A COMPUTER-BASED TASK FOR MEASURING THE REPRESENTATIONAL COMPONENT OFQUANTITATIVE PROFICIENCY

In this study, we created a computer-delivered problem-solving task ba sed on the cognitive research literature and investigated its validity for graduate admissions assessment. The task asked examinees to sort mathematical word problem stems according to prototypes. Data analyses focused on the meaning of sorting scores and examinee perceptions of the task. Results showed that those who sorted well tended to have hig her GRE General Test scores and college grades than did examinees who sorted less proficiently. Examinees generally preferred this task to m ultiple-choice items like those found on the General Test's Quantitati ve section and felt the task was a fairer measure of their ability to succeed in graduate school. Adaptations of the task might be used in a dmissions tests, as well as for instructional assessments to help lowe r-scoring examinees localize and remediate problem-solving difficultie s.