Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Within the context of a comprehensive validation study, the criterion-related validities of two laboratory practitioner certification examinations were assessed Partially derived from criteria outlined by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, the research involved assessing the relationships between examination performance andpreexamination internship supervisor performance ratings, postexamination supervisor performance ratings, gradepoint averages(GPAs), andearned credit hours in related and unrelated academic subjects. Supervisors 'overall ratings of examinees were related to total test performance. Exceptions to the positivefindings involved the relationships between content-related work area performance and scores on respective subsections of the examinations. Rather short subsections (20-60 items) appeared to lack the power to discriminantly predict performance in these areas. In addition, although GPAs in laboratory-related subjects were significantly related to examination performance, it was the amount of training in nonrelated subjects that was found to covary with examination performance. The outcomes of the present research also suggest which of the measures may be more effective, useful, and practical for other test validators. Investigators in other credentialing areas may wish to consider the strategies-adopted herefor assessing the validity of tests that they construct and administer

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

American Educational Research Association , American Psychological Association , National Council on Measurement in Education . (1985). Standardsforeducational andpsychological testing. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Anastasi, A. (1982). Psychological testing (5th ed.). New York: Macmillan.

Berk, R. (Ed.). (1984). A guide to criterion-referenced test construction. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Press.

Brown, F. G. (1976). Principles of educational and psychological testing (2nd ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

D'Costa, A. G. (1986). The validity of credentialing examinations. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 9, 137-169.

Hecht, K. A. (1979). Current status and methodological problems of validating professional licensing and certification examinations. In M. A. Budra & J. R. Sanders (Eds.), Practices and problems in competency-based education. Washington, DC: National Council on Measurement in Education.

Jeff, L. H. , & West, T. T. (1988). Prerequisite courses as predictors of success in a universitybased medical technology program. Clinical Laboratory Science, 1, 51-55.

Lunz, M. E. , Gaines, A. R. , & Saylor, R. (1986). Concurrent validity of the ASCP Board of Registry medical technologist certification examination. Laboratory Medicine, 17, 96-99.

National Commission for Health Certifying Agencies . (1981). Guidelines for membership criteria: Report on validity. Washington, DC: Author.

10.

Professional Examination Service . (1979). Correlation of performance on clinical laboratory proficiency examinations with performance in clinical laboratory practice (Contract No. 231-77-0118). New York: Author.

An Application of Practical Strategies in Assessing the Criterion-Related Validity of Credentialing Examinations

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References