate and who have expertisein occupational testing and assessment. You will need to contact one ormore of the people on the Register of Assessors in your area to ask about theircosts, what they can offer you and their availability.

Becoming a test administrator

The traditional route to becoming a test administrator has been to attend aone- or two-day course in test administration. This is still the fastest route.However, training which is more spread out in time provides you with moretime to absorb new ideas and concepts and to practise the skills and techniques.While the BPS Test Administration Open Learning Modules can be used as teach-ing materials for conventional training courses, they have also been designedto offer an alternative option: flexible learning through self-study. This providesyou with the freedom to pace your learning, it does not require as much timeaway from work, and it is far cheaper than a conventional training course.

There are two steps to becoming a competent test administrator through theBPS self-study route:

1. Acquire the necessary competence.

2. Have your competence assessed.

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6 INTRODUCTION AND STUDY GUIDE

Acquire the necessary competence

You should be able to do most of this working on your own using these OpenLearning Modules and associated materials. However, you may wish to havesome extra guidance and help. Many of those in the Register of Assessors, whocarry out competence assessments, also provide training and tutoring services.At any point in your study, you can ask one of these people to be your tutor.Some offer a telephone ‘helpline’ and face-to-face sessions (tutorials, smallgroup workshops, back-up training sessions and so on). Naturally there willbe a charge for any services, and you should ask for a clear statement of thecharges before you proceed.

Have your competence assessed

As already stated, this has to be carried out by someone who is recognizedby the BPS as a verified assessor.

Typically, the assessment will involve attending an assessment workshop forthe assessment of your test administration skills and the submission of vari-ous items of evidence of your competence (your ‘portfolio’). The assessmentprocess used by the authors of these Modules, for example, has included:

1. Written exercises to be completed in your own time and submitted forassessment.

2. Completion of all the Self-Assessment Questions and Exercises inthese Open Learning Modules for inclusion in your portfolio.

3. A test administration assessment workshop in which you are observedcarrying out one or more test administrations.

These are all items that can make up your portfolio (see below).

Checklist of materials in the BPS Open Learning Modules pack

The complete Open Learning pack should contain:

• Introduction to the Modules

• Module 1: An Introduction to Psychological Testing for TestAdministrators

• Module 2: Test Administration and Scoring

• Glossary of Terms

• The Test Pack

• The Assessment Portfolio

In addition, a copy of the General Information Pack for the Test Administra-tion Certificate is included. This provides detailed information about testadministration and includes the Checklist of Competences in OccupationalTesting (Test Administration).

The Test Pack and the Assessment Portfolio contain sufficient copies ofmaterial for all your course work. All the material is protected by copyrightand should not be reproduced by any means without the prior permission ofthe publisher. The authors and the publisher do permit the making of addi-tional copies of the Test A and P5 Booklets, Test Session Logs and CandidateEvaluation Forms, as long as they are for your personal use only.

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INTRODUCTION AND STUDY GUIDE 7

What you will need to meet the test administration assessmentrequirements

To meet part of the assessment evidence requirements for the Test Adminis-tration Certificate you will need to have completed your Assessment Portfolio.This contains all the SAQs and Exercises in the Modules.

If you want to obtain the Test Administration Certificate and are planning to usethe Open Learning Modules for self-study, then you should consider registeringwith a verified assessor before you start your studies.

How to use the Open Learning Modules

General hints on self-study methods

This course covers all that you would normally cover in a two-day testadministration course – and quite a lot more! Hence, the minimum amountof study time needed to master the essential parts of the material presentedhere is likely to be at least 12 or 18 hours. For most people, it would be morerealistic to plan for about 15 to 20 hours. You should expect to master all ofthe materials within this time and be ready for your final assessment.

You will need to set aside time to work so you can concentrate well. If you are not used to self-study, then there are a number of points to note. The keyto successful self-study is self-discipline, planning your time and establish-ing a clear ‘contract’ with those around you who will be affected by your studying.

• If possible, work in a room which is away from telephones, televisionsand other people.

• Come to an agreement with those living with you that you are to be leftalone during study periods. Agree when these are to be.

• Plan your time. Work out a timetable now and treat it as if it were anevening class or some other formal commitment. Don’t expect towork by just grabbing odd opportunities when they arise – they won’tand you will become frustrated at your lack of progress.

• It is better to have a regular time slot which you use whether you feellike it or not! Lots of very short periods or one or two very long onesare not so good. Psychologists have shown that learning is mostefficient when study and practice periods are distributed across timein reasonable-sized chunks.

• Ideally, each study period should be between one and three hours.Within each period, try to change the type of activity you are engagedin as much as possible: reading, making notes, working out examples,etc. Everyone finds it difficult to keep their attention on their work formore than about half an hour at a stretch if there is no variety in whatthey are doing.

If you can, plan to spend two or three evenings during the week (say five hoursin total) with half a day at the weekend (three hours). You should then be ableto cover the full course in one to two weeks.

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How to organize your work

Psychological testing involves some quite complex and technical concepts.While you will not need to go into these in any detail for this qualification, someaspects are included in boxes to give you a good background in testing andto help you differentiate between test administration and test use.

1. Read through each Module quickly to get an overview – do not do theexercises or answer the questions.

2. Go back and work through carefully making notes as you go.

3. Carry out the practical work.

4. Complete the exercises and answer the questions.

It is best to work through the two Modules in sequence.

Build up your portfolio of work for assessment

All the self-assessment questions (SAQs) and exercises given in the Modulesare duplicated in the Assessment Portfolio. Work through them in the orderin which they occur in the Modules, but use the Assessment Portfolio as a workbook for writing in. All the work you do should be kept in yourAssessment Portfolio as part of the evidence of competence you will need toprovide for assessment purposes.

Your portfolio should contain all the completed SAQs, exercises, reportsand feedback from people you have used in your test administration. Keepall this information together. Your assessor will want to see it as evidence ofyour competence.

Enjoy your learning and developing your practical skills.

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An Introduction toPsychological Testing for Test Administrators

OVERVIEW

Module 1 introduces two general categories of assessment instrument:ability and attainment tests on the one hand, and measures of interestsand personality on the other.

KEY AIMS

Having completed this Module you should be able to:

Describe the characteristics of a psychological test

Distinguish between tests of attainment, ability and aptitude, person-ality questionnaires and interest inventories

Give examples of each type of test used in occupational assessment

Introduction

As a test administrator, you should always be working under the direction ofa qualified test user. A qualified test user is someone who has demonstratedcompetence in a range of skills associated with the use of tests and is registeredwith one or more suppliers of tests as someone who can purchase tests. Testusers may have various different levels of qualification, but the minimum level recognized by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for test use in occupational settings is Level A. More details of Level A and other BPSqualifications can be found on the BPS’s Psychological Testing Centre website: www.psychtesting.org.uk

All the decisions that require a detailed knowledge of tests and testing(such as which test to use and how to make use of the results) will be theresponsibility of the qualified test user. Your role as a test administrator is toassist and support the work of the test user. In order to understand the roleof the test user and how you can support that, it is helpful if you know a bitabout psychological tests and testing.

1Module

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10 MODULE 1

About these modules

Most of the information in these modules is written in a ‘normal’ format in thesame way as this paragraph is written. This format is used for both

• information that will help you to put your role into context and under-stand the key role of good, professional, test administration in thetesting process and

• the areas of knowledge and skills for which you will be expected todemonstrate competence.

Other information is shown in grey boxes. These boxes contain informationthat is not needed for the BPS qualification. If you do read it, either now orlater, you should be better able to understand some of the terms that the testuser may use when talking about testing. However, the materials presentedin these units do not provide the level or amount of knowledge and under-standing needed for a Level A qualification.

Examples of questions from tests are placed in tables in the modules, and theseshould give you a clearer idea of what different types of test item look like.

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What Are PsychologicalTests?

Testing is probably the area of psychology which has had the greatest impacton members of the general public. Most people will, at some time in their life, have completed some form of psychological test. Increasingly, they are likely to encounter such tests as part of the process of getting a job, incareer guidance and in the assessment of their career development andtraining needs. The proper use of well-developed tests in these situations canprovide considerable benefits – both for the organizations using them and forthe individuals being assessed. However, poor use of good tests or the useof badly designed tests can create a whole range of problems. These rangefrom bias and unfair discrimination in selection to the giving of bad adviceto people seeking help in their search for employment.

Poor administration of tests and the accompanying tasks of scoring andconverting to standard scores can introduce another layer of bias into the process and thus reduce the value of good tests and compound the problemsof badly designed tests. This means that a test administrator needs skills andknowledge to prevent this from happening. These Modules and the accom-panying test pack are designed to provide you with the knowledge and skillsyou need to administer and score tests in a fair and competent manner.

What is a ‘psychological test’?

To help put your role into context and understand the critical importance of professional test administration it is important to understand what a‘psychological test’ is.

In ordinary conversation, a test is something that you take; something that youpass or fail, the results of which are used to make judgements of worth aboutyou. This usage is unfortunate for those who work in psychological testing,as in psychological testing the word ‘test’ refers to a much broader range ofassessment procedures. It is probably a good idea to try to avoid using the word‘test’ if possible, because of the connotations it has; assessment is a preferableterm. However, the terminology psychological test has become very well estab-lished and so conflict between the two uses of the words is almost unavoidable.

This conflict is particularly great when we look at personality or interest assess-ment. For instance, it is clearly misleading to talk of personality testing since©

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the common meaning of testing leads us to assume that you can pass or faila personality test and that therefore some personalities are better or worse thanothers. Of course, this is not so. A personality ‘test’ is called a test only becauseit has been constructed according to the principles of psychological test theory.

In these Modules we will use the term test in its technical sense to refer to an instrument that has been developed using psychometric principles. Thisis how the word is used in most of the testing literature and in any technicaldocumentation you will come across. As a test administrator, you need to get clear in your own mind this distinction between the common and the psychological use of the word ‘test’. But you must also remain aware that mosttest takers will have only the common meaning in their minds when you talkof giving them tests or of testing their interests and personality. For that reasonit is important to be very careful how you describe assessment proceduresto those who don’t have a technical understanding of psychometrics.

OPEN QUESTION: Pause and reflect for a moment on the use of the word ‘test’.

1. What does the word ‘test’ mean to you personally? What images ormemories does it conjure up?

2. Can you think of any other terms to use instead, which you could use todescribe a psychological test to someone who was about to have a testadministered to them

Write down your answers.

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These questions are aimed at making you think about the notion of testingpeople, and how people might react to the idea of being ‘tested’. You willhave a chance to look back at these ideas when you come to Module 2, which deals with practical test administration.

A psychological test consists of a collection of questions or tasks. These areknown as test items. In a simple test, the test taker’s answer to each item is scored and the item scores added up to provide a single measure called araw score or raw scale score. In more complex tests, there may be severalscales. For example, the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF)has 16 scales; the Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ32) has 32scales. In each of the above examples, each scale is used to measure somespecific aspect of personality. Each scale has its own scale score or rawscore. In most tests each item or question counts towards the score on onlyone scale.

So, what makes a test so different from a list of questions that anyone mightdevise? You cannot judge whether a list of questions is a psychological test simply by looking at it. While most tests of ability contain a list of

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