Psychology 2080A 650

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY 

LONDON               CANADA 

Department of Psychology 

Summer Distance (May 23 – July 23, 2021) 

  

Psychology 2080A Section 650 

Introduction to Test and Measurement 

  

1.0  CALENDAR DESCRIPTION 

This course examines principles of psychological assessment in an applied context through lectures and demonstrations. Topics will include reliability and validity, legal and ethical issues in test construction, and selected controversial questions relating to assessment in areas such as personnel selection, standardized testing in schools, and group differences in test performance. 

 

Antirequisite: Psychology 3840F/G  

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. If you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.  

 

Lecture Hours: 3 

Course Weight: 0.5 

  

2.0  COURSE INFORMATION 

Instructor: Jose A. Espinoza, MSc.                                              

Office: SSC8424A (meetings will be conducted on Zoom) 

Office Hours: By appointment via Zoom (see OWL course website for scheduling details)     

Email: jespinoz@uwo.ca                                                         

                                                          

Time and Location of Classes: Delivered asynchronously via OWL course website. Lectures released every Monday at 9:30am EST. 

  

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western (https://www.uwo.ca/health/) for a complete list of options about how to obtain help. 

 

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.  

 

3.0  TEXTBOOK  

Psychological Testing: Principles, Applications, and Issues 

Authors: Kaplan, R.M. & Saccuzzo, D.P. (2018) | Edition: 9th Edition (Belmont, CA.; Wadsworth) 

  • Note. This is a special edition of the text printed for this course and should have the words “Psychology 2080 A/B” on the front cover). Please DO NOT use older versions of this book. 
  • As this class will be delivered asynchronously, the digital version of the textbook (e-book) is available via the online Western Bookstore platform. To purchase, go to: https://bookstore.uwo.ca/product/cebcodeid34561. For any questions regarding purchasing, please contact the UWO bookstore directly at: book.store@uwo.ca 

 

4.0  COURSE OBJECTIVES  

The objectives of this course are to: 

  • explain important terms and concepts related to psychological testing and measurement, with special attention to concepts of reliability and validity. 
  • provide basic knowledge about psychological tests and test administration in applied areas, such as education, work, and health.  
  • familiarize students with potential pitfalls in testing and assessment by describing problems with particular tests, testing procedures, and the inappropriate use of test results.  
  • ensure students understand ethical issues of psychological testing and their implications. 

 

       4.1  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES  

Learning Outcome  

Course Activity 

Evaluation 

Identify various forms of assessment (e.g., interviewing, self-report, physical and behavioral examinations) and recognize their associated advantages and disadvantages. 

Lectures and readings 

Tests and Final Exam 

Distinguish between key concepts in psychological measurement (e.g., reliability, validity), identify procedures for assessing each concept, and compare methods and issues in those procedures. 

Lectures and readings 

Tests and Final Exam 

Compare competing approaches to the assessment of intelligence and personality, and identify strengths and weaknesses of the various approaches 

Lectures and readings 

Tests and Final Exam 

Describe particular tests and approaches to psychological testing and assessment in various areas of practice and recall their value and limitations. 

Lectures and readings 

Tests and Final Exam 

Understand and express issues with test bias and unfairness in psychological tests and distinguish between procedures for assessing susceptibility of tests to each problem.  

Lectures and readings 

Tests and Final Exam 

Identify and differentiate between important ethical and legal issues in the use of psychological tests. 

Lectures and readings 

Tests and Final Exam 

  

5.0  EVALUATION  

Grades in this course will be determined by three tests containing multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and short-answer questions, with the possibility of some other formats (e.g., essay questions, matching items). There will be two tests during the term, with a final exam to be scheduled by the Registrar (see 6.0 Evaluation Schedule). The percentage of the course grade allotted to each evaluation is as follows: 

  • Test #1: 25% 
  • Test #2: 35% 
  • Final Exam: 40% 

 

All material covered in lecture and the assigned readings is eligible for evaluation. Lectures and assigned readings complement each other and neither should be considered a substitute for the other. Some material covered in lecture will not be covered in the readings. Equally, some material covered in the readings will not be covered in lecture.  

 

Test #1 and Test #2 are not cumulative; however, the Final Exam will include a small number of items on content from Test #1 but only insofar as they reflect key content critical to the full class. Additional information about exam format (e.g., time allowance) and delivery will be provided on the OWL course website. 

 

Administration of Evaluations 

Evaluations will NOT be proctored and are open book/open notes. Students are to complete evaluations independently, by themselves. To maintain integrity of evaluation, there will be multiple versions of each test/exam, questions will be presented in a random order, and students will not be able to go back to a question once they have completed it.  

 

Test #1 and Test #2 will be conducted asynchronously. Each test will become available through the OWL course website on its specified date at 9:30am EST and students will have 24 hours to begin the test before it closes. Note that the Final Exam will be scheduled by the Registrar and may be conducted synchronously at a specific date and time. Once a test is started, it is anticipated that students will have 1.5 hours to finish, with 2 hours anticipated for the Final Exam, but this will be determined prior to each evaluation based on the material covered and as necessary to maintain the integrity of evaluation. The exception are students registered with Accessible Education and approved for accommodated formats for exams. If a student’s accommodation includes additional time to complete assessments, they will receive the appropriate additional time allotment. 

 

Approved Absences and Evaluations 

Students that are approved for an excused absence for an evaluation (see 9.0 Policy on Accommodation for Illness or Other Absences) must communicate with the instructor to re-schedule the evaluation. This communication must occur no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon the student’s return following a documented absence. 

 

Rescheduled evaluations will cover the same material as the missed evaluation but may follow a different format (e.g., composed entirely of essay-length questions). The percentage allotted to a missed evaluation will not be ‘rolled over’ into future evaluations.  

 

 

Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:  

70%      1000-level to 2099-level courses 

72%      2100-2999-level courses 

75%      3000-level courses 

80%      4000-level courses  

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf)  

A+        90-100              One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level 

A          80-89                Superior work that is clearly above average 

B          70-79                Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory 

C          60-69                Competent work, meeting requirements 

D          50-59                Fair work, minimally acceptable 

F          below 50           Fail 

 

Final grades in this class reflect student achievement. Per Department policy, grades that are close to the next grade level (e.g., 79%, 89%) will not be rounded up. 

  

6.0  EVALUATION SCHEDULE  

Evaluation  

Date  

Notes 

Test #1 

 

May 25 

Covers material from May 3 to May 25. 

Test #2 

 

June 21 

Covers material from May 31 to June 21. 

 

Final Exam 

 

Scheduled by Registrar, 

July 26–29 

Covers material from June 28 to end, with some key content from Test #1 

 

7.0  CLASS SCHEDULE 

Date & Lecture  

Topic 

Readings 

May 3: Lecture 1 

Course Introduction; History & Basic Statistics 

Ch. 1–2 

May 10: Lecture 2 

Reliability 

Ch. 3 

May 17: Lecture 3 

Validity 

Ch. 4 

May 25 

Test #1 

Readings and lectures from May 3 to May 25  

May 31: Lecture 4 

Creating Tests 

Ch. 5  

June 7: Lecture 5 

Interviews and Computers in Testing 

Ch. 6 

June 14: Lecture 6 

Intelligence 

Ch. 7 

June 21 

Test #2 

Readings and lectures from May 31 to June 21 

June 28: Lecture 7 

Personality  

Ch. 8 

July 5: Lecture 8 

Applications: Education and Work 

Ch. 9 

 

July 12: Lecture 9 

Applications: Health 

Ch. 10 

July 19: Lecture 10 

Test Bias and Ethical Issues 

Ch. 11-12 

TBA 

 Final Exam  

(scheduled by Registrar July 26–29) 

Readings and lectures from June 28 to end, with some key content from Test #1 

 

8.0  STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES  

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf 

 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com). Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.  

 

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.  

 

9.0  POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES  

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:  
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12 

  

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf 

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes: 

  1. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours). 
  1. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration. 
  1. For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.  

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html 

 

Students seeking academic consideration: 

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;   
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence; 
  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence  

 

10.0  CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR RETURN TO LOCKDOWN  

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the course that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online as determined by the course instructor.  

 

11.0  STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE  

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette: 

  • please “arrive” to class on time 
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet) 
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material 
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise 
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak 
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable 
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting  

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following: 

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question. 
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking. 
  • Self-identify when speaking. 
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise).  

 

General considerations of “netiquette”: 

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course. 
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing. 
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate. 
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.  

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.  

 

12.0  OTHER INFORMATION  

Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca   

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca 

 

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following: 

http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html 

  • Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct 
  • Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations 
  • Policy on Attendance 
  • Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines 
  • Policy for Assignments 
  • Short Absences 
  • Extended Absences 
  • Documentation 
  • Academic Concerns 
  • 2020-2021 Calendar References 

 

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.