Saturday 13 July 2019


Understanding The Question!



What is a keyword?

There are two different types of keywords: content words and function words.
1.      Content words tell you “what” you have to write about. Content words are the main words in a sentence. They give you the topic and any key ideas you should address. They are usually nouns or adjectives but can be verbs as well.
2.      Function words tell you “how” to write something. Function words are the words in a sentence that give instructions. See page 2 for a list of different function words and their general descriptions.

Common   Function W o r  d s  

Descriptive

1.      Summarize: Explain the main ideas and connections between those ideas in brief without going into too much detail.
2.      Illustrate: Give an example to help clarify an idea.
3.      Define: Explain the meaning of something.
4.      State: Write the main points or factors clearly.
5.       Outline: Explain the key points but do not give examples or evidence.
6.      Calculate: Use mathematics to provide an answer.
7.      List: write down the main ideas or factors in a list.
8.      Explain: Make something clear by detailing the features and the reasons for it.

Analytical

1.      Compare: Take two things and explain the similarities and differences between them. Analyze: Detailing features and reasons and critiquing them.
2.      Contrast: Similar to compare but focus much more on the differences.

3.      Criticize: Generate and express your own opinion or judgment on a topic or theory.

4.      Discuss: Explore an issue or idea by writing about the advantages and disadvantages or by comparing/contrasting multiple different views of the issue or idea.
5.      Examine: Closely explore something; investigate it by looking specifically at small elements or features.

6.      Describe: Report on something by recounting details, relating a sequence, outlining etc. and in doing so give your own view on the phenomena being reported about.
7.      Evaluate: Decide about the validity or plausibility of something using a particular objective or theoretical framework.
8.      Account for: Give reasons for the occurrence of something, or for selecting or using some process. Examine: Investigate something closely, and possibly identify good and bad points of a theory or idea.
9.      Consider: Write and examine your observations and thoughts on a particular subject or issue.
10.  Comment on: Present ideas for and against a certain point, and clearly state your position with reference to evidence and examples.
11.  Argue: Present the case for an idea and defend it against possible counter-arguments.
12.   Justify: Provide reasons for a conclusion or statement, and support your position with evidence
13.  Clarify: Make something clearer and show the relationships between items and ideas.
14.  Trace: Chronologically set out the historical development of a theory or practice, and in doing so give reasons for its emergence, decline or trajectory
15.  Interpret: Translate or solve a problem or issue or make its meaning clear.

16.  Relate: Show the relationships, similarities, and differences between ideas, facts or statements.

17.  To what extent: Consider and/or compare both sides of an argument or issue and give your own opinion.
Admin; Tasneem Ahmad


Source; The University of Sydney Centre for English Teaching

Tuesday 25 June 2019

Plagiarism



Plagiarism


Plagiarism is a type of academics robbery where a person take ideas, qoute, infor, research of other person and pretend it as its own. it occure may be due ignorance or may be due to dishonesty.Here we are enlishting three websites that help us in understanign concept of Plagiarim and how to avoid it.


1) The Academic Integrity Tutorial

 This website allows you to freely take a tutorial, The Academic Integrity Tutorial includes four text-based modules on understanding academic integrity, plagiarism and cheating; tips on avoiding plagiarism; documentation styles; and academic policies. It ends with a quiz.


  




2) "Goblin Threat Game Visual Material"

This entertaining game on plagiarism, developed by Snowden Library for Lycoming College students, is recommended for everyone. where a researcher learn core concepts of Plagiarism






3)   "You Quote It You note It"

One of my favourite site which is Playful, interactive, and to the point, this program on plagiarism is from Vaughan Memorial Library at Acadia University.Where you can learn each and everything about Plagiarism




Saturday 1 June 2019


Contents









 Different Type Of Test For The Purpose Of Counselling

The aim of guidance and counselling are to help the individual. It can be done by understanding him. We cannot understand a person unless we know him. Therefore, the first thing guidance workers must do is to get to know the individual. If he has reliable, accurate, significant, and comprehensive information regarding the individual, he can understand him better and guide him effectively. The better the exploration of the individual, the more effective the guidance, and complete exploration of the individual may be achieved by various testing and non-testing devices.

Test

the main function of tests is to collect reliable data about the individual for making decisions about his educational, vocational or personal plan in his life.
It is a set of tasks or questions intended to elicit types of behaviour when presented under standardized conditions. This means that testing is the act of asking an individual a set of questions to obtain a score. The score thus obtained is the end-product of testing, and yields information needed when deciding.
using scores from a test, a counsellor can form an image or model of the client with whom he/she deals. The image thus formed is a set of hypotheses about a person and his/her potential.


USE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS

Psychological tests are designed to assess the characteristics of people such as their abilities, attitudes, motivations, interests, needs and values and so on. The psychological test can be defined as a sample of an individual, behaviour, obtaining under standard conditions and scored according to a fixed set of rules that provide a numeric score (Anastasi, 2003).

Freeman writes, “A psychological test is a standardized instrument designed to measure objectively one or more aspects of a total personality by means of samples of verbal or non-verbal response, or by means of other behaviour.”

It is obvious that a psychological test is the quantitative measurement of the various aspects of behaviour of the individual for making generalized statements about the total performance and behaviour.
A good the psychological test must possess the following essential characteristics: –
Ø  Validity
Ø  Reliability
Ø  Objectivity
Ø  Standardization
Ø  Norms
Ø  Simplicity
Ø  Economy
Ø  Interesting

Counsellor’s Use of Psychological Tests

The counsellor may use the tests to:
  1. Secure accurate and reliable information about each student’s abilities, interests and adjustment problems in order to give him guidance and counselling
  2. Make use of test results for further performance through the improved basis for prediction regarding the likelihood of success in activities for which prospective performance can be measured
  3. Help students arrive at decisions basic to plan their educational and vocational future
  4. Diagnose student’s problems like social adjustment, growth and development or academic deficiencies and determining plans for their amelioration; and
  5. Help them evaluate the outcome of guidance and counselling and plan further remedial programme.

Test Techniques

The testing service has specific purposes and aims which it wants to achieve by using standardized tests. A few of the main purposes are enumerated below: -
1.         To determine the individual pupil’s achievement level and progress
2.         To obtain data for diagnostic purposes
3.         To know his aptitudes
4.         To provide for the identification
5.         To improve instruction
6.         To determine his existing self-concept, attitudes, and the personality pattern
7.         To ascertain social adjustment
8.         To identify under-achievers and over-achievers

Types of Tests used in Guidance and Counselling

The psychological characteristics that an individual possesses may be divided into five broad categories, each one of which is measurable by a test or a set of tests. We have thus to use these five types of test.
(1)        Tests of Intelligence
(2)        Test of abilities
(3)        Tests of interests
(4)        Tests of personality, and
(5)        Tests of achievement

Role of Testing Techniques in Guidance and Counselling

   Counselling and Guidance
Tests are frequently used to assist students in exploring and choosing careers and directing them to prepare for the careers they select. A single test is not used for making guidance and counselling decisions. Frequently, a series of tests are administered, including an interest inventory, various aptitude tests, personality questionnaire, and achievement tests. This information, along with additional background information, is discussed with the student during a series of counselling sessions
1.         Prediction: Various types of tests are given to individuals to obtain a solid basis upon which decisions can be made. Decisions involve predictions of how well individuals will do later. It is assumed that predictions based on quantitative data are more accurate and reliable and provide a balance against wishful thinking.
2.         Selection: Tests are also used in selection of candidates for admission, jobs, or some training.
3.         Classification: Tests are also used for the purpose of classification of students. Classification means to divide students into classes or groups based on some criteria. For example, classifying students based on aptitude, interest, and mental abilities.
4.         Evaluation: Tests are used to assess and evaluate programme’s, methods, treatment and the like.

Limitations of Testing

(i)         Indifference, inattention, low commitment and generally low motivation of the individuals tend to invalidate the test results
(ii)        The relative narrowness of the traits measured by the tests
(iii)       Low validity and reliability for some pupils.
(iv)       The unavailability of local norms
(v)        Heavy weighting of vertical ability in many tests
(vi)       Undue influence of socio-cultural conditions or environment conditions upon test results
(vii)      Failure to follow the directions of the tester


Intelligence Test


Intelligence, the dictionary says, is: “the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.”
D.WeschIer has given a comprehensive definition. According to him “Intelligence is the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally and to deal with his environment effectively.”
Intelligence has been one of the most popular psychological terms used in identifying individual differences. It has helped to explain that people differ from each other in their ability to understand complex ideas or to learn from experience. Howard Gardener ‘s theory of multiple intelligences puts forth that intelligence is not a single entity and there exists multiple intelligences, each distinct from others. According to him, there are nine distinct bits of intelligence that are independent of each other. These several types of intelligence interact and work together to provide a solution to a problem. The nine types of intelligence proposed by Gardener are briefly discussed below.

1.         Linguistic Intelligence: The capacity to use the language fluently and flexible, to express one ‘s thinking and understanding others. Used in reading a book, writing a paper, a novel, or a poem; and understanding spoken words. Poets and writers exhibit this ability.
2.         Logical-Mathematical Intelligence: Thinking logically, critically, using abstract reasoning to manipulate symbols and solve mathematical problems.
3.         Spatial Intelligence: Abilities involved in forming, using, and transforming mental images. Used in getting from one place to another, in reading a map, and is packing a suitcase in the trunk of a car so that they all fit into a compact space. Pilots, sailors, interior decorators, surgeons, fashion designers generally exhibit this ability.
4.         Musical Intelligence: Capacity to produce, create and manipulate musical patterns. Used in singing a song, composing a sonata, playing the trumpet, or even appreciating the structure of a piece of music.
5.         Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence: Ability to use one ‘s body and muscle structure in a coordinated planned way. Used in dancing, playing basketball, running a mile, or throwing a javelin. Athletes, dancers, actors, gymnasts, sports person, surgeon exhibit this more than others.
6.         Interpersonal Intelligence: Used in relating to other people, such as when we try to understand another person ‘s behaviour behavior, motives or emotions, counsellors, psychologists, politicians, social workers, religious leaders are shown to be high on this ability.
7.         Intrapersonal Intelligence: Knowledge of one ‘s internal strengths and limitations and using that knowledge to relate to others.
8.         Naturalistic Intelligence: Complete awareness of our relationship with the natural world, useful in recognizing the the beauty of distinct species of flora and fauna and making a distinction in the natural world.
9.         Existential Intelligence: Can be defined as the ability to be sensitive to, or have the capacity for, conceptualizing or tackling deeper or larger questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why are we born, why do you die, what is consciousness or how did we get here.
The multiple intelligence approach focuses on ways in which people can be intelligent.
As the meaning of intelligence differs from one culture to another there is a need to understand the cultural context for measuring intelligence. Even though tests of intelligence assist counsellors and other personnel in providing a view of the client’s abilities, the scores of these tests need to be used with caution.

Uses of Intelligence Tests for Guidance and Counselling

In the words of Prof. V.R Taneja “Measurement of Intelligence tells us differences among individuals and those differences have practical importance in life, as they are predictors of success in school, college and occupation. Test results are used for educational and vocational guidance. Student can choose the different stream of education like medicine. engineering, law, teaching etc. depending upon their I.Q likewise, vocational choices can also be done based on test results.”
To be specific following are the uses of Intelligence tests:
  1. Allocation of students for different courses can be done based on I.Q of students
  2. Selection of students for admission to schools in different classes
  3. Classification of students as bright, superior, average, dull etc. can be done based on intelligence tests
  4. Award of scholarships, honours. medals etc.
  5. Promotion of students to higher classes
  6. Prediction of academic success
  7. Understanding the causes of backwardness, delinquency, and problematic behaviour
  8. For selection in Army, Police, Civil Services etc.
  9. For the purpose of educational and vocational guidance
  10. Used in Research
  11. For finding underachievers, slow learners etc.

Personality Tests

Personality is the sum of biological innate and acquired dispositions.
Personality‖ includes the emotional, motivational, interpersonal, attitudinal, and even moral aspects of a person. some researchers have included intelligence also as part of the personality. Personality refers to a unique combination of characteristics of an individual, which predisposes the person to behave in a particular and consistent way
Allport writes, “Personality is a dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine the unique adjustment to his environment.”

Used of Personality Testing

In our daily lives, we are constantly assessing people’s personalities in an informal way. Personality testing is used to;
1)      helps the students in proper educational and vocational choice
2)      helps the individuals in resolving emotional conflicts
3)      helps the teacher and the counsellor
4)      helps the the employer in the proper selection of the personnel
5)      helps the clinical psychologist to choose the best therapy for his patients.

Purposes of the Personality Test
. Personality testing is necessary to achieve the following purposes.
         It helps the students in proper educational and vocational choice. It is, therefore, important to diagnose the individual ‘s personality pattern to see whether he possess the traits which are likely to contribute significantly to his adjustment to the course or career he is choosing.
         It helps the individual in resolving emotional conflicts. Personality diagnosis becomes essential when the difficulty the individual encounters in making proper adjustment with the educational and occupational choices lies in emotional conflict about which the client has no knowledge
A clinical psychologist can use personality assessments to help choose the best therapy for his clients.
 Thus, personality assessment is important for educational, career, personal and social counselling


Techniques of Testing personality

A number of techniques are used for testing personality. The techniques are:
         Interview
         Observation
         Self-report Measures
         Checklists
         Rating Scales
         Situational Tests or Behavioral Tests
         Projective Techniques
         Anecdotal Records
         Autobiography
         The Daily Diary
:
1.         The Interview: An interview is a conversation during which an interviewer seeks to elicit information about another person and to evaluate him in general terms. The the interview has certain advantages:
(a)        it ensures that essential topics will be covered
(b)        It is easier to compare interviews when all interviewers have covered the same topics.

2.         Observation: observation is one of the finest and easiest techniques for testing
personality. Direct observation as a technique of personality testing is useful in many ways:
(i)         The observer sees the person’s behaviour at first hand and does not have to rely on the person’s own description.
(ii)        If several careful observers provide unbiased, factual accounts of a person’s behaviour over a period, the composite picture of the individual’s personality can be quite accurate.

3.         Self-ratings and Personality Inventories
An individual has written account of the past behaviour, feelings and wishes can be a reliable source of information about his personality. Self-ratings can be done through personality inventories and paper & pencil tests both of which serve as an excellent basis for later interviews.

4.         Checklists
In a checklist the the subject must check items which are applicable to him Given below are some Checklists:
(i)         Student’s Problem Checklist
(ii)        Money Problem Checklist

5.         Rating Scales
Rating is a sample of the ‘reputation’ of the subject in the eyes of the raters - counsellors, teachers, parents, or others. A rater can record judgements of another person or of himself upon the traits defined by the scale by a device. It is usually being based on a scale of 0-5 or extremely poor to excellent. It covers a much wider range of more natural behaviour than any practicable battery of personality tests. It has a great advantage of being applicable without taking up the time of the subjects, even without their knowing anything about it. A number of rating techniques are available 
            Projective Techniques
Projective techniques enable a subject to project his internal feelings- attitudes, needs, values, or wishes to an external object. They aim at getting at the core rather then the circumference of the personality structure, are concerned with complex mental processes, and portray the complete personality.
The following are some of the major projective techniques:
1.         Free word association
2.         Word Connection
3.         Completion Test
4.         Rozenweig picture-frustration study
5.         Drawing Painting and Sculpture
6.         Play
7.         Rorschach Ink-blot test
8.         Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
9.         The Children Apperception Test (CAT)

7.         Situational or Behavioral Tests
This is a test in which the behaviour of the individual is evaluated in action by judges or by his peers or he is confronted with the situations related to his own life, in response to which he gives expression to his feelings for other persons. The subject reveals some of his personality traits through his preference for or against certain contacts with others and through his spontaneous methods of dealing with life-situations that confront him.

8.         Anecdotal Records
This is also a a promising approach to the investigation of pupil personality. An anecdotal record is a description of the student’s conduct and personality in terms of frequent, brief, concrete observations of the student made and recorded by the teacher, counsellor, or administrator. If these observations are summarized chronologically, a fair account of the personality of the student can be built up. It gives a dynamic picture of the student in diverse situations and this is a good device for the assessment of personality.

9.         Autobiography
It is a personal and comprehensive document of an individual, which can prove useful in obtaining information about his personality dynamics. This device can be used more for gaining an understanding of a student’s ‘inner world ‘than for ascertaining the facts regarding the ‘outer world. A proper interpretation of autobiography, thus, will give an insight into the personality of the individual.

10.       The Daily Diary
The daily diary kept by students can also serve as a good device for a measure of personality. The diary is very personal can contain the record of such events, thoughts, and feelings as are of great importance to the student. If kept and made available
to the counsellor and used by him in confidence, the diary can serve as a useful medium of throwing light upon many aspects of the personality of the individual


Difficulties in Personality Testing

The difficulties encountered in personality testing are the subject’s reluctance to disclose sensitive information. An individual’s personality reflects his characteristic behaviour traits and the way he consistently reacts to his environment. In assessing personality, we are not interested in a person’s best behaviour but want to find out his typical behaviour in ordinary situations. We occasionally alter our behaviour patterns in times of illness, personal misfortune, or family troubles. But most of us also want to appear at our best before others. A person who is being questioned about his personality may be reluctant to disclose information that will show in an unfavourable light. Any measurement of personality, therefore, must consider the possibility that the person being assessed may not be displaying his characteristic way of behaving.


Aptitude Tests

Aptitude is thought of as a natural tendency, special ability, or capacity or cluster of abilities. Often these natural abilities are looked at in relationship to a person’s readiness to learn or their suitability for a career. For example, to be successful architect, one must possess the cluster of abilities such as a keen sense of observation, a sense of aesthetic visual memory, abstract reasoning, and an ability to sketch free hand. So, aptitude may be defined as a trait that characterizes an individual’s ability to perform in an area or to acquire the learning necessary for performance in each area. It presumes an inherent or native ability that can be developed to its maximum through learning or other experiences. However, it cannot be expanded beyond a certain point, even by learning. an aptitude test measures the potential of one to achieve in a given activity or to learn to achieve in that activity.

Defining Aptitude

According to Traxler “Aptitude is a present condition which is indicative of an individual’s potentialities for the future.”
In the words of Bingham “Aptitude is a condition or set of characteristics regarded as symptomatic of an individual’s ability to acquire with training some usually specified knowledge, skill or set of responses, such as the ability to speak the language, to produce music.”


Assumptions regarding Concept of Aptitude 

Bingham states that the concept of aptitude rests upon three assumptions:
1)      An individual’s potentialities are not equally strong
2)      Individuals differ from one another in their potentialities
3)      Many of these differences are stable

Nature of Aptitudes

  1. An aptitude is a unique combination of abilities and personality characteristics, which predisposes a person to do one kind of work better than another and increases his chances of success at it.
  2. An aptitude, therefore, is not a unitary trait of human personality. For example, aptitude for science involves basic intellectual qualities like logical reasoning, abstract reasoning, arithmetical reasoning, certain temperamental qualities like an interest in experimentation and initiative for invention, personality characteristics like persistence and hard work.
  3. An aptitude is acquired, though in many cases it has an innate basis.
The measurement of aptitudes for specific vocational pursuits becomes a complicated process, as there are thousands of occupations.


Specific Areas of Aptitude Tests 

Among the tests available, the following category of tests is often used:
1.         Art Aptitude Test
2.         Clerical Aptitude Test
3.         Manual Aptitude Test
4.         Mechanical Aptitude Test
5.         Medical Aptitude Test
6.         Musical Aptitude Test
7.         Scholarly Aptitude Test
8.         Scientific Aptitude Test
9.         Teachers Aptitude Test

Use of Aptitude Tests in Guidance

Aptitude tests may potentially be used by counsellors and others because.
i.            These are used for purpose of guidance in selecting subjects for studying, for use to help the students to select the profession or occupation of his choice.
ii.            Employers can use it for making a selection of his employees.
iii.            Different aptitude tests can be used in admitting candidates for different professional training such as Law, Medicine, Engineering etc.
iv.            They may identify potential abilities of which the individual is not aware; \
v.            They may encourage the development of special or potential abilities of a given individual.
vi.            They may provide information to assist the individual in making educational and career decisions or other choices between competing alternatives;
vii.            They may serve as an aid in predicting the level of academic or vocational success on an individual might anticipate; and
viii.            They may be useful in grouping individuals with similar aptitudes for development and other educational purposes.


Types of aptitude test

There are distinct types of aptitude tests.

Single Aptitude Tests

 Some of them are single aptitude tests like tests of mechanical aptitude, clerical aptitude, teaching aptitude, musical aptitude and so on. Such tests covering a group of related abilities are necessary for performing in an occupation like becoming a mechanic, clerk, teacher, musician etc.

Sample Aptitude Test

Another type of aptitude test is the work sample aptitude test. It requires the individual to perform all or part of a given job under the conditions that exist on the job.
An example of a work sample test for the job of an automobile mechanic is to repair a faulty carburettor. Besides this, there are differential tests Batteries as well.

Differential Aptitude Tests (DAT)
A commonly known Differential Aptitude Tests (DAT). Bennett, Seashore and Wesman (1984) battery consist of eight subtests of verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning abstract reasoning, spatial reasoning, clerical speed and accuracy, mechanical reasoning, language usage, spelling, grammar, a combination of such abilities is required for success in different occupations. Such test batteries can give comprehensive information about the relative picture of the student’s specific abilities. Administration of total battery can prove to be costly in terms of time, but one can make selective use of certain subtests.
 For example, a student trying to explore whether s/he will have the required aptitude to go to engineering, may not be required to take tests like clerical speed, language usage, grammatical or verbal reasoning tests but may be required to take numerical abstract and spatial reasoning tests. Most of the batteries of tests available for assessment of aptitude at school stage is in the form of test batteries consisting of the underlying abilities required for success in different occupations rather than the direct assessment of job aptitudes.

Caution in the use of Aptitude Test Data:

         It is important that counsellors select and use aptitude tests carefully, keeping in view the student’s/client’s needs. If aptitude test data must be used, it should be used along with previous achievement data, present interests, leisure time activities and work habits etc. to guide the students into various occupational possibilities.
         The aptitude test samples certain abilities of the individual and helps to find what he/she can do now and how well it can be done further. Based on the present performance,
 estimate of his/her future achievement is inferred which is in terms of probability only.
         It may also, be kept in mind that aptitude tests score only provide leads or suggestions or to help in career planning and do not automatically match individuals to suitable courses or studies, and occupations. These are factors like willingness, hard work, that contribute to or one has success in a career which are not measured by aptitude tests.

Achievement Tests: 

Achievement is what one successfully accomplishes in an area of study/activity/ domain. In the case of students, it may be conceptualized as successful learning of the assigned educational material. Such learning is usually demonstrated to teachers and others either through a verbal presentation or a written examination.
An achievement test measures knowledge and skills attained by the student in a particular area usually acquired after classroom teaching or training. In an educational system, achievement test scores are often used to determine the level of instruction for which a student is prepared, to indicate academic strengths and weakness, and to indicate the relative standing of the student in a group/class. Achievement test data, in combination with other data, is used to help guidance counsellors plan students future educational programme’s.

Types of Achievement Test:
Achievement tests are of various kinds, each scoring a different purpose and providing different information on students ‘academic proficiency. These have been classified in many ways and understanding of which helps the counsellor to understand their functions.
Formative and Summative Tests: Formative tests are used to measure progress made in knowledge and skills before and during instruction. Summative achievement tests are given at the end of course instruction, to assess the outcome of the instruction.
Prognostic tests: Readiness or prognostic tests are used to predict how well an individual is expected to profit from training.

Diagnostic Test: Diagnostic achievement tests provide information on the performance of the students in different subjects and


indicate their strengths and weakness in reading, arithmetic, and language usage.
Achievement test can be either criterion-referenced (CRT) or norm-referenced (NRT). The two tests differ in their intended purposes, the way in which content is selected, and the scoring process which defines how the test results must be interpreted.
Norm-Referenced Tests (NRTs) are designed to highlight achievement differences between and among students and provide a rank order of students across a continuum of achievement from high achievers to low achievers. These types of tests are used to help counsellors/ teachers to clarify students for remedial or gifted programme’s.
Criterion-referenced tests (CRTs) determine the strengths of the test taker i.e. what they can do and what they know, not how they compare to others. They report how well students are doing relative to a predetermined performance level on a specified set of educational goals or outcomes included in the school curriculum.
An achievement test is designed to measure how much a person knows about a specific topic or area such as math, geography, or science. Achievement tests can be a standardized test or teacher-made tests.
Uses of Achievement Test Data
Data from standard achievement tests can be used for promoting, classifying, diagnosing, or evaluating students. Counsellors can also use the achievement tests for:
§   Helping clients in decision making. A counsellor can use the achievement test scores to initiate a decision on taking appropriate choices for a career.
§   Assisting in diagnosis, counsellors can make use of achievement test data to diagnose problems faced by the students in different subject areas. Accordingly, corrective remediation can be planned and carried out.

§   Encouraging self-study. The student through achievement data is able to gain insight into his/her strengths and weakness in different subjects which can motivate him/her to put in the desired effort.
§   Achievement test is used as learning measures of
(1) the amount of learning,
(2) the rate of learning
(3) comparisons with others or with achievement of self in other areas, (4) level of learning in sub-areas, and
(5) strengths and workers in a subject matter area because of their extensive use and easy task of identifying appropriate context measures.

Achievement tests of both kinds i.e. standardized and teacher-made tests are based on the content taught and are considered valid. These are used to assess the level of overall proficiency to meet the entry requirements to certain/programmes or the proficiency in a particular subject. The informal classroom achievement test is suited to a select performance of a group of students. It is flexible and accommodates testing students on a local curriculum. The two types of tests can be used in a complementary manner




INTEREST TEST

Your interests can tell you more about who you are and what suits you. They provide information necessary for making the right career choice. Obviously, your interests indicate what you like and what occupations interest you. If the profession you choose connects with these interests, you will find a lot more pleasure in your work.
Interests tests help you define your interests and determine what you like most. This could help you when making a career choice.
In order to help students, make vocational and &         educational choices, the counsellor to know his/her interest in activities. The study of interest would help you as a counsellor to better understand the students in terms of his/her likes and dislikes. In this section, you will learn about the concept of interest and its assessment.

You might have observed in your class that some students show more inclination to mathematics, while others in computers, some in literary activities, in painting etc. Interest is an expression of our likes and dislikes or our attractions or aversions. An individual chooses the most acceptable, suitable alternative out of many, go after preferred objectives, activities etc. and consequently desires satisfaction, success, and happiness out of the activities selected. It is because of his or her natural liking for these activities over others. Interest refers to activities that on individual likes to engage in enjoys.

Purpose of Interest Test

Interest testing is done to achieve some purpose such as:
         To provide teachers and counsellors with information regarding the student’s preference and aversions which will help then acquire a better understanding of students and their problems.
         To enable teachers, counsellors, and parents to assist the testes to prepare his educational and vocational terms consistent with his interest.
         To help in the selection of the right the person for the right work, and thus same frustration, unhappiness, and disappointment in the life of the individuals and increase productive capacity of individual.

Cautions on the use of Interest inventories

As a counsellor, you should keep in the following cautions in mind while using the results of interest inventories.
         Interest data of an individual provides a profile of the pattern of their interests (what they like doing) and should not be taken as the strength of the individual).
         Interest results tell us only about the likelihood of individual finding enjoyment in a particular type of activity or occupation and not s/he is capable of.
         A high score on an interest inventory so should not be considered analogues to success in a career. It is important to remember interests indicate the clients and not his or her strength. The emphasis of interest inventories is on self-exploration. One should know about oneself and be able to relate this information to what one is doing. Thus, the results of interest inventories should not be seen in an isolated manner but should be supplemented with information from other techniques such as observation, interview, informal talk etc. interest results are of little value themselves. They should be considered with achievement and aptitude scores to help individuals make educational and career choices.

 

Conclusion

There are two types of techniques for collecting information about the individual. These are testing and non-testing devices or we may call them as standardized and non-standardized tests. It should be kept in view that the techniques and tests are merely means of collecting information and no guidance worker should neglect the human factor that is the individual under study. Techniques and tests merely provide data and information. Interpretation of the data and information needs insight, in this lesson we have discussed that the job of a counsellor is to use the various types of psychological tests to secure accurate and reliable information about students. These tests are intelligence, achievement, personality, aptitude, attitude, and interest etc. The usefulness of psychological tests depends upon their proper use. Only those tests should be selected for use, which is valid, reliable, accurate, practical, and standardized. They should be not very lengthy, time-consuming and costly. The administration of psychological tests requires careful planning and preparation. Instructions should be thoroughly studied. Test material should be adequate and in fit condition. The procedure should be rehearsed. For Scoring, the manual of the test should be followed and interpreted accordingly
Psychological the test is an objective and standardized measure of a sample of behaviour. Tests are used for selection, classification, diagnosis, and prediction.
 School counsellors, teachers and administrators use test data for different purposes.
Counsellors need to develop skills in test administration, scoring, interpretation of test results, and communicating results to their clients. General considerations for counsellors in the appraisal process relate to being in good psychological health, developing sensitivity for the client, showing open-mindedness, respecting the client, having attentiveness, and showing empathy towards the client.
Tests and testing have been criticized because of their misuse and issues like labelling, inaccuracy, culture bias, invading privacy, encouraging competition. There is a need for standardization of all procedures and scoring of psychological tests for accuracy in results. Counsellors need to take cautions in using psychological tests like interest inventories, aptitude tests, achievement tests, intelligence tests, attitude scale, personality tests.

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