Proficiency Exam Readings

Suggested Readings, Topics, and Competencies for Proficiency Examinations

Domain 1: Research Methods and Data Analysis

Domain 2: Psychometric Theory and Methods

Proficiency exams are not administered in Domains 3, 4 or 5. See Preparation for Domains 3, 4 & 5 for recommended and required readings for courses in those domains.

Domain 1: Research Methods and Data Analysis

To prepare for the statistics proficiency exam which must precede Domain 1 coursework, it is suggested that students consult one or more of the textbooks listed below or some other introductory statistics text.

Diekhoff, G. M. Basic Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.

Gravetter, Frederick J. and Wallnau, Larry B., Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, 5th Edition, USA: Wadsworth, 2000

Runyon, R. P., Haver, A., Pittenger, D.J., Coleman, K.A. Fundamentals of Behavioral Statistics, 8th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.

The topics to be covered in the statistics vestibule course, and to which students should direct their attention in preparing for the proficiency exams, are listed below:

1. Standard notation and review of basic algebra
   1. Summation notation
   2. Basic algebra
2. Measures of central tendency and variability
   1. Mean, median, and mode
   2. Standard deviation
   3. Standard scores
   4. Quartiles
3. Measures of relationship
   1. Pearson r
   2. Rho, eta, and biserial correlation
4. Statistical inference
   1. Basic concepts
   2. Normal curve
   3. Standard error
   4. Interval estimation
5. Prediction and estimation
   1. Linear prediction
   2. Standard error
6. Hypothesis testing
   1. Significance levels
   2. One and two tailed tests
   3. Type 1 and 2 errors
7. Inferential techniques
   1. Test of means
   2. Test of variance
   3. Test of proportions
   4. Chi square
8. One-way ANOVA
   1. Uses and assumptions
   2. Calculations
   3. F test and degrees of freedom

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Domain 2: Psychometric Theory and Methods

To prepare for the Domain 2 proficiency examination, it is suggested that students consult a textbook for an introductory course in tests and measurements. Three such books are listed below.

Anastasi, A. & Urbina, S. Psychological Testing, 7th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1997.

Cohen, R.J. & Swerdlik, M.E. Psychological Testing and Assessment: An Introduction to Tests and Measurement, 5th edition. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company, 2001.

Friedenberg, L. Psychological Testing: Design, Analysis, and Use. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995.

The topics to which students should particularly direct their attention in preparing for the proficiency examination are listed below.

1. Psychometric principles and procedures
   1. General principles and basic concepts
   2. Test administration and scoring
   3. Social and ethical implications of testing
   4. Descriptive statistics
2. Psychometric theory: reliability and validity
   1. Correlation methods
   2. Reliability estimation and interpretation
   3. Validity estimation and interpretation
3. Measuring general intellectual level
   1. Individual tests of general ability
   2. Performance and nonlanguage tests
   3. Group tests of general ability
   4. Psychological issues in intelligence testing
4. Measuring special aptitudes and abilities
   1. Multiple aptitude test batteries
   2. Measures of special aptitudes and abilities
5. Measuring educational achievement
   1. Educational objectives
   2. Test construction and item writing
   3. Item analysis and test validation
   4. Norm-referenced vs. criterion-referenced tests
   5. Power tests vs. speeded tests
   6. Standardized achievement tests
6. Measuring noncognitive characteristics
   1. Personality and self-report inventories
   2. Measures of interests and attitudes
   3. Projective tests and other assessment techniques

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