ACS-NSTA cooperative Examination

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Charles W. Hendrickson Chairman, Subcommittee I Shaker Heights High School Shaker Heights, Ohio

ACS-NSTA cooperative Examination High School Chemistry Form 7967

Published biennally, the ACS-NSTA Cooperative Examination High School Chemistry is constructed by a forty-member committee of high school chemistry teachers. The chief purpose of the test is to help teachers measure end-of-year achievement in high school chemistry. Test content, questions, and organization originate solely with the committee. Form 1967 continues the trend toward questions with increasing emphasis on concepts rather than recall items. Starting with Form 1963 and the approximate inception of this trend, the test became difficult for those whose scores served to establish "Entire Group" norms. "Entire Group" norms for Forms 1961, 1963,1965, and 1967 illustrate the point (see Table 1). Table 1.

Raw Scores of Entire Grouo

Rank

1

25

50

75

99

Mar. Possible ecore

Form 1961 Form 1963 Form1965 Form 1987

4.2 0.5 2.1 1.2

25.0 14.7 15.6 16.3

38.7 26.1 24.4 27.6

56.0 40.2 35.5 40.9

92.7 78.1 64.4 72.1

100 90 80 80

Percentile

holding a status quo for a t least the moment. As is true of its predecessors, Form 1967 has two equal parts. Each part contains forty questions with forty minute time limits. Equal dBiculty of parts was; also attempted. Part I, not significantly so, appears to be slightly harder. Kuder-Richardson Formula No. 21 reliability coefficients in all six groups of norms are slightly higher for Part 11. But again, this is not significant. Since reliability coefficients are higher when both parts are combined, teachers are encouraged to use both parts as a single test. Norms

High School Chemistry Form 1967 was released in March 1967. AU questions in the tests are five-option multiple-choice items. The scoring formula, R - W/4, has been applied throughout. Norms for the test based on the 1967 National Testing Program have been calculated. The norms are based on the scores of 10,651 Table 3. Entire Group. Random Sample of 8305 Papers Taken from Total Returns of 10.651 Paoers

From the standpoint of difficulty, Form 1967 shows some improvement over Form 1965. Since Form 1963 contained 90 rather than 80 questions, Form 1967 appears to be considerably less =cult than Form 1963. With the subject of difficulty yet in mind, norms for the "Sophomore Sub-Group" which, in general, contains the most able students show an even greater improvement in Form 1967 (see Table 2). Table 2.

Raw Scores of Sophomore Sub-Group Msu.

Percentile

Rank

1

25

50

75

99

poseible soore

From the above, it would seem that little need exists to make the test easier or to revert to more recall items. Hopefully, the "Entire Group" is being taught less descriptive chemistry with more time being devoted to the teaching of concepts and principles. Given time, the "Entire Group" performance may approximate that of the "Sophomore Sub-Group." On the other hand, the committee would he well-advised not to make a test more difficult. There is, after all, room for even the best Sub-Group to improve. A recent survey by questionnaire of users of Forms 1965 and 1967 indicates 204 / Journal o f Chemical Education

high school students who completed two semesters of chemistry on 145 high schools. The 10,651 scores constitutes the Entire Group. In addition, five Suh-Groups have been isolated as follows: Sub-Group A consists of 275 juniors and seniors with C-2 semesters of mathematios prior to taking the chemistry course. Sub-Group B consists of 666 sophomores with 2 4 semesters of mathematics prior to taking the chemistry course. Sub-Group C consists of 1112 juniors having 4-6 semesters of mathametics but no physics prior to taking the chemistry course.

Sub-Group D eansisk of 1220 seniors with 6-8 semesters of mathematics but no physics prior to taking the chemistry course. Sub-Group E consists of 584 seniors with 6 8 semesters of mathamatics and 2 semesters of physics prior to taking the chemistry course.

A complete table of percentile ranks for the Entire Group given in Table 3. An abbreviated table of percentile ranks for the five Sub-Groups is given in Table 4. Complete data from which the above were condensed are available from the office of the Committee. Chemistry teachers who wish may obtain a specimen set of Form 1967 which includes a test booklet, answer sheet, scoring stencil, and norms for a nominal cost of one dollar by ordering the same through the official channels of their institution. Brochures which list the available forms of other tests and prices may also be obtained. The address of the Committee is:

Table 4.

Abbreviated Percentile Ranks for the Five SubGroups Part I 40

part 11 40

99

28.1

30.8

59.8

75 50 25 I

14.6 7.8 3.9 0.0 0.924 38.0 25.9 18.4 10.5 0.0 0.942 35.8 19.1 12.4 7.4 0.0 0.912 32.3 17.9 12.3 7.4 0.0 0.882 36.3

15.9 9.4 3.9 0.0 0.928 38.8 28.4 20.3 12.7 0.0 0.948 36.2 21.3 14.0 8.3 0.0 0.921 33.7 20.1 13.6 8.0 0.0 0.909 36.7 24.9

29.8 16.7 8.2 0.0 0.959 74.4 54.1 39.6 23.5 1.8 0.971 71.9 39.8 26.9 16.1 1.4 0.953 85.0 37.9 26.1 15.9 1.4 0.944 71.1 46.4

M u . Possible Score Percentile Rank Sub-Group A

~ ~ i i ~ b i lCoefficient ity r Sub-Gmup B 99 75 50 25 1 ~ d i ~ b i lcoeffioiant it~ r 99 sub-~muxc 75 50 25 1 Relisbility Coafficient r s~b-~roup D 99 75 50 25 Reliability Coeffioiant r S U ~ - G ~ UEP

?!

I

72 0

Total 80

Exmini~tionsCommittee-ACS University of South Florida Tampa, Florida 33620

Volume 45, Number 3, March 1968

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