278 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



one we have is the teacher's judgment, as derived from 

 his knowledge of their laboratory work, their written 

 reports, their daily recitations and the average of all 

 their previous tests to date. If in general the best stu- 

 dents have made the best scores and vice-versa, — in other 

 words if there is a high correlation, say 0.6 or more, be- 

 tween the class grades and the results of this test, we 

 may conclude that we have a satisfactory test. Standard- 

 ization may then proceed as fast as we can give the test 

 to other classes in the same or other schools, accumulate 

 and classify the scores, and establish norms. 



What about the student's reaction to this type of tests! 

 Uniformly satisfactory. They do not dread them; they 

 are even eager for them. It is amusing to see them "get 

 set" and "go" after a few experiences, and settle down 

 to a good natured race to get every word possible written 

 in the ten or fifteen minutes before "time" is called. 

 They feel that the larger number of questions gives them 

 a better chance of telling what they know, and there is 

 never any chance for a difference of opinion as to what 

 a certain answer is worth. 



Finally, no claim is made that all the testing of a year's 

 work can be done with this kind of tests. Even for the 

 measurable results of our work, an occasional one or two 

 hour test of the old type is desirable. And no scheme of 

 "testing", no matter how perfected, should blind our 

 eyes to the most important objectives of our work: — 

 the appreciation and love of science, the habit of mental 

 honesty, and of deferring judgment until all available 

 evidence is weighed carefully; in a word, that attitude 

 of mind that will make of the raw material that comes to 

 us good citizens and reverent, obedient inhabitants of a 

 Universe that is governed by Law. These are things 

 that can not be measured by an examination nor express- 

 ed by grades in a class-book. 



